Aubergine, Halloumi & Harissa Skillet Bake Recipe
This Aubergine, Halloumi & Harissa Skillet Bake is a vibrant, comforting dish featuring tender slices of aubergine and salty halloumi baked in a spicy harissa tomato sauce. Perfect for a cozy meal, it combines the smokiness of harissa with melty cheese and soft vegetables, served best with warm flatbreads, rice, or couscous.
- 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
For the Aubergine and Sauce
- 2–4 tbsp olive oil, plus a drizzle for finishing
- 1 large aubergine, sliced into rounds about ½ cm thick
- 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp harissa paste
- ½ tsp caster sugar
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of dried mint
For the Halloumi
- 225g block halloumi, sliced into 8–9 pieces, halved
To Serve
- Flatbreads, rice, or couscous
Instructions
- Prepare the Aubergine: Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a roughly 22cm ovenproof skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add aubergine slices in a single layer (working in batches if necessary), frying each side for 2-3 minutes until golden and softened. Add an additional 1 tbsp olive oil between batches to prevent sticking. Once cooked, transfer aubergine slices to a plate.
- Make the Tomato Harissa Sauce: If the pan is dry after cooking the aubergine, add another 1 tbsp olive oil. Fry the crushed garlic cloves until sizzling but not colored, about 30 seconds. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, harissa paste, caster sugar, and a pinch of salt. Allow the mixture to bubble for about a minute, gently squashing the tomatoes to create a chunky sauce. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
- Arrange Ingredients in the Skillet: Halve each halloumi slice (they may fall apart, which is fine). Layer the aubergine and halloumi slices over the tomato sauce in overlapping concentric circles, making sure to place one or two pieces of halloumi between each aubergine slice. Drizzle a little more olive oil over the top and sprinkle with dried mint.
- Bake the Dish: Cover the skillet tightly with foil and place it in a preheated oven at 180°C (160°C fan) / gas mark 4. Bake for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the halloumi begins to brown and develops a deliciously golden crust.
- Serve: Serve the skillet bake hot, accompanied by warm flatbreads, fluffy rice, or couscous for a complete meal.
Notes
- The aubergine slices should be about ½ cm thick to ensure they cook evenly without becoming mushy.
- You can adjust the amount of harissa paste based on your spice preference.
- Using an ovenproof skillet allows seamless transfer from stove to oven.
- Serve immediately for best texture, as halloumi can become rubbery if reheated excessively.
- This dish can be easily made vegetarian but is not vegan due to the halloumi cheese.
Keywords: aubergine, halloumi, harissa, skillet bake, vegetarian, Mediterranean, spicy tomato sauce, baked cheese
