Crispy Halloumi with Tomatoes and White Beans
I was reminded of this recipe while eating at a neighborhood Greek restaurant in New York City this past weekend. I’ll get to the halloumi, which was peppered throughout the menu, but first, about my weekend in “The City” (iykyk). I grew up 20 minutes outside of NYC, and this weekend, my high school class celebrated our 40th high school reunion by gathering at a midtown bar. I stayed with my second mother at our family’s best friend’s apartment on the Upper East Side. On Friday night, I had dinner at the aforementioned restaurant, Yasouvlaki, with one of my dearest elementary school friends. I walked six miles in and around Central Park on what just might have been the most gorgeous Saturday of the year. Nine of my closest girlfriends (our friend group, as the kids say today) met for dinner right before the reunion. And honestly, all of this would have been enough to qualify the experience as a 10 out of 10. But the reunion itself was the best possible gallop down memory lane.
Roughly one-fourth of our graduating class showed up, which is over 100 people. The majority live and work in and around the city, but many like me made the trip. Each familiar face was a special treat. “How do we all look the same?” “You probably don’t remember this, but…” “Update me on your life!” “You look exactly like your mother!” “Your father did this for me…” (I heard those last two a lot!). I’ve said this before, but I’ve always felt that my high school friends were like cousins whom, unfortunately, I haven’t done a good job of remaining connected with. We share a strong foundation and so much history. We know each other’s families, and the true essence of who we all were before growing up and making life choices. I laugh because, while recounting the night to my parents the next day, they kept asking what so-and-so does for a living, and I had no idea. We didn’t talk about careers. We just shared old stories and reveled in the moment. Being together was like putting on your most comfy sweats (I did enthusiastically refer to a friend as “an old shoe” and meant it as the highest compliment!). I share all of this to encourage you to buy the cute outfit, make the trip, and show up at your reunions. You will belly laugh, smile super big for days, and be motivated to stay connected.
Anyway, that was my reunion pitch, and this is a flavor-packed, vegetarian meal that I will be making on repeat. Thankfully, it doesn’t rely on seasonal ingredients, so it guarantees to be just as delicious every time. Crispy Halloumi with Tomatoes and White Beans from NYTimes Cooking is a simple, one-pan recipe that moves seamlessly from stovetop to broiler to be completed in less than 20 minutes. After the tomatoes, beans, and seasonings have done their quick simmer, the sliced halloumi cheese is placed on top, and the pan goes under the broiler. The result is a textural sensation with crispy halloumi that stays soft and chewy on the inside and shines amidst the creaminess of the tomato-bean mixture.
In my version below, I doubled everything but the halloumi to ensure that there was enough to satisfy four adults. Feel free to refer to the NYTimes Cooking recipe (linked above) if you’d like to maintain original proportions. I used butter beans, my personal favorite, but cannellini beans might be a more popular choice, and served it with slices of fresh ciabatta bread. If you are lucky enough to have leftovers, lunch will not come soon enough. Enjoy!
Crispy Halloumi with Tomatoes and White Beans
Ingredients
- 2 Tbls olive oil
- 24 oz cherry or grape tomatoes halved lengthwise
- 4 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 2 Tbls finely chopped parsley plus more for serving
- 2 tsp honey plus more for serving
- 1 tsp dried oregano or thyme
- kosher salt and fresh black pepper to taste
- 2 15-oz cans of white beans (cannellini beans, butter beans or navy beans) drained
- 1 8-oz block halloumi cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
- 1/2 lemon
- Crusty bread (optional) for serving
Instructions
- Set broiler to high heat, with a rack positioned in the upper third of the oven, 3 to 4 inches from the heat source.
- In a large, ovenproof pan over medium heat, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil with the tomatoes, garlic, parsley, honey and oregano. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes soften and release their juices, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the beans and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Turn off the heat.
- Arrange the halloumi slices on top of the tomato-bean mixture in the pan. Transfer the pan to the oven. Broil until the halloumi is golden and crispy on top, about 5 minutes, depending on the oven’s broiler strength.
- Drizzle generously with olive oil, squeeze the lemon half over the pan and add a light drizzle of honey (I used hot honey for this final drizzle). Garnish with parsley and serve immediately, with bread if desired.