Egg and Halloumi Breakfast Plate

“Egg and halloumi” are trending on Google, which should come as no surprise for food writer Vanessa Perrone. What’s also trending? Healthy breakfast and brunch recipe ideas. That’s why we love Perrone’s Mediterranean breakfast combination of fried halloumi, eggs,  za’atar, spinach and ripe tomatoes.

“This recipe brings me back to the “eggs in a hole” I came to love as a child. But instead of bread, this grown-up version cracks the egg onto a slice of grilled halloumi! This recipe highlights two key Mediterranean ingredients we tend to shy away from at breakfast time: vegetables and spices. Yet fragrant za’atar, wilted spinach, and bursting tomatoes make this dish a flavourful and colourful way to start the day. –Vanessa Perrone

If you like this Egg and Halloumi Breakfast Plate, you’ll also enjoy this Egg and Halloumi Breakfast Sandwich – it’s the ultimate combination of avocado toast with fried halloumi and jammy fried egg.

Want to make sure your yolk stays runny while the egg whites are set and have perfectly crispy edges? See our guide on how to fry an egg perfectly for pro tips.

Egg and Halloumi Breakfast Plate

Vanessa Perrone's Mediterranean Diet breakfast plate features za'atar-seasoned fried eggs on top of grilled halloumi slices and served with tomatoes and spinach.

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Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil

Za'atar

• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• ¼ cup dried oregano
• 2 tbsp dried thyme
• 2 tbsp sumac
• ½ tsp kosher salt

Egg and Halloumi

• ½ onion chopped
• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 1 cup packed baby spinach
• salt and pepper
• 2 ½-inch (1.2cm) thick slices halloumi
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp za’atar store-bought or homemade (see note)
• 2 tbsp water

Instructions

 

Za'atar

• In a small, dry skillet, toast the sesame seeds until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
• In a spice grinder, pulse the oregano and thyme. Add to the bowl with the sesame, along with the sumac and salt, and stir to combine.
• Store in an airtight jar in a cool, dry place for up to 3 months. (Makes about ⅔ cups)

Egg and Halloumi

• Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch (25 cm) non-stick skillet set over medium-low heat. Add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and spinach, then season with salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute or until the spinach has wilted and the tomatoes have slightly softened. Transfer to a plate.
• In the same skillet, sear the halloumi on one side until golden brown. Flip the halloumi and crack one egg onto each slice of cheese. Sprinkle the eggs with the za’atar.
• As the egg whites begin to harden, add a splash of water to the outer rim of the pan to create steam, then quickly cover with a lid. Cook until the egg whites are firm but the yolks are still runny, about 2 minutes. Serve alongside the vegetables.

Notes

Tip:

Za’atar is a fragrant blend of oregano, thyme, sumac and sesame. With its herbaceous notes and slight acidity, this blend goes well with a variety of foods. You can find it in the spice section of your grocery store or make your own with the recipe above.

Keyword Breakfast Sandwich, egg and halloumi, Healthy Breakfast, Vegetarian breakfast sandwich, za'atar, za'atar recipe

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Excerpted from Everyday Mediterranean Vanessa Perrone. Copyright © Vanessa Perrone. Photographs by Ariel Tarr. Published by Appetite Books by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.