11 Delicious Halloumi Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why do you soak halloumi before cooking? ›

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).

Ways to serve it

I am a fan of sweet and salty, so I'll always opt for a drizzle of honey on top of my halloumi fries and fresh fruit like grapes, berries, or figs next to it. You can also serve fried halloumi as part of a delicious salad like my roasted asparagus and tomato salad or Roasted Vegetable Salad.

What's more, halloumi is made from sheep's milk, which is more expensive than cow's milk or goat's milk due to a lower milking yield from sheep. And halloumi is often aged, which can also amplify the price.

While Halloumi can be enjoyed raw, it's most commonly served after grilling or frying.

The protein and fat in halloumi can also slow the emptying of your stomach, which may help stabilize your blood sugar levels after meals ( 12 , 13 ).

When eaten regularly in large quantities halloumi can be considered unhealthy, as this fried cheese is pretty high in saturated fat and salt. However, when eaten sporadically as part of a balanced diet, halloumi has a range of health benefits, as it's high in calcium and protein.

Simply patting the haloumi dry with paper towel will remove some of the saltiness, but you can also place it in a bowl of cold water to remove more of the salt, if you prefer. Just soak for 5 minutes, then pat dry with paper towel – patting dry is important to ensure the lovely golden crispy edges!

What is halloumi? Originating from Cyprus, halloumi is a semi-hard, un-ripened, brined cheese that can be made from cow, sheep or goat's milk. It can be eaten raw but is truly delicious cooked, having a high melting point, makes it an excellent choice for grilling or frying.

Spiced up with paprika and crispy on the outside, serve with burgers, barbecue chicken, grilled fish and a green salad. Save time and make a super easy midweek meal with these effortless halloumi fajitas, made with shop-bought seasoning and ready-made guacamole.

Best Ways To Eat Halloumi

In Greece, we love to serve grilled Halloumi as a warm salad with grilled vegetables or over a dark leafy green salad (like a mixture of spinach and rocket for example). Inside wraps and sandwiches instead of meat.

Can you eat halloumi straight from the packet? ›

Yes, you can eat halloumi raw, and here's how

There are so many other ideas for using halloumi. If you can restrain yourself from cooking it, here are 3 ways you might like to try raw halloumi, which brings out the best in it.

Many Halloumi-style cheeses are prepared by dairy and goat farmers in Canada and the United States. For legal proprietary reasons, these cheeses are usually called Halloumi-style or grillable cheeses. Sometimes they are called grilling cheese or frying cheese, or queso de freír in Spanish.

Trader Joe's Atalanta Halloumi Cheese Rated: 45%👍 - Trader Joe's List.

Brands vary, but feta is usually the winner. Haloumi tends to have more calories and a higher fat content. Plus, it usually has more salt. Haloumi makes a good cooking cheese thanks to its high melting point.

Halloumi has a very appealing flavor that's unlike any other cheese: mellow, but not in the least boring, mildly feta-like, notably tangy, and never too strong. It can be enjoyed almost any of the ways you'd eat other cheeses: sliced, for a simple snack, cubed in salads or melted it in or on casseroles.

One of those regulations, says Telegraph, is the cheese must be made from over 51 percent sheep or goats milk — both more expensive and scarce than cow's milk, notes Oola. Like many products with smaller production sizes, the high demand of halloumi is then partly responsible for how expensive it is, says Oola.