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–+ servings

Fried Halloumi Cheese

This is a fabulous appetizer or can be served as part of a selection of Middle Eastern appetizers, such as Baba Ganoush, Labneh, and Hummus. Once fried, the cubes of halloumi could also be added to a salad, mixed into a bowl of grains and roasted vegetables, or paired with a plate of juicy tomatoes and some fresh basil. You can easily increase the recipe; just make sure your skillet is large enough to they’re all frying in a single layer. Or prepare them in batches. I do recommend dousing the fried cubes in good-quality olive oil, which makes a difference. In addition to the ground black pepper and red pepper flakes, variations include adding a squirt of lemon juice, a bit of chili oil or paste, mixing in sprigs of fresh thyme or oregano, or dusting the just-fried cubes with sumac, paprika, or za’atar.
Servings 4 appetizer-size servings
  • 8 ounces (225 - 250g) halloumi
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil for frying, plus 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil for dressing the fried cheese
  • a few generous grinds of black pepper
  • big pinch of red pepper flakes
  • Drain the halloumi and cut it into cubes; slice the slab in half horizontally, then cut the cheese into batons and slice them into cubes. Pat the cubes very dry with paper towels.
  • Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the cubes of halloumi and cook for a few minutes without stirring, until the bottoms are well-browned.
  • Turn the halloumi cubes with a spatula, and brown them on the other sides. They don’t need to be perfectly browned on all sides, but they should be a nice golden brown color for best flavor.
  • Transfer the fried halloumi cubes to a bowl along with any oil in the pan. Grind black pepper over the cheese, add the red pepper flakes and the remaining 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Stir well, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Notes: I don’t recommend refrigerating the cheese once fried. It tends to get firm and loses what makes it so special. It tastes so good when it’s freshly made – and it’s so easy – that you can easily make them before serving, and let them sit at room temperature until ready to serve.
Any leftover oil can be reused for another cooking project, such as salad dressing or marinating.
Halloumi cheese (sometimes called haloumi or halumi) is found in Arabic, Turkish, and Greek markets. I also found some recipes online (below) in case you want to try your hand at making your own.