Halloumi Bagel with Pesto Yogurt Sauce

My halloumi bagel combines Cypriot, Greek, and Italian-inspired flavors for a mouthwatering bite. It consists of squeaky fried halloumi in a toasted bagel with homemade pesto and Greek yogurt sauce, with chopped veggies.

Wrap it deli-style for a grab-and-go lunch, or enjoy it in the evening with fresh salads, potato wedges, or parmesan carrot fries.

Halloumi Bagel with Pesto Yogurt Sauce

Assemble Your Ingredients

Ingredients for the halloumi bagel
  • Bagels – 4 sesame bagels (or plain bagels or your favorite savory bagels)
  • Halloumi – 16 oz (450 grams), cut into thick slices (about 12 slices, 3 per bagel)
  • Pesto – 1/2 cup fresh basil pesto
  • Yogurt – 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • Garlic – 1 garlic clove, minced
  • Tomatoes – 2 large tomatoes, sliced
  • Cucumber – 1/2 English/seedless cucumber, thinly sliced or cucumber ribbons made with a vegetable peeler
  • Red Onion – 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • Oil – 1 tbsp oil, to pan-fry the halloumi

Make the Bagel with These Easy Steps

Step 1 – Mix the pesto with the plain Greek yogurt, minced garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Pesto yogurt and garlic sauce

Step 2 – Cut the bagels in half and, optionally, toast them. You can toast them in the toaster or in a frying pan over medium heat for a couple of minutes. If using a pan, you can use a dry pan or add 1/2 tbsp of butter or a drizzle of olive oil.

Toasting the bagels

Step 3 – To a large frying pan or grill pan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of oil. When the oil is hot add the halloumi slices and pan-fry for about 2 minutes on each side until golden.

Pan-frying the halloumi slices
Golden halloumi slices in the frying pan

Step 4 – Prepare the halloumi bagel assembly board (toasted bagels, pan-fried/grilled halloumi slices, pesto-yogurt sauce, sliced tomatoes, thin slices or ribbons of cucumber, thin slices of red onion, and a pinch of salt and pepper).

Ingredients ready for the bagel assembly

Step 5 – Assemble the bagels. To each bagel, add pesto-yogurt sauce, a couple of tomato slices, thinly sliced red onion, cucumber ribbons, 3 slices of halloumi, and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

Putting together the halloumi bagel

How to Wrap Your Bagel to Go

Step 6 – Wrap the bagels tightly in parchment paper (or wrapping paper) so it’s all contained. Then, cut the bagel in half (see below).

To wrap the bagel, get a square piece of parchment paper/wrapping paper and then place the bagel in a corner. Then, fold the paper over the bagel from the corner on a diagonal until it’s all wrapped. Then, tuck the flaps under the bagel or use a piece of tape to tape the flaps to each other.

Wrapping bagels

That pesto yogurt sauce delivers some seriously earthy and creamy flavor. It’s a lovely combination with the salty halloumi.

Halloumi Bagel with Pesto Yogurt Sauce

Often, bagel fillings contain deli or roasted meats. This is a great option for a vegetarian option or if you want something a little lighter that still fills you up.

Halloumi Bagel with Pesto Yogurt Sauce

Try Some of My Other Bagels

Once you’ve tried it, it’s easy to see why toasted bagels are a popular lunch and takeaway choice in many cities.

If you’re looking for more bagel ideas, try some of these. Try my loaded bagel with smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, and more for breakfast.

For lunch, my salami and roasted pepper cream cheese bagels have some wonderfully rich, sweet, and earthy flavor. For dinner, go Italian-themed with my herby pesto and chicken bagel.

Add More Toppings and Fillings

Get creative with these toppings and fillings. There’s plenty here to load up your bagel with all kinds of yumminess!

Found a truly magical combination? Let me know in the comments, and enjoy!

Bagel toppings

Get Your Printable Recipe Card Here

Halloumi Bagel with Pesto Yogurt Sauce

5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Bagels
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Additional Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4 halloumi bagels
Author: Doina Johnson

Ingredients

  • 4 sesame bagels or plain bagels or your favorite savory bagel
  • 16 oz halloumi (450 grams), cut into thick slices (about 12 slices, 3 per bagel)
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil pesto
  • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 2 large tomatoes sliced
  • 1/2 English/seedless cucumber cut into thin slices or ribbons (with a vegetable peeler)
  • 1 small red onion thinly sliced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp oil to pan-fry the halloumi

Instructions

  • Mix the pesto with the plain Greek yogurt, minced garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
  • Cut the bagels in half and, optionally, toast them. You can toast them in the toaster or in a frying pan over medium heat for a couple of minutes. If using a pan, you can use a dry pan or add 1/2 tbsp of butter or a drizzle of olive oil.
  • To a large frying pan or grill pan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of oil. When the oil is hot, add the halloumi slices and pan-fry for about 2 minutes on each side until golden.
  • Prepare the halloumi bagel assembly board (toasted bagels, pan-fried/grilled halloumi slices, pesto-yogurt sauce, sliced tomatoes, thin slices or ribbons of cucumber, thin slices of red onion, and a pinch of salt and pepper).
  • Assemble the bagels. To each bagel, add pesto-yogurt sauce, a couple of tomato slices, thinly sliced red onion, cucumber ribbons, 3 slices of halloumi, and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
  • (Optional) Wrap the bagels tightly in parchment paper (or wrapping paper) so it’s all contained. To wrap the bagel, get a square piece of parchment paper/wrapping paper and then place the bagel in a corner. Then, fold the paper over the bagel from the corner on a diagonal until it’s all wrapped. Then, tuck the flaps under the bagel or use a piece of tape to tape the flaps to each other. Finally, cut the bagel in half. See the photos in the article for reference.

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Halloumi Bagel with Pesto Yogurt Sauce
5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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