Grilling-cheese focaccia
Halloumi, Mint & Roasted Pepper Focaccia (Cypriot-Inspired)
Golden, squeaky halloumi that browns instead of melting, sweet roasted peppers baked into the crumb, and a shower of cool fresh mint over a crisp focaccia.
- Total
- 4.2 hr
- Hands-on
- 25 min
- Hydration
- 77%
- Skill
- beginner
By FocacciaRecipe editorial · Updated 2026-07-05 · In editorial development; independent bake-test pending
The short version
Press cubed halloumi and roasted pepper into a focaccia with the dough salt cut to 1.5% (halloumi is salty), bake at 230°C/450°F until the cheese is golden, then scatter fresh mint over after baking.
Why this works
Halloumi's high melting point means it browns and firms rather than melting, so it can bake directly on the dough and hold its shape. Its brine is salty enough that the dough salt is dropped to 1.5%. Mint scorches in the oven, so it goes on afterward to keep its fresh, cooling aroma.
The schedule
~35m hands-on of 4.2h total · same day
- Mix & fold · 35m
- Bulk ferment · 2h
- Proof · 1h
- Bake · 24m
- Cool · 15m
Terracotta is active work; olive is unattended rising; red is the bake.
Ingredients
Method
- 1
Mix
Whisk flour and yeast, add water and the 25 g olive oil, then the reduced salt. Mix to a shaggy, sticky dough.
Look for: Wet and tacky, clinging to the bowl.
- 2
Bulk ferment with folds
Do 3 sets of stretch-and-folds over the first hour, then let the dough rise until nearly doubled.
Look for: Bubbly and domed; the dough feels airy.
- 3
Pan and proof
Oil a 30×40 cm sheet pan well, transfer the dough, stretch toward the corners, and proof until puffy.
Look for: It fills most of the pan and jiggles when nudged.
- 4
Dimple, add halloumi and peppers
Pat the halloumi cubes very dry. Dimple the dough, then press the halloumi and pepper strips down into the dimples so they are half-embedded. Drizzle with olive oil.
Look for: Cheese and peppers nest into the dough rather than sitting loose on top.
Avoid: Pat the halloumi dry so its surface brine does not steam and prevent browning.
- 5
Bake until the cheese browns
Bake at 230°C/450°F for 22–26 minutes until the focaccia is golden and the halloumi is browned and crisp at the edges. It will firm and color, not melt into a pool.
Look for: Halloumi cubes turn deep gold with crisp edges; they hold their shape.
- 6
After baking: mint and lemon
Turn out onto a rack. While warm, scatter the torn mint, add lemon zest and black pepper, and drizzle a little more olive oil. Cool 10 minutes before slicing.
Look for: Mint stays vivid green and fragrant against the golden cheese.
Avoid: Adding mint before baking blackens it and loses the cooling aroma — always add it after.
What good looks like
- Crumb: Open and airy with pockets of soft cheese.
- Crust: Crisp base; golden top with browned, chewy halloumi.
- Height: About 3 cm tall.
- Color: Deep gold bread; well-browned cheese cubes.
If something went wrong
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Pale, rubbery cheese | Halloumi surface wet, or oven not hot enough | Pat the cheese very dry and bake at a full 230°C/450°F until edges brown. |
| Too salty | Full dough salt kept with salty halloumi | Cut dough salt to about 1.5%; soak very salty halloumi in water 20 minutes first. |
| Blackened, bitter mint | Mint added before baking | Scatter mint on after baking while the bread is warm. |
Storing & reheating
Storage: Best the day it is baked. Keep wrapped at room temperature up to 2 days.
Freezing: Freeze cooled pieces up to 1 month; halloumi firms further but reheats well. Add fresh mint after reheating.
Reheating: Warm in a 200°C/400°F oven 5–7 minutes to re-crisp the cheese and base.
Contains wheat/gluten and dairy (halloumi).
Tools & ingredients for this focaccia
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Core pantry
- Bread flour (opens Amazon) ↗ — High-protein bread flour or Italian “00” both work.
- Fine sea salt (opens Amazon) ↗ — Fine sea salt for the dough.
- Instant yeast (opens Amazon) ↗ — Instant (or active dry) yeast keeps for months.
- Extra-virgin olive oil (opens Amazon) ↗ — Use a good EVOO you like the taste of.
Fresh — buy local
- Cheese (opens Amazon) ↗ — Buy fresh from a good cheese counter or deli.
- Fresh vegetables (opens Amazon) ↗ — Buy fresh and in season.
- Fresh herbs (opens Amazon) ↗ — Fresh is best; a windowsill pot works well.
- Lemon zest (opens Amazon) ↗ — A common item; buy fresh or from your pantry.
You don’t need to buy everything here — many items are already in most kitchens. Fresh produce, cheese and herbs are best bought local and in season.
Frequently asked
- Will the halloumi melt into the focaccia?
- No — halloumi has a high melting point, so it browns and firms at the edges while holding its shape, which is exactly why it works baked on top.
- My halloumi is very salty — what should I do?
- Soak the cubes in cool water for 15–20 minutes and pat dry before using, and keep the dough salt low at about 1.5%.
Keep baking
In these collections
Source: https://www.focacciarecipe.com/recipes/halloumi-mint-roasted-pepper-focaccia · © 2026 FocacciaRecipe.com
In editorial development — this recipe has not yet completed physical bake-testing.