Patrick Oconnell
Halloumi is a semi-hard, salty cheese, traditionally made from goat or sheep milk, or a combination of both. It is a delicacy that can be grilled or fried, with each method producing a crispy exterior and a soft, gooey interior. Frying halloumi is the quickest method, yielding amazing results in 5 minutes or less. Grilling halloumi, on the other hand, can be done on a BBQ or grill pan, with slices grilled over medium-high heat for 5 to 10 minutes.
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What You'll Learn
Grilling halloumi on a BBQ
To grill halloumi on a BBQ, first, cut the block of cheese into slices. It is recommended to cut slices that are around 0.5 cm to 1 cm thick. If you like the look of grill marks, you can use a crinkle cutter to cut the cheese and create fake grill lines. Next, preheat your BBQ grill to a medium-high heat. You can then lightly brush the halloumi slices with olive oil and place them on the grill. It is important to note that halloumi will smoke as it cooks, so don't be alarmed! You can simply turn on the vent or open a window. Grill the halloumi for 5 to 10 minutes, turning the slices frequently, until they are golden brown.
Halloumi is best served immediately while it is still warm. As it cools down, it will become rubbery. You can serve grilled halloumi as it is, or with a squeeze of lemon juice, or even with a honey dip to balance the saltiness of the cheese. Grilled halloumi goes well with blistered cherry tomatoes and a honey-rosemary glaze, or you can serve it as a fun side dish with vegetable kabobs.
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Pan-frying halloumi
Halloumi is a semi-hard, salty, unripened cheese from Cyprus, traditionally made from goat or sheep's milk. It has a high melting point, which makes it ideal for grilling or frying. When cooked, it develops a golden-brown crust and a gooey, crispy, soft interior.
How to Pan-Fry Halloumi
Firstly, remove the halloumi from its packaging and pat it dry with a paper towel. Then, cut the block of halloumi into slices. It's recommended to cut slices that are around 0.5 cm to 1 cm thick; if they're too thin, they may dry up and become hard. You can use a crinkle cutter to create fake grill lines.
Next, heat a non-stick frying pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the pan. Place the halloumi slices in the pan in a single layer, ensuring they don't overlap. Cook the cheese for a few minutes without moving it. The halloumi will release some liquid, which will then cook off. Once the excess liquid has evaporated, the underside will turn golden brown. Flip each slice and repeat the process on the other side. The second side will brown more quickly.
Finally, serve the halloumi immediately. It's best eaten straight away, as it can become rubbery if left to cool. Enjoy your crispy, golden-brown halloumi!
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Frying halloumi without oil
Halloumi is a semi-hard, salty cheese, traditionally made from goat or sheep’s milk. It is a delicacy that is popular in the Mediterranean and Middle East. It is often grilled or fried, with frying being the quickest method.
You can fry halloumi without oil, but you must use a non-stick pan. The cheese has a high-fat content, so it will not stick to the pan. However, a dash of oil can enhance the flavour and improve the texture. If you don't have a non-stick pan, you can use stainless steel, but you will need to use a lower heat and add a little oil to prevent the cheese from sticking and burning.
To fry halloumi without oil, cut the block of cheese into slices about half a centimetre thick. Place a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the slices of cheese in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Allow the cheese to cook for a few minutes without moving it. It will release some liquid, which will then cook off. When the excess liquid has evaporated, the underside of the cheese will turn golden brown. Turn each piece over and repeat on the other side. Fried halloumi is best served immediately, as it can become rubbery when it cools.
For extra flavour, you can add seasonings such as dried herbs, ground cumin, or smoked paprika. You can also drizzle the fried halloumi with extra virgin olive oil or warm honey.
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Griddle pan vs. frying pan
Griddle pans and frying pans are two of the most common types of cookware, and while they share some similarities, there are also several differences between them. Both can be used to cook halloumi cheese, but the characteristics of each pan will produce different results.
A griddle pan is a large, flat, rectangular or square cooking surface with low walls, usually made from cast iron. Griddle pans are ideal for cooking a large volume of food, as their wide, flat surface provides plenty of uninterrupted space to cook multiple items at once. For example, you can cook 5-6 pancakes at a time on a griddle, compared to 2-3 in a frying pan. Griddle pans are also good for cooking foods that require a lot of movement, such as tossing or flipping, as there are no tall sides to interfere with your utensils. The flat surface is also ideal for cooking granular foods such as rice or fried eggs, and the low walls help maximise the amount of direct contact between the food and the pan, resulting in faster and more even cooking. Griddle pans are easy to use and provide good temperature control, which is useful for foods that need an exact temperature. They also tend to have a drip tray to catch any excess fat. However, food can stick to the surface of a griddle pan, and they can be expensive, especially if they have complex features.
Frying pans, on the other hand, typically have a rounder shape with moderately low, sloped walls and a long handle. They are usually made from cast iron, aluminium, copper, steel or ceramic. Frying pans are better for tossing food due to their higher walls and are ideal for cooking styles such as pan-frying, sautéing, and shallow-frying. Depending on the material, they can also be used for roasting, baking, or shallow frying. Frying pans are generally more versatile than griddle pans and are the most-used tool in most kitchens. They are also more affordable than griddle pans. However, they have less cooking space, which can be problematic when cooking a large volume of food, as the food may get cold while you cook it in batches.
In summary, griddle pans and frying pans both have their advantages and disadvantages. Griddle pans are better for cooking large quantities of food and for foods that require a lot of movement, while frying pans are more versatile and better for tossing food. When cooking halloumi cheese, a griddle pan will give you those distinctive grill marks, but a frying pan will also produce a crispy exterior and gooey interior.
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Serving suggestions
Halloumi is a very versatile cheese that can be cooked in different ways, including baked, grilled, or fried. It is a semi-hard, unripened brined cheese from Cyprus, traditionally made from goat or sheep’s milk or a combination of both. It is now also made with cow's milk in countries where goat and sheep milk are difficult to source.
Halloumi has a high melting point, which makes it perfect for grilling or frying. It is also a popular addition to a Greek meze table, where it is often served as mezze or as part of a savoury Mediterranean breakfast.
Halloumi is best eaten straight away as it can become rubbery if left to cool. Here are some ways in which you can serve grilled or fried halloumi:
- Salads: Halloumi is the perfect salad topping. You can add it to an arugula salad, a Cobb salad, or a Caprese salad (replacing the mozzarella). You can also add it to a warm salad with meat or vegetable skewers, or a zucchini noodle salad with tomatoes.
- Sandwiches: Halloumi can be served on a keto English muffin, thick slices of almond flour bread, or on 90-second bread.
- Burgers: Halloumi can be grilled and served in buns with condiments and vegetable toppings, or it can be used as a meat-free patty.
- Appetisers: Halloumi can be served as an appetiser with a tomato garnish and balsamic vinaigrette, or simply with olive oil.
- Side dish: Grilled halloumi skewers can be served as a fun side dish, or you can serve grilled halloumi with blistered cherry tomatoes and honey-rosemary glaze.
- Halloumi fries: Halloumi can be sliced into thick sticks or "fries" and cooked in extra virgin olive oil. They can be served with warmed honey and sesame seeds.
- Curries: Halloumi can be added to curries, such as a spicy curry with potatoes.
- Fajitas: Halloumi can be roasted and served in fajitas.
- Fritters: Zucchini and halloumi fritters can be made.
- Noodles: Fried halloumi can be served with bruschetta noodles.
- Kebabs: Halloumi can be added to vegetable kebabs.
Halloumi can also be baked, although this is less common.
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Frequently asked questions
Cut the halloumi into 1cm-thick slices. Preheat a skillet or grill pan on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Brush the halloumi with olive oil and grill for 3-5 minutes on each side until golden brown.
Cut the halloumi into 0.5cm-1cm-thick slices. Place a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and add a dash of olive oil if the pan is not non-stick. Fry the halloumi for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown.
No, you can dry fry halloumi cheese. However, a dash of olive oil will help the cheese crisp and create a golden crust, enhancing the flavour.
Halloumi is best eaten straight away as it can become rubbery when left to cool. It is not recommended to refrigerate cooked halloumi for another day as it will become too hard and firm.
