To fry halloumi without melting, pat it dry, slice it into 1cm pieces, heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat (with or without a little oil), and fry for 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan or move it too soon to develop that crucial crust. The key is high heat and minimal disturbance to form a crust quickly, trapping the inside.
Add 2 tsps of olive oil to a non-stick pan or a cast-iron pan over medium heat. Once your pan is pre-heated and oiled, place the cheese slices directly on the pan; cook them for 2 minutes on one side, and fry for 1-2 minutes on the other.
You can fry halloumi in a nonstick pan with nothing else added, we call this “dry fry.” Or, my preferred method, pan fry halloumi sticks or slices in a bit of good olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. This is the method I followed with today's halloumi fries, and I'll walk you through this idea some more below…
How to Fry Halloumi
Method. In a bowl, mix the flour and paprika, then use to lightly coat the halloumi. Add the oil to a wide, deep, heavy-based pan, so that it fills to a depth of about 1½cm, and heat until sizzling. Add a few pieces of halloumi at a time and fry for 1-2 mins, turning with tongs, until golden and crispy all over.
Pat the halloumi dry with kitchen paper and cut into 1cm-thick slices. Brush both sides of the slices lightly with olive oil and season with any spices, if you like – smoked paprika works well.
While you can dredge Halloumi, you don't need to: “If you deep-fry Halloumi, you get a lot of those delicious qualities of mozzarella sticks without breading. It gets a craggy, crackly, golden brown crust on the outside with a soft, squeaky texture on the inside.”
Healthier Cooking:
Halloumi is naturally high in fat, so cooking it in an air fryer helps reduce the need for additional oils, making your snacks healthier.
Golden Halloumi with Honey and Thyme. Here's an unbelievably delicious 5 minute halloumi recipe: pan fried golden, drizzled with honey and sprinkled with thyme. It's a stellar combination of flavours – salty, sweet and earthy herb. Great starter, snack, or make a basic salad so much more interesting!
Why do you soak halloumi before cooking? While completely optional, many swear by this step for a softer, more flavourful, and sweeter result that will set your halloumi apart from all others. The easiest method is to soak the whole block of cheese in cold water for at least two hours (or overnight if you have time).
Instructions
You can eat halloumi with sweet fruits (watermelon, figs, peaches), roasted or grilled vegetables (peppers, zucchini, eggplant), fresh herbs (mint, parsley), grains (couscous, bulgur), or in salads, sandwiches (with hummus, avocado), and burgers, pairing its salty richness with sweet, acidic, or fresh flavors. It's great grilled and served with honey, lemon, or spicy elements like harissa, or as a meat substitute in various dishes.
Lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance is when you get symptoms, such as tummy pain, after eating food containing lactose, a sugar found in dairy products. The symptoms can be prevented by eating smaller portions of foods that contain lactose or avoiding them completely.
Mix the plain flour with coriander powder, paprika, garam masala, orange pepper and garlic powder in a mixing bowl. Toss the halloumi pieces into the flour mixture until well coated. Heat the oil in a frying pan until about 175°C.
Slice the halloumi block into roughly 1cm/¾in thick slices, you can slice lengthways or widthways depending on how large you want the pieces. The more even the slices, the more evenly they will cook.
Method
Place a frying pan over a high heat. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the oil into the pan and swirl to coat the base. Once hot, cook the tofu or halloumi in batches for 1–2 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Remove from the heat and transfer to a plate.
If you're using a non-stick pan, you don't need to add any oil. Since the halloumi releases some liquid as it cooks anyway, it doesn't tend to stick – but it's worth using a good quality non-stick pan anyway, just in case. Turn the heat up to medium, and let it do its thing.
People are getting rid of air fryers due to small basket sizes limiting family meals, issues with peeling non-stick coatings, difficulty cleaning, safety concerns like melting components, the perception they're just small ovens, limitations on certain foods (like wet batters), and sometimes switching to cheaper, more efficient appliances like halogen ovens. Many find they outgrow basic models, leading to batch cooking, and eventually replace them with larger or different appliances.
Method. Heat the air fryer to 200C. Spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with oil spray and arrange the halloumi slices in a single layer (you will probably need to work in batches). Cook for 10 minutes at 200C, turning the pieces over after 5 minutes.
Cut each block of halloumi into 6 evenly sized pieces. Place the panko breadcrumbs into a shallow bowl and season with pepper. Dip the halloumi first into the batter then into the panko to coat. Fry the battered halloumi for 5 minutes or until golden brown.
Baking Halloumi cheese offers a unique cooking method that results in a softer and gooier texture compared to grilling or frying. When baked, halloumi cheese develops a creamy consistency, making it a perfect addition to casseroles, pasta dishes, or savory tarts.