Halloumi Pesto Sandwich
Summertime calls for simple meals and lots of picnics on the beach or in the park. That of course means it’s sandwich season! This Halloumi Pesto Sandwich is inspired by my new favourite sandwich from a local place called Picnic PEC in Picton. Their sandwich is filled with grilled halloumi, tomato, lettuce, cucumber, pickled red onion, and it’s all topped with celery mayonnaise. Geez Louise it is so delicious that I just had to try to recreate it. Let me tell you, this recreation is so incredibly delicious. The pesto mayo is herby, light, and fresh and perfectly compliments the salty halloumi and the crunchy veggies.
What’s Halloumi?
Halloumi is a semi-hard, unripened cheese made from a mixture of goat's and sheep's milk, and sometimes also cow's milk. It has a high melting point and so can easily be fried or grilled making it perfect for this sandwich and for topping salads with. Halloumi originates from Cyprus. All Summer long we have Halloumi on hand, I love adding halloumi to a simple green salad to make a light, delicious lunch or like in this recipe, it’s the perfect addition to a veggie sandwich to add some extra flavour, texture, and depth.
To cook halloumi, slice it into 1/2 inch slabs, add it to a dry medium-hot pan and let it cook until golden brown on one side, then flip it and cook until golden brown on the other side. You can also grill halloumi, cut your halloumi into 1/2 inch slabs and then grill for a few minutes on each side until golden brown.
Pesto Mayo
I love adding herbs, sauces, and flavourings to mayonnaise to add loads of extra flavour. Mayonnaise is so darn easy to make, you can find my foolproof mayo recipe here. You can also use your favourite go-to store-bought mayo in this recipe and simply add pesto right to your mayo and stir it all together!
Pesto is a basil-based sauce combined with olive oil, parmesan, garlic and pine nuts. The result is a herby, rich condiment, if you haven’t made pesto before it’s really simple. For this recipe, I used store-bought pesto from our local Italian bakery called Enid Grace Piccolina Mercato. The point of this sandwich is for it to be really simple so that it comes together quickly without too much prep and too many ingredients, so store-bought pesto and mayo are just as good for this sandwich.
Halloumi Pesto Sandwich
Author: ElizabethServings: 4 sandwiches
Ingredients
Pesto Mayonnaise 1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup pesto
2 teaspoons lemon juice
sea salt and pepper, to taste
Sandwiches
8 pieces of whole grain bread or brioche buns
1 brick of halloumi cheese, slices into 1/2 inch slabs
1 tomato, thinly sliced
1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
mixed greens or lettuce
Instructions:
1. MAKE YOUR PESTO MAYO In a small bowl combine mayo, pesto, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and adjust seasonings accordingly.
2. COOK YOUR HALLOUMI Over medium-high heat add your slabs of halloumi to a heavy bottom pan, I like using my cast iron pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and then flip and cook the other side for a 3-5 minutes.
3. MAKE YOUR SANDWICHES While your halloumi is cooking, toast your bread. Spread each piece of toast with pesto mayo, top with cooked halloumi, sliced tomato, sliced cucumber, and mixed greens. Top with the second piece of toast and enjoy!
Lastly, if you make these Halloumi Sandwiches, be sure to leave a comment on Instagram! Above all, I love to hear from you and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favourite!
