Halloumi is literally on everyone’s lips. Not only because of its delicious taste, but also because of its versatility, halloumi is becoming increasingly popular.
In the Middle East and Mediterranean cuisine, where it originates from, it’s popular as a mezze (appetizer). But this delicious cheese from the Mediterranean can do even more!
In this article I’ll tell you all you need to know about Halloumi cheese. I’ll show you 5 ways how to cook Halloumi the right way. Last but not least, you’ll find some recipe ideas using Halloumi so you can get cooking right away.
Contents
What is Halloumi?
Halloumi is a semi-hard, mild cheese traditionally made with cow’s, sheep’s and goat’s milk. The unique thing about Halloumi is its high melting point. Unlike most other cheeses, Halloumi doesn’t melt when it is heated, which makes it the perfect grilling cheese.
The origin of Halloumi is controversial. Traditional lore and the latest studies suggest that Halloumi originated in ancient Egypt. Cyprus has also been familiar with Halloumi for centuries, and it is even considered the national cheese there.
No matter who invented this delicious cheese, today Halloumi is considered a specialty of Mediterranean and Arab cuisine: from Cyprus to Greece and the Middle East (Lebanon, Jordan…). Halloumi is also becoming increasingly well-known and popular in the US and Europe too.
What Does Halloumi Taste Like?
What’s special about halloumi is that it enfolds its full flavor when grilled. In fact, raw halloumi tastes very salty and rubbery. The taste of grilled halloumi can be compared to a mixture of feta and mozzarella, though halloumi tastes a bit saltier.
The secret to tasty halloumi is the crispy browned exterior that it will get when being grilled.
Halloumi vs Paneer
While there are some similarities, halloumi and paneer are two different types of cheese. They are not made the same way and are not always interchangeable. Similar to halloumi, Indian paneer doesn’t melt when heated. However, paneer is a very mild cheese, while halloumi has a rather salty taste.
Raw Halloumi vs Grilled Halloumi
The taste of Halloumi is much better when grilled. When grilled or fried, Halloumi develops its full flavor. The semi-hard texture remains, and it has a pleasant and slightly salty flavor.
Where to Buy Halloumi Cheese?
Halloumi can be found in any Middle Eastern grocery store. Besides, it’s available in the dairy section of large grocery stores. In the US, Costo, Walmart and Trader Joe’s carry Halloumi. In the UK, you can find it at Tesco and Sainsbury’s. You can even buy Halloumi cheese online.
How to Cook Halloumi (5 Methods)
There are several ways to cook Halloumi. The best way to cook Halloumi depends on how you want to combine the cheese. For most halloumi recipes, you’ll have to grill halloumi. You can do so in a stove-top grill pan or on an actual outdoor grill (BBQ). Oven baking, frying and airfrying are further possibilities.
1. Pan Fried Halloumi
Arguably the easiest and quickest way to cook Halloumi is on the stove-top. This method is known as pan fried halloumi or grilled halloumi. The best way to pan fry halloumi is in a grill pan. Unlike conventional frying pans, grill pans have a non-stick surface and raised ridges. If you don’t have a grill pan, you can use a conventional frying pan too.
To pan fry halloumi, cut the cheese into thin slices (about 1 cm thick). Preheat the pan and add the cheese. Fry on medium heat for about 3-4 minutes until it turns a golden brown color. Turn and fry for another 3-4 minutes. If you make Halloumi in a grill pan, you don’t need to add oil. In a standard frying pan, you can add a thin layer of olive oil to prevent the halloumi cheese from sticking to the pan.
2. Grill Halloumi on BBQ
Halloumi has a particularly high melting point. Which means that preparing it on the barbecue is a natural fit for this delicious cheese. Similar to pan frying, you can simply slice the cheese and grill it. Depending on the type and temperature of your barbecue, the cheese will take about 2-3 minutes per side (both sides should be golden brown).
Just like pan-frying, grilled Halloumi is a perfect side dish. You can also use it to make burgers, wraps and salads.
Another creative idea for grilling halloumi on a BBQ is to make skewers. They are a perfect vegetarian option for a barbecue. Cut cheese and vegetables (e.g. zucchini) into cubes and place on a grill skewer. Grill on all sides until cheese and vegetables are evenly brown (2-3 minutes per side).
You can also marinate halloumi vegetable barbecue skewers (a simple oil-herb marinade with thyme or mint is best). But grilled Halloumi is incredibly tasty even without a marinade!
Usually halloumi does not stick to the grill, although this can happen depending on the type of grill or grate. Brush the cheese with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent sticking and burning.
3. Deep Fried Halloumi
Did you know that Halloumi also tastes great deep-fried? A creative way to prepare it is halloumi fries, a popular Middle Eastern finger food.
To deep fry halloumi, cut the cheese into thin slices. Add into hot sunflower oil and fry for about 4-5 minutes. You can marinade halloumi to deep fry, but it’s not essential.
4. Air Fried Halloumi
Air frying halloumi is essentially the “light” version of deep frying. The taste will be slightly different (less crispy). For this reason, I recommend spicing up your halloumi when preparing it in the air fryer, e.g. by adding a thin layer of olive oil and sprinkle some zaatar.
5. Baked Halloumi
In Middle Eastern cuisine, cheese is much less common than in many Western countries. There are hardly any oven dishes with cheese and if there are, it is usually feta cheese. Halloumi (grilled, fried or deep-fried) is traditionally served as a side dish or mezze, it is not a main course. But be creative: you can also create delicious oven-dishes with Halloumi!
Because Halloumi takes much longer in the oven than in a pan or on the grill, preparing it in the oven only makes sense when combined with other ingredients. Vegetables are the most appropriate. Oven-roasted vegetables with Halloumi are a wonderful fusion food of Middle Eastern and Western cuisine.
Vegetables (zucchini, peppers…) and Halloumi have the same cooking time in the oven, so you can bake all the ingredients together (about 30 minutes).
Halloumi Recipe Ideas
Halloumi is a very versatile cheese that can be cooked and combined in countless ways. In Middle Eastern cuisine, the most common halloumi recipe is grilled halloumi. It’s served alongside other mezze or as a side dish. Grilled halloumi is often garnished with cut up tomatoes, cucumbers, mint and pomegranate seeds.
Modern Middle Eastern chefs enjoy combining the salty halloumi cheese with sweet ingredients such as watermelon. Besides, there are many more recipe ideas with halloumi, some of which are Middle Eastern inspired (fusion food).
Let me introduce you to my best halloumi cheese recipes:
- Grilled halloumi (the traditional Middle Eastern way of cooking halloumi, usually served alongside other mezze)
- Middle Eastern halloumi salad (a hearty salad with grilled halloumi and sliced vegetables)
- Halloumi watermelon salad (the sweetness of watermelon combined with grilled halloumi)
- Halloumi wrap (thin round flatbread filled with salad and grilled/fried halloumi cheese)
- Halloumi burger (as a vegetarian alternative to meat for your favorite burger recipe)
- Halloumi fries (with or without marinade, deep fried in oil or pan fried)
- Sweet halloumi fries (a fusion of salty-sweet, fried halloumi with honey)
Any Questions?
Any questions on Halloumi? Let me know in the comments below. I’m more than happy to help you make delicious Middle Eastern food at home.
