Preparing halloumi

Preparing halloumi is super easy, whether in the oven, in a pan or hot air fryer or on the grill. With the right technique and aromatic spices, you’re sure to succeed.

Cypriot cheese has become increasingly popular as it is a tasty alternative to meat and an excellent source of protein. This is why it is often used in fitness recipes or put on the barbecue in summer. And to keep the dishes varied, you can find out how to prepare halloumi cheese here.

Do you want your halloumi to be crispy? To make it golden brown and crispy, it’s worth coating the cheese with vegetable oil before frying, baking or grilling.

I use high-heat olive oil for this, as I use it in most recipes anyway. Cut the halloumi into slices or cubes and brush it with oil on all sides. You can of course leave it in one piece, but this changes the cooking times.

In most cases, I cut the Cypriot cheese into slices or cubes because this is the best way to add it to wraps, stir-fries or salads.

Halloumi: Preparation in the pan

Would you like to prepare your halloumi cheese in a pan? Then cut it into slices approx. 1-1.5 cm thick before frying and pat them dry with kitchen paper. You can then brush them with vegetable oil on both sides.

Then fry the halloumi slices over a medium heat for approx. 2-3 minutes on each side. You can use a grill pan for nice grill stripes. You can also use a coated or stainless steel pan, but the entire surface will be crispy.

Tip: Is the halloumi not coming off the pan? Then wait a little longer before turning it and turn the heat up a little higher. Because if the cheese sticks, a crispy crust has not yet formed and will therefore stick.

Fresh from the tray – halloumi from the oven

To prepare the halloumi cheese in the oven, cut it into slices or cubes, pat them dry and brush them with oil on all sides.

Then add colorful vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers or zucchinis to the tray and bake the dish in the oven at approx. 200°C top and bottom heat for approx. 30 minutes until crispy. You can turn the cheese and vegetables from time to time.

During the baking time, you can prepare a delicious cream such as tzatziki or the date dip and serve with the baked halloumi.

Grill halloumi like a pro

To grill halloumi, you can cut it into slices or leave it whole. I recently cut it in half lengthways so that I had two large, thinner pieces. Small slices can sometimes fall through the grill, especially on the barbecue…

When grilling cheese, it is also better to dab it dry thoroughly beforehand and rub it with oil so that it does not stick to the grill. Find a spot on the grill with a medium heat and grill the halloumi on both sides for approx. 2-3 minutes.

The grilled halloumi goes well with a fruity, fresh tomato salad.

Crispy & crunchy – halloumi from the hot air fryer

If you don’t like the preparation methods mentioned above, you can of course also prepare the squeaky cheese in the Airfryer. It will turn golden brown and crispy on all sides – perfect for salads, wraps or simply as a snack.

You can find out how to prepare halloumi in the air fryer in the recipe Halloumi from the air fryer.

Simply season the halloumi for more flavor

Cypriot cheese is already very salty by nature. And when you take it out of the packaging, it is usually sprinkled with a pinch of dried herbs. However, they don’t add much flavor.

So if you want a lot of flavor, you need to season your halloumi. For example, you can stir together a marinade of oil and spices such as paprika and harissa or use fresh herbs such as thyme and rosemary.

When seasoning halloumi, you can let off steam and mix up whatever you like. Only those who try it will know if it tastes good.

I hope you enjoy preparing them and, of course, bon appétit. Feel free to leave me a comment telling me which method you use or which works best.

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