Halloumi, Arugula and Tomato Sandwiches
Updated June 18, 2024
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:4 sandwiches
- 2(8-ounce) blocks of halloumi
- 3medium heirloom tomatoes
- Salt and pepper
- 8slices sourdough bread
- 5ounces baby arugula
- 1small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
- Pickles, for serving
- ¼cup mayonnaise (preferably Kewpie brand), plus more for toasting the bread
- 2teaspoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon), plus more squeezed onto the halloumi
- ½teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for cooking the halloumi
- 2tablespoons white vinegar
- 1tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼teaspoon dried oregano
For the Sandwiches
For the Garlic-pepper Mayo
For the Greek Salad Dressing
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (18 servings)
294 calories; 13 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 35 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 703 milligrams sodium
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.
Powered byPreparation
- 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
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Cooking Notes
Rafael
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.
VicinNY
I want to make this over the next few hot days. I have a question: in the ingredients for the garlic pepper mayonnaise, I don’t see any pepper. Do I just add my usual ground black peppercorns to taste or do you have a specific type of pepper in mind? Thank you
Kristy360
I switched out the halloumi for bacon and it was delicious!
Maura
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.
Dan
If you read the instructions, you will see that you season the Mayo with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Alana
The instructions in the recipe say to season to taste with salt and pepper. I'd go freshly ground, personally. I think if the recipe-writers had a specific pepper in mind, they'd have said. That's my guess.
Jorge A
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.
Terry
One of my favorite sandwiches ever! I actually like it better with the arugula dressed with just lemon juice and salt and pepper, and I don’t toast with mayo, I just toast in the toaster.
TK
White distilled vinegar or white wine vinegar?
Sheila
Way too salty. Too much dressing for 5 oz arugula. Notice the halloumi slices in the pictured sandwich is about 1/4” slice, not 1/2” per directions. The larger slice overtook the sandwich.
AD
This is a good sandwich and very filling. We used one block of cheese and four slices of sourdough for four sandwiches and it was plenty. The cheese is very salty, so no extra salt is needed. Avocado would be a good addition, and the pepper mayo and salad dressing are fine, but not necessary if you’re in a hurry.
Christine
Perfect as written. Can't wait to make this again.
MH
Absolutely delicious. Don’t change a thing. In no way does this take an hour to prepare, though. At most it was 30 minutes and I was prepping side dishes at the same time.
Dan
Delicious. I recommend reducing the mayo content and only using the barest layer when toasting the bread (or possibly none at all), to keep things getting too oily.
lynne L
I like the idea of this because I love halloumi, but when it’s sandwiched between bread, it really loses a lot of its appeal and its flavor. This dish would be much better as a dressed arugula salad with pan fried halloumi and tomatoes.
CO
This was the best sandwich I’ve had in years! When I read the recipe I thought it had too many steps and I was tempted to skip most of them (like spreading mayonnaise on the bread and toasting it or adding dressing to the argula) but I am so glad I followed the recipe as written because the end result is a delicious, filling, restaurant quality sandwich that is so easy to make at home! Can’t wait to make this again!
Suzie
Sooooo oily! If I make this again, I would toast the bread in the toaster, add only a thin layer of mayo with lemon juice on the inside of the sandwich, and no dressing for the arugula. I couldn't even taste the halloumi under all of that mayo and oil.
Jordan
I’m pregnant, which means I go through hyperfixation meals for several weeks. This might last me the rest of the pregnancy. It’s so good. Used ciabatta instead of sourdough.
TK
The flavors are fantastic, but next time I will toast the bread without mayo. Just a tad too greasy, and not necessary.
Anne
This was really tasty. Howver, with how salty halloumi is on its own, I didn't add salt to anything else. Will definitely make again.
Nancy
Cut recipe in half for two so cut all ingredients in half as well. I was cautious bon lemon due to remarks from one viewer. I think it would have been fine as long as you are not heavy handed putting lemon on the halloumi. It’s very filling! As for someone’s remarks about trashing the kitchen… advice from years of experience…clean up as you go… put ingredients away as you use them and a sink of soupy water to wash as you use items.. no big deal.
EnglishLitDoc
This is so amazing and delicious, but very, very greasy. I am going to try it again without grilling the bread with mayo on the outside. Toasting the bread seems like it would be crunchy and lighter.
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