Halloumi, Arugula and Tomato Sandwiches
Updated June 17, 2024
Nico Schinco for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
FOR THE SANDWICHES
2 (8-ounce) blocks of halloumi
3 medium heirloom tomatoes
Salt and pepper
8 slices sourdough bread
5 ounces baby arugula
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
Pickles, for serving
FOR THE GARLIC-PEPPER MAYO
¼ cup mayonnaise (preferably Kewpie brand), plus more for toasting the bread
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon), plus more squeezed onto the halloumi
½ teaspoon garlic powder
FOR THE GREEK SALAD DRESSING
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for cooking the halloumi
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Nutritional analysis per serving
39 grams carbs; 27 milligrams cholesterol; 331 calories; 5 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 14 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 791 milligrams sodium; 12 grams protein; 4 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Slice each block of halloumi into ½-inch-thick slabs. (You’ll want 3 or 4 pieces per sandwich, depending on the size of your bread and your halloumi.) Save the off cuts for grating into the salad later.
- Step 2
Cut the tomatoes into thin slices. (You’ll want 3 or 4 pieces per sandwich.) Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Step 3
Prepare the garlic-pepper mayo: In a small bowl, stir together the ¼ cup mayonnaise and the lemon juice and garlic powder. Season to taste with salt and pepper; set aside.
- Step 4
Prepare the Greek salad dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the ¼ cup oil and the vinegar, lemon juice and oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper; set aside.
- Step 5
Toast the bread: Spread a thin layer of plain mayonnaise on one side of each piece of bread. Working in batches, in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high, toast the bread, mayonnaise side down, until golden-brown underneath, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer toasted bread to a large cutting board or baking sheet, toasted side down. Spread the garlic-pepper mayo on the untoasted side of the bread.
- Step 6
Cook the halloumi: Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the skillet and heat over medium-high. Working in two batches, sear the sliced halloumi until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, then squeeze some lemon juice on top.
- Step 7
Assemble the sandwiches: Add the arugula to the Greek dressing in the large bowl and toss to coat. Shingle the tomatoes onto the 4 pieces of bread topped with the garlic-pepper mayo, and then do the same with the halloumi. Top each with red onions and a handful of the dressed arugula; form sandwiches with remaining slices of bread, toasted sides up. Cut each sandwich diagonally and divide among plates.
- Step 8
For a side salad, divide the remaining dressed arugula among the plates and grate any remaining halloumi pieces on top. Serve with pickles.
Private Notes
Comments
The best sandwich is the simplist one. A few years ago a neighbor gifted us a couple of large ripe heirloom tomatoes. I placed a few slices on white bread, added a little salt, dabbed a decent smear of mayonniase and took a bite. Wow! It was a revelation that something so simple can taste so good. Tried sprinkling a little parmesan but it killed the pureness of the tomato. I truly believe a well constructed tomato sandwich can stand up to a cucumber sandwich any day of the week.
While the flavors were good, it was much more oily than our family cares for. Mayo on the bread to toast, more mayo on the sandwich, oil to cook the halloumi, dressing on the arugula, then remaining dressing drizzled over it. I'm not sure I'd dress the arugula if I were to make it again. I might also consider simply toasting the bread.
Placing tomatoes directly against the bread changes its texture by making it moist. The riper the tomato, the wetter the bread will become, especially if the sandwich is packed to be eaten later. The solution is to place dry ingredients against the bread slices. Therefore, the order in this sandwich should be: bread-halloumi-tomato-arugula-bread.
This is a great summer meal. We have a bumper crop of heirloom tomatoes and this was a fun variation on the BLT. My changes: I air fried strips of halloumi at 380F for 6 minutes. They came out perfectly toasted and melty for the sandwich. Much easier than frying in a pan. I also lightly dressed the arugula with a splash of olive oil, lemon juice, and white wine vinegar because I didn't want to get out more measuring spoons to make a sandwich topping. Toasting the bread in mayo made it crispy without getting soggy as it cooled so I will be using that trick again for other toasted sandwiches.
This was a delicious sandwich! Followed the recipe exactly.
This was insanely good. I made it as written except I didn't dress the arugula because (1) I'm lazy and (2) I'm not a huge fan of salad dressing anyway. But it was excellent without. Like jaw-droppingly good. I'm excited to make this in the summertime with some tomatoes fresh from the farmers market. Yummmm