Aubergine, Halloumi & Harissa Skillet Bake Recipe
This Aubergine, Halloumi & Harissa Skillet Bake is a flavorful Mediterranean-inspired dish featuring tender aubergine slices and salty halloumi cheese baked in a spicy tomato and harissa sauce. Cooked in a skillet and oven-baked to perfection, it’s ideal served with warm flatbreads, rice, or couscous for a satisfying vegetarian meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Sauces
- 2–4 tbsp olive oil, plus a drizzle for finishing
- 1 large aubergine, sliced into rounds about ½cm thick
- 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp harissa paste
- ½ tsp caster sugar
- Pinch of dried mint
Cheese
- 225g block halloumi, sliced into 8–9 pieces
Accompaniments
- Flatbreads, rice or couscous, to serve
Instructions
- Prepare the aubergine: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a roughly 22cm ovenproof skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add the aubergine slices in a single layer—if necessary, do this in batches to avoid overcrowding. Cook each slice for 2-3 minutes on both sides until they are just golden and softened. Add another tablespoon of olive oil between batches. When done, transfer the cooked aubergine slices to a plate.
- Make the tomato and harissa sauce: If the skillet is dry after cooking the aubergine, add another tablespoon of olive oil. Fry the crushed garlic cloves until sizzling but not browned, about 1 minute. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, harissa paste, caster sugar, and a pinch of salt. Let the mixture simmer and bubble for about 1 minute, mashing the tomatoes gently with the back of a spoon. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the sauce to cool slightly.
- Prepare the halloumi and assemble: Meanwhile, halve each slice of halloumi. Don’t worry if pieces break apart—it adds to the rustic appeal. Arrange the aubergine and halloumi slices over the tomato mixture in overlapping concentric circles, alternating them so there are one or two halloumi pieces between each aubergine slice. Drizzle a little more olive oil on top and sprinkle with dried mint.
- Bake the skillet dish: Cover the skillet with foil and place it in a preheated oven at 180°C (160°C fan) or gas mark 4. Bake for 20 minutes covered to allow flavors to meld and the cheese to warm through.
- Finish baking: Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 5-10 minutes until the halloumi starts to brown and develop a slight golden crust.
- Serving suggestion: Serve the skillet bake hot with warm flatbreads, fluffy rice, or couscous to round out the meal.
Notes
- Use a heavy ovenproof skillet for even cooking and easy transfer to the oven.
- Adjust the amount of harissa paste depending on your preferred spice level.
- Halloumi browns nicely in the oven but can also be quickly grilled or pan-fried separately if desired.
- This dish is naturally vegetarian and pairs well with fresh herbs like parsley or coriander if available.
- For a vegan version, substitute halloumi with a firm tofu or vegan cheese alternative.
Keywords: aubergine skillet bake, halloumi recipes, harissa dishes, vegetarian mediterranean bake, easy oven bakes
