How to cook halloumi (fried and grilled halloumi recipe)

If you love the taste of halloumi cheese, you’ll be happy to know that you can cook it in a variety of ways in no time! From halloumi fried in grilled halloumithere are many options for how to cook halloumi, this delicious Mediterranean cheese!

In this post, we will discuss two simple methods and recipes on how to cook halloumi cheese using a pan. The first method is grilled halloumi in a grill pan and the second is fried halloumi with honey and sesame. Both will give you a delicious result every time!

Suggestion: You can also use an outdoor barbecue to grill halloumi.

What is halloumi cheese?

Halloumi is a firm, salty cheese made from sheep’s and/or goat’s milk originating in Cyprus. It is a semi-hard and unripened cheese that is spicy and salty.

Halloumi has become increasingly popular in recent years both as an ingredient in Mediterranean dishes and as part of modern fusion cuisine.

• Traditional cheese: Halloumi comes from Cyprus and is a favorite in Greek recipes.
• Halloumi has a high melting point, so the outside puffs up and becomes crispy and charred or browned (depending on how it’s cooked), while the inside is deliciously warm and chewy.

Basic Grilled Halloumi Ingredients

Halloumi cheese: A halloumi block of about 250 grams or 8 ounces works well for two servings.
Other Ingredients: You will need a little olive oil, juice of half a large lemon and mixed or black pepper to taste.

Grilled halloumi key preparation tips

There are only four steps to making simple grilled halloumi:

• Remove the halloumi from the package and use some kitchen towel to dry it as much as possible. Cut it into eight pieces.
• Heat a pan on very high heat. You want your pan nice and hot before adding the cheese! This helps prevent sticking. Brush each piece of halloumi with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side. Do not move it around the pan to create nice brown lines on it.
• Remove from the heat and squeeze the lemon juice before serving. Enjoy!

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

Halloumi fried with honey & sesame basic ingredients

Halloumi cheese: Use the same 250 grams or 8 ounces for this recipe.

For this fried halloumi recipe, you will need olive oil, liquid honey, lemon juice and a little sesame.

Suggestion: Use the best honey you have here, as you can really taste the flavor in the finished dish.

Preparation tips for fried halloumi

To prepare this fried halloumi, remove the cheese from the package and use some kitchen towel to dry it, then cut it into eight pieces.

Heat a pan with a thick bottom on medium heat and toast the sesame for about 1 minute until colored. Remove from the pan, making sure to wipe away any stray seeds.

Put the pan back on the heat, add oil and heat until glossy, then add the cheese. Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes until golden brown.

Spoon the honey over the cheese, then flip and once the honey begins to bubble, remove from the heat.
Serve with lemon juice drizzled on top, the remaining honey from the pan on top and sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

Can you use a different pepper on the cheese?

Using a mixture of peppercorns, including green and pink in halloumi, we add a variety of different flavors to the cheese. Pink peppercorns work especially well.

However, regular freshly ground black pepper is a tasty alternative. If you do not have a grinder for different peppercorns, they can be crushed using a pestle and mortar.

Variations

Instead of pepper or honey and sesame seeds, other variations that can be added to halloumi include garlic, herbs such as oregano or basil, cumin, chili flakes, lemon juice, olive oil, and paprika.

Other creative additions could include sauteed mushrooms, grated apple or even diced tomatoes. Whatever you decide to add to your dish, be sure to balance the flavors to achieve the desired taste.

Making time and saving

Leftover roasted halloumi can be refrigerated for up to three days. To store, wrap tightly in aluminum foil or place in an airtight container. When you’re ready to reheat, place on a grill or skillet over medium heat until heated through.

Alternatively, you can also reheat it in the microwave. Before serving, make sure the halloumi is heated through.

Serving suggestions

You can enjoy grilled or fried halloumi with various Greek appetizers such as:

Popular choices include salads (Greek salad) roasted vegetables, couscous, rice or quinoa. You can also serve fried or grilled halloumi along with country bread, pita and hummus for a tasty and filling meal.

For something more unique, try serving it with roasted fruit like peaches, plums or apricots for a sweet and savory dish. Enjoy!

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