I’ve got a new recipe for you for those long days of summer when the sun is shinning and you’re sitting on the porch, reading a book or surrounded by friends. There’s Aperol spritz on the table, and all you need is a quick, mediterranean-style snack that takes only a few ingredients and less than 30 minutes to make: Fried Halloumi and Burst Tomatoes Toast.

Halloumi, a favorite cheese of mine, is deliciously salty and squidgy. Although you can absolutely eat it as is, when pan-fried it’s when it really shines. It goes from squidgy to crispy and gooey, and it goes great on salads or in a bowl, or… on toast. Drown its thick slices in a pool of spicy honey olive oil, accompanied by burst cherry tomatoes, and the bread becomes merely a vehicle for all that goodness. Of course, we need carbs, so don’t skip the bread. If not toasted, then at least torn up into pieces and dipped into the sauce.

This is an elevated version of my go-to hummus and halloumi toast. The cherry tomatoes and the spicy honey sauce brighten it up to a whole new level. The hummus helps balance the flavors as well as keeping the whole toast together. Keep in mind this is a very messy toast. I’m not gonna lie, sometimes it’s hard balancing all those slippery little cherry tomatoes on top on that squidgy cheese, so things are prone to get a bit messy. Having said that, it’s worth the mess.

However you choose to go about this dish, be it as toast or as a side dish, it’s so easy and fresh, all you need is a skillet and a cutting board.

the details

Cut the halloumi cheese into thick slices. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the skillet and cook on both sides until crispy and golden brown. Remove and set aside.

Then add a little bit more of olive oil to the same skillet. Add the cherry tomatoes, season with salt and cook, shaking the skillet occasionally so they get a chance to coat in the olive oil. Cook until they start to burst. That’ll take a few minutes, 5 to 8, depending on how you like them. Then you can add all the sauce ingredients straight to the skillet: the olive oil (fat) – you like butter? add a tablespoon or two! – the honey (sugar), the red pepper flakes (heat), and the lemon (acid)- don’t have lemon? add a tablespoon of vinegar!

You’ve got all the essential elements for a balanced dish, now it’s up to you to make it your own. Taste and adjust flavors as you see fit, so add more honey for a sweeter sauce or more red pepper flakes for a spicier one.

Finish it off with plenty of freshly cracked black pepper and chopped parsley, and serve immediately.

If you make this Fried Halloumi and Burst Tomatoes Toast please be sure to leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you and I love responding to every comment. And don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram. I’d love to see your photos.