Halloumi has gone from “what’s that?” to fridge staple, and for good reason: it behaves more like a protein than a cheese, stands up to high heat and brings a big hit of salty, satisfying flavour to quick meals.
Getting the basics right
Halloumi turns rubbery if you hammer it with high heat for too long, so the trick is hot pan, short cooking time, and leaving it alone until you get a deep golden crust. Slice it about 1–1.5cm thick, pat it dry, add to a lightly oiled, preheated pan and cook for around 2–3 minutes a side until caramelised spots appear. If you find it too salty or squeaky, a cook’s hack is to soak slices briefly in hot water to soften the texture and wash away some salinity before frying or grilling.
1. Halloumi as a quick centrepiece
Halloumi can easily stand in for meat in weeknight dinners, especially when you give it something bold and sweet-sour alongside.
- Grain bowls: Pile warm quinoa, roasted squash, kale and a citrusy dressing into a bowl, then top with fried halloumi for a hearty, veg‑forward dinner.
- Traybakes: Toss peppers, red onions, courgettes and chickpeas with olive oil and spices, roast until soft, then add halloumi cubes for the final 10–15 minutes so they blister but don’t dry out.
- Halloumi “steaks”: Serve thick slices on a bed of garlicky greens and buttered new potatoes, finishing with chilli butter or a honey–lemon drizzle.
2. Salads that actually feel like dinner
Because it keeps its shape, halloumi is ideal for salads where you want real substance rather than a token crumble of cheese.
- Summer plates: Pair warm halloumi with watermelon, cucumber and mint, or figs and leaves, letting the salty cheese bounce off the sweetness of the fruit.
- Grainy salads: Fold fried halloumi through tabbouleh, bulgur or freekeh with herbs and sharp yoghurt dressings to turn a side salad into a main.
- Halloumi with greens: Toss kale or sugar snaps with a chilli‑lime or honey‑mustard dressing, then crown with golden slices of cheese straight from the pan.
3. Brunch, burgers and bar snacks
Think of halloumi as your new brunch all‑rounder and a handy swap wherever you’d usually reach for bacon or sausages.
- Fritters: Combine grated halloumi with peas, herbs and a spoon of flour, then shallow fry little patties and serve with a sharp lemon or yoghurt dip.
- Breakfast plates: Add fried halloumi to soft‑boiled eggs, roasted tomatoes and flatbreads for a Mediterranean‑leaning brunch.
- Burgers and wraps: Marinate slices in olive oil, garlic, smoked paprika and lemon, griddle until charred, then stack into brioche buns or warm pittas with slaw, pickles and chilli sauce.
- Bar bites: Thread halloumi onto skewers with peppers and onions, brush with chipotle, harissa or honey‑sesame glaze, and grill until sticky and blistered.
4. Halloumi with a sweet side
Halloumi loves a bit of sweetness, whether that’s fruit, honey or both.
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- Honeyed halloumi: Fry slices until golden, then drizzle with honey and scatter over thyme or sesame seeds for an instant starter or nibble.
- Fruit on the grill: Pair grilled halloumi with peaches, nectarines or figs and finish with a balsamic reduction for a simple but restaurant‑worthy plate.
- Festive centrepieces: Grated into a nut roast or baked into savoury cakes with olives and herbs, halloumi adds soft, salty richness that works particularly well on a winter table.
5. Using up leftover halloumi
A half‑block in the fridge is an opportunity rather than an afterthought.
- Speedy salad topper: Slice what you have, fry until golden and lay over any simple salad with a citrus dressing.
- Flatbreads and tacos: Tuck fried strips into flatbreads with houmous and crunchy slaw, or into soft tacos with salsa and lime crema.
- Freezer insurance: Cook cubes until just golden, cool completely, then freeze; they can go straight into traybakes, pasta bakes or grain salads from frozen, crisping up again in the oven.
With a block in the fridge and a hot pan ready to go, halloumi can be anything from a five‑minute snack with honey to the star of a sharing table loaded with grains, greens and grilled fruit.
