Halloumi cheese is a traditional Cypriot semi-hard cheese made with a mixture of goat and sheep milk. It’s used in a variety of Mediterranean dishes, from salads to casseroles and more. While it can be eaten raw, halloumi is typically fried or grilled until golden on the outside and soft on the inside. Its high melting point makes it ideal for cooking, as it holds its shape and doesn’t melt away in the pan.
Here, I’m resting the halloumi slices in honey, chili flakes and herbs to get a nice sweet-spicy flavor. You could add it to warm Mediterranean platters along with some pita bread slices, some cherry tomatoes, Greek meatballs and refreshing dips, like beets and yogurt dip or Greek feta cheese dip.
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Why you should try my recipe
- Ready in about 15 minutes.
- Can be served as a starter, part of a meze platter or added to sandwiches.
- Doesn’t require any special cooking skills.
- Easy to adjust the dressing ingredients to your liking.
Ingredients & How-to
To make these hot honey halloumi cheese bites we will need halloumi cheese, oil, honey, chili flakes, thyme and lemon. That’s it, simple!
For full quantities check the recipe down below.
01. Store-bought halloumi typically comes in a block. To fry it, I slice it into pieces about half an inch thick.
02. In a container, I add the lemon juice, honey, chili flakes and thyme and mix it all well. I like to use a wide container that has space for all the halloumi slices so they get coated well.
03. I place the halloumi slices, cover them with a lid, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. After that, I flip the slices to let the other side soak and return them to the fridge for another 30 minutes, totalling about an hour. You can also leave them longer or even overnight if you prefer.
04. Now it’s time to cook the halloumi. I heat a pan over medium-high heat and add the oil once it’s hot. Then, I place the halloumi slices in the pan and cook them for a few minutes on each side until they turn golden and crispy.
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Buy On AmazonServing suggestions
Fried halloumi is best served whilst warm and chewy. You could drizzle some of the dressing for extra flavor or serve them on a plate straight out of the pan.
We like to have them with some pita bread slices or bread, but you could also add it to salads or sandwiches.
Storage
If you have any leftovers of the hot honey halloumi slices, store them in the fridge and consume them within 1-2 days. You could cut it into cubes and add it to salads or lightly reheat it in a pan or microwave.
FAQ
You can reheat previously fried halloumi in a pan or microwave, but the texture won’t be quite the same as when it’s freshly cooked. The exterior will lose its crispiness and become a bit more rubbery. However, it will still taste great and can be a delicious addition to salads and sandwiches.
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Recipe
Hot Honey Halloumi Cheese
An easy to prepare appetizer or side dish of fried halloumi cheese drizzled with honey and sprinkled with chili flakes for a spicy-sweet kick. Perfect served as part of a mezze platter alongside meatballs, pita bread, and tomatoes, or paired with a fresh salad. Enjoy!
5.0 from 1 votes
3-4 servings
10 minutes
Ingredients
- 8oz / 225gr halloumi cheese
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ lemon
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
- 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2-3 tablespoons light olive oil or vegetable oil
Equipment
- nonstick frying pan (paid link)
Instructions
- Cut the halloumi cheese into slices about half an inch thick.
- In a container, add the honey, lemon juice, chili flakes, and fresh thyme. Mix everything well.
- Coat the halloumi slices with the dressing on both sides and lay them flat in the container.
- Place in the fridge for half an hour. Take out and flip the halloumi slices over. Place back in the fridge for 30 more minutes.
- Place a pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and the halloumi slices.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until it's golden brown and crispy.
Notes
- Instead of fresh thyme, you could use a mix of dried herbs.
Storage
Best served while fresh and hot. If you have any leftovers, store them in the fridge and consume them within 1-2 days.
Nutrition Info (per serving)
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
Julia
Thank you for coming to the comment section. Here, you can leave me your feedback with a star rating; readers, like yourself, can find comments helpful when they consider making one of my recipes. I hope you love this one as much as we do