The Crispiest Halloumi Fries
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Looking for a new way to elevate your snacking? Then you’ve got to make these crispy halloumi fries that are pan-fried to perfection! Crispy on the outside and cheesy on the inside, they’re a fantastic twist on chips. They’re made with a simple breadcrumb coating, making this a four-ingredient recipe! Enjoy this crowd-pleaser as an appetizer for gatherings, a side dish, or a yummy snack.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
Easy – What’s easier than a recipe with four ingredients?!
Quick – These halloumi fries are ready in 10 minutes, from start to finish.
4 – main ingredient recipe – This dish only requires breadcrumbs, flour, an egg wash, and halloumi, then add some seasoning.
Full of protein – Halloumi cheese has around 6g of protein per ounce, making this a protein-rich snack.
Versatile – Serve this recipe with any dipping sauce you please.
Great for parties – This battered halloumi dish is easy to scale up for larger gatherings or family meals.
Use leftover halloumi to make the following recipes: Halloumi Kebabs with Chilli Sauce, The BEST Halloumi Salad, or Sweet Chilli Halloumi Wraps.
What are halloumi fries?
These halloumi cheese fries are similar to mozzarella sticks, except they are easier to eat! Halloumi is a firmer cheese, so it won’t become a gooey mess like regular mozzarella sticks. If you live in the UK, you’re probably already familiar with them as they’re on the McDonald’s UK menu.
What is halloumi?
Halloumi is a salty cheese usually made from sheep, goat, or cow’s milk. However, some recipes use a combo of kinds of milk. Originating in Cyprus, this hard cheese has a subtle flavour (think mozzarella cheese).
This cheese is on the saltier side and holds up well in high-heat recipes, as it does not melt. It has a stretchy texture that’s reminiscent of fresh mozzarella balls.
Preparing Halloumi
One of the most important steps when learning how to make halloumi fries is prepping the cheese. Too thin of slices will be challenging, flimsy, and challenging to cook/eat. Too thick of slices, and the crispy exterior to cheesy interior ratio is off. Here are a few tips to help you make the best halloumi fries.
How do you cut it?
Cut the halloumi cheese into fry shapes. You want the slices to be longer and about 0.5” (or around 1.5 cm) thick. A standard block of halloumi should yield about 12 fries.
How to store it?
Store leftover halloumi in the fridge once it has fully cooled. It will stay good for up to two days in an airtight container. If you have leftover uncooked halloumi, store it in salt water. Then, use it within two weeks. Unopened halloumi has a much longer storage life; it can stay good in the fridge for up to a year.
Ingredients
Halloumi Cheese
This cheese is the primary ingredient in these halloumi fries. You can use other hard cheeses if you can’t find any halloumi at your local store. Aim for options that don’t melt at high temperatures, like paneer, feta, or kasseri.
Golden Breadcrumbs
Using golden breadcrumbs helps achieve a deliciously crispy exterior. You can also use panko or regular breadcrumbs for this recipe.
Egg Wash
This is one ingredient you don’t want to skip. The egg wash helps keep the breadcrumbs from falling off the fries as they cook.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Variations/ Adaptations
I love creating halloumi recipes, as the mild cheese flavour allows for customisation to your taste preferences. Here are a few options to try when making cheese fries! Season the fries with spice mixes, herbs, or other seasonings. For example, you can add chopped fresh parsley for a pop of colour and flavour or garlic powder for a bolder taste.
Instead of using halloumi, try breading and pan-frying feta or paneer cheese. You can also coat the cheese in breadcrumb alternatives like pretzel crumbs, crushed cornflakes, or panko. Those who follow a gluten-free diet can use an almond flour coating instead.
How to make the Crispiest Halloumi Fries
- Slice the halloumi into strips, approximately 0.5 – 0.75” (1.5cm – 2cm) wide. This is a matter of preference though so adjust according to your preference. (Smaller fries will be more effort to dredge bare in mind)! (Image 1).
- Next, assemble your dredging conveyor belt by adding the flour, Cayenne pepper, onion and garlic powder to one plate, the whisked egg to another, and finally the panko breadcrumbs to the last plate. Start by coating the halloumi strips in the flour (Image 2).
3. Then using a fork, place in the egg. Pick the piece up with the forks and allow the excess egg to fall off (Image 3).
4. Next it’s the panko breadcrumbs and to avoid mess with your hands, shovel the panko over the halloumi fry before rotating (Image 4).
5. Once all of the halloumi is coated set aside on a plate (Image 5).
6. Meanwhile, add the vegetable oil into a large frying pan over a medium heat. Allow the oil to heat through (Image 6).
7. Place half of the halloumi strips into the pan, ensuring they aren’t touching (Image 7).
8. Fry on each side until golden brown, which takes approximately 2-3 minutes depending on the heat of your oil. Rotate with tongs and once golden on both sides (Image 8).
9. Set aside on a wire rack whilst you repeat with the second batch (Image 9).
10. Serve with a dip of your choice – I love mayo, sweet chilli and honey & mustard mayo with mine! (Image 10).
Tips for the best result
Cut the halloumi into fry shapes. As mentioned, cutting the halloumi fries into longer pieces is necessary. Ensure you don’t cut them too thick or thin during prep.
Don’t overcrowd the pan. These yummy pan-fried cheese sticks need room to cook in the pan to get nice and crispy. Allow plenty of space between each halloumi fry so they can crisp up. You may need to make this recipe in batches if you’re using a smaller pan.
Avoid adding salt. Halloumi is a cheese known for being on the salty side. There’s also already salt in the breadcrumb mixture. So, avoiding salt when making this recipe is best, or you can end up with overly salty fries.
Here are more tasty halloumi cheese recipes to try: Halloumi Pasta, Halloumi Tray Bake with Roasted Vegetables, and The Best Halloumi Curry.
What to Serve with Halloumi Fries
Here are a few ideas of what to serve with these crispy, yummy halloumi fries:
Dips – Enjoy with other dips! Since the cheese fries have a mild flavour, they pair well with nearly any dipping sauce. For example, you can serve them with a Greek yoghurt dip, marinara sauce, sweet chili sauce, hot honey, ranch, tzatziki, etc.
Other appetizers – Offer guests other finger food, like chicken wings and pigs in a blanket, to create a filling appetizer spread alongside the fries.
Put them on top of a salad – Since halloumi is packed with protein, it’s a great option for a salad topping. Toss them onto your salad of choosing, and enjoy!
These recipes would go well with these halloumi fries : Sausage Tray Bake with Vegetables, Grinder Salad (Italian Sub Salad) and The BEST Crispy Bone-in Chicken Thighs
Storage and Reheat Instructions
Can you freeze them?
You can freeze cooked halloumi fries. However, there’s a chance they will be rubbery when reheated. This recipe is best eaten fresh. If you have leftover halloumi, you can freeze it uncooked in a block or slices.
How long before a party can I make these and store them?
As mentioned, this halloumi fries recipe is best served fresh. I do not recommend making these ahead of time. Prep the halloumi, breading, and egg wash. Then, cook them fresh once the guests arrive for the best results.
If there’s any leftover halloumi, wrap them in an airtight container or bag and refrigerate them. They should stay good in the fridge for up to two days. To reheat leftovers, toss them into an air fryer at 400°F (210°C).
Can you freeze them?
You can freeze cooked halloumi fries. However, there’s a chance they will be rubbery when reheated. This recipe is best eaten fresh. If you have leftover halloumi, you can freeze it uncooked in a block or slices.
How long before a party can I make these and store them?
As mentioned, this halloumi fries recipe is best served fresh. I do not recommend making these ahead of time. Prep the halloumi, breading, and egg wash. Then, cook them fresh once the guests arrive for the best results.
If there’s any leftover halloumi, wrap them in an airtight container or bag and refrigerate them. They should stay good in the fridge for up to two days. To reheat leftovers, toss them into an air fryer at 390°F (200°C) for 3-4 minutes.
For more information on reheating, see my Best Ways To Reheat Salmon, How to Reheat Chicken Wings in the air fryer and How to Reheat Rotisserie Chicken
FAQs
Yes, you can air-fry halloumi fries! If you’re concerned about oil intake, this method will help produce crispy halloumi strips with minimal oil.
Yes, you can absolutely create these cheese fries in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (210°C).Then, add the battered strips to a foil-covered tray and spray with cooking spray. It will take about 15 minutes for them to cook in the oven.
Yes, I used panko breadcrumbs to make a crispy crust on these yummy fried halloumi fries.
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If you tried this Halloumi Fries recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
The Crispiest Halloumi Fries
Ingredients
- 450 g (2 blocks) halloumi (£2.40×2)=£4.80) (£2.40×2)=£4.80)
- 2 eggs (£1.50/3)=(£0.50)
- 70 g panko breadcrumbs (£1.10)
Cupboard Essentials
- 2-3 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tsp Cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp onion & garlic powder
- Vegetable oil
Method
- Start by slicing the halloumi into strips, approximately 1.5cm – 2cm wide. This is a matter of preference though so adjust according to your preference. (Smaller fries will be more effort to dredge bare in mind)!
- Next, assemble your dredging conveyor belt by adding the flour, Cayenne pepper, onion and garlic powder to one plate, the whisked egg to another, and finally the panko breadcrumbs to the last plate.
- Coat the halloumi strips in the flour then place in the egg, use forks to evenly coat in the egg. Pick the piece up with the forks and allow the excess egg to fall off before dredging in the panko. To avoid mess with your hands, shovel the panko over the halloumi fry before rotating and setting on a plate.
- Once all of the halloumi is coated, add vegetable oil into a large frying pan over a medium heat. Allow the oil to heat through before placing half of the halloumi strips into the pan, ensuring they aren’t touching. Fry on each side until golden brown, which takes approximately 2-3 minutes depending on the heat of your oil.
- Rotate with tongs and once golden on both sides, set aside on a wire rack whilst you repeat with the second batch.
- Serve with a dip of your choice – I love mayo, sweet chilli and honey & mustard mayo with mine!
Notes
- Ensure the halloumi fries are sliced into longer pieces, neither too thick nor too thin.
- Avoid overcrowding the pan to allow for proper crisping during pan-frying. Consider cooking in batches if using a smaller pan.
- Halloumi is naturally salty, and there’s salt in the breadcrumb mixture, so don’t add additional salt to prevent the fries from becoming overly salty.
Nutrition
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