This is part one of my boujee appetizers for $12 or less series! Hosting can be expensive, so I want to provide you with some fun ideas to still give your guests a tasty, special experience without breaking the bank!
This is one of our favorite easy, impressive appetizers to make, inspired by an AMAZING meal at Kubeh in NYC – if you are in visiting, it is a must-try. And it is such a fun way to use a couple sprigs of the herbs that will be filling your Thanksgiving spread!
Something else I love is you prep it, leave it in the fridge, and grab just about 5 minutes of stovetop time when you’re ready to serve! Minimal kitchen invasion day-of hosting!
Ingredients, Price Breakdown, & Substitutions
- Halloumi: $5.99 at Trader Joe’s. It is a hard, salty cheese – almost picture like if Paneer and feta had a baby. I admit Trader Joe’s doesn’t always have it, and if you find it somewhere else it will likely be closer to $8. But you should still be able to stay close to or at budget!
- Thyme & Rosemary: $3.38 (2x $1.69) I am using both fresh in the video, but I often will just use dried thyme or just fresh rosemary – any combination of one or both, fresh or dried works equally great with this recipe. So if you have dried, now it’s a pantry ingredient!
- Lemon: $0.49 – making the most of it using the zest and the juice. You need the zest! So don’t cheat with lemon juice.
- Honey: I am counting this as a pantry ingredient, so if you need to sub, you can do a 1:1 sub with maple syrup and it will work great.
- Olive Oil: Another pantry ingredient! You really want the flavor of olive oil which is so identifying to Mediterranean food, so I wouldn’t trade this for Avocado oil or anything else!
- Black Pepper: Can omit if you don’t want it or don’t have it!
Total: $9.86
One warning!
Resist the urge to pour the marinade into the pan! You may think it will create a nice, beautiful glaze on the cheese, but it gets bitter. Just trust the marinating process! The flavor is all in there!
Lemon Herb Marinated Halloumi
Ingredients
- 8 oz halloumi
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest about 1 lemon
- 1 tsp fresh or dried thyme and/or rosemary You can use just one or both, tastes great each way!
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- black pepper
Instructions
- Cube halloumi into bite-size pieces, about 1/2 inch thick
- If you are using fresh herbs, chop very finely
- In a bowl, add honey, herbs, olive oil, and a few cracks of black pepper. Whisk until fully combined.
- In a container with a lid, add halloumi and marinade. Shake well and store in the fridge for 2-4 hours.
- Once ready to heat, turn a nonstick or cast iron pan on medium-high heat. Once warm, add halloumi. Flip once golden brown (2-3 minutes), then brown the opposite side.
- Serve immediately with toothpicks. The cheese starts to dry fairly quickly, so this is not the best "leave out or awhile" appetizer.
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