Is there anything better than fried cheese? These halloumi fries are seasoned with warm spices before being fried to a perfect golden brown crispiness, and topped with a creamy yogurt sauce, tangy pomegranate molasses and za'atar, with layers of intense flavors in every single bite.
Crispy Halloumi Fries
Is there anything better than perfectly fried cheese? Sure, there are mozzarella sticks, but in my opinion, halloumi takes the cake here. Halloumi cheese is able to hold it's shaped and is perfect for pan-frying, grilling, skewering and in this case, frying for crispy halloumi fries.
What is Halloumi Cheese?
Halloumi cheese is a semi-firm cheese that is made with both sheeps and goat milk, originating from Cyprus and well known all throughout the Middle East. The cheese can handle high temperatures and therefore is great for frying, grilling, pan-frying, air frying and baking and is able to hold it's shape without melting all over.
Halloumi cheese tastes more mild compared to feta and is not nearly as salty or briney. The texture can be described as "squeeky" and semi-firm and can be eaten uncooked and cooked. Though, once halloumi is cooked, the exterior browns and becomes crispy, providing an added layer of texture and flavor.
Where to Find Halloumi Cheese?
Halloumi cheese can be easily found all throughout the Middle East as well as England. In the U.S., halloumi cheese is making more of an appearance and can be found in Mediterranean specialty stores and if you are near, can also be found at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's.
How to Make Halloumi Fries
- Use paper towel to pat the halloumi dry and cut into matchsticks, about 2-3 inches long and ¼ inch wide.
- On another plate, whisk the flour, smoked paprika and garlic powder together and set aside.
- Bring a medium sized skillet to medium-high heat and pour in enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom.
- Dredge the halloumi sticks in the seasoned flour so they are all coated evenly. Once oil is hot, place 5-8 halloumi sticks in the oil and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Then turn over and fry for another 2 minutes until all sides are a deep golden color. You may have to fry in batches, depending how large your skillet is.
- Remove halloumi fries and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil and let cool for a minute.
- Arrange halloumi fries on a plate and garnish with toppings.
A Few Tips on Making Halloumi Fries
- Use a high-temperature oil, for frying, such as grapeseed or avocado oil.
- To make gluten-free, dredge halloumi sticks in gluten free flour, almond flour or chickpea flour.
- Don't crowd the halloumi, give them space so they can fry evenly.
- To Bake Halloumi: Season halloumi sticks per the recipe and place on a parchment lined baking sheet and place in a 425 degree Fahrenheit oven. Cook for about 20-25 minutes, until cheese is golden brown on all sides.
- Make Halloumi Fries Ahead: These are best served as soon as they are fried and hot. Though, you can prep and cut the cheese into sticks ahead of time.
- How to Re-heat Halloumi Fries: Place halloumi fries on a parchment lined baking sheet and into a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven until warmed through. You can also place halloumi in a skillet over medium heat, turning until cheese is warmed through.
Can you Cook Halloumi in the Air-Fryer?
I have not, but my friend Liz has a fantastic recipe for air fryer halloumi that looks delicious and is super simple!
Toppings for Halloumi Fries
Halloumi has a slightly salty, savory and tangy flavor that pairs well with bright and acidic additions.
- Pomegranate Molasses: this takes the fries over the top because the sharp tang from the molasses cuts some of the richness from the cheese.
- Creamy Yogurt Honey Sauce: Adds a bit of sweetness to the savory cheese and another layer of creamy and cool.
- Za'atar: A favorite blend that has dried oregano and/or dried thyme, sumac and sesame seeds. If you can't find za'atar, use sumac or just sesame seeds.
- Aleppo Pepper: or other hot pepper for extra heat, this is optional.
- Fresh Herbs: chopped cilantro, parsley or fresh mint.
- Pomegranate Seeds: Offers another addition of sweetness to the savory flavors.
Halloumi Fries
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Equipment
Ingredients
Halloumi Fries
- 1 8.8 ounce block of halloumi cheese
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Vegetable oil for frying
Yogurt Sauce
- ½ cup full fat yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
Other Toppings
- Pomegranate molasses
- Za'atar
- Aleppo pepper or other red pepper
- Pomegranate Seeds
- Cilantro
Instructions
- Use paper towel to pat the halloumi dry and cut into match sticks, about 2-3 inches long and ¼ inch wide.
- On another plate, whisk the flour, smoked paprika and garlic powder together and set aside.
- Bring a medium sized skillet to medium-high heat and pour in enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom.
- Dredge the halloumi sticks in the seasoned flour so they are all coated evenly. Once oil is hot, place 5-8 halloumi sticks in the oil and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Then turn over and fry for another 2 minutes until all sides are a deep golden color. You may have to fry in batches, depending how large your skillet is.
- Remove halloumi fries and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil and let cool for a minute.
- Meanwhile, whisk the yogurt, salt, honey and lemon juice together and taste for seasoning. The consistency should be like a thin pancake batter for drizzling.
- Arrange halloumi fries on a plate and drizzle with honey yogurt sauce, drizzle of pomegranate molasses, sprinkle of za'atar, aleppo pepper, pomegranate seeds and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says
I've heard so much about Halloumi in the past year but have yet to try it. I will definitely be on the look out for it, when I go grocery shopping.
Dawn Conklin says
This was my first time trying halloumi cheese and wow these halloumi fries are so delicious! Great way to try a cheese for the first time, right? And they are really easy to make, definitely making them again.
nancy says
this halloumi cheese with toppings is such a meal in itself. So tasty and love all the textures and flavours