Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Golden Halloumi with Honey and Thyme Recipe
Right here’s an unbelievably scrumptious 5 minute halloumi recipe: pan fried golden, drizzled with honey and sprinkled with thyme. It’s a stellar mixture of flavours – salty, candy and earthy herb. Nice starter, snack, or make a fundamental salad a lot extra fascinating!
It’s inconceivable to withstand devouring golden fried halloumi straight from the pan, when it’s crispy on the floor and gooey inside. And why ought to we? It’s so nice plain!
However someday, attempt it with a drizzle of honey, sprinkle of recent thyme and pinch of crimson pepper flakes. It’s Outrageously Scrumptious (caps intentional) and an ideal 2-second-way to decorate up halloumi once you’ve obtained firm.
Serve with heat pita bread, olives, and good olive oil for a easy but totally fulfilling starter!
It simply so occurs that whereas I’m penning this submit, I’m at my hairdresser, Deange Hair which is owned by Greek sisters. So I’m sitting right here with my head filled with goop, having an enthusiastic dialogue with Angela, the youthful sister, concerning the golden guidelines of cooking halloumi. Right here’s what it’s essential to know!
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Actual Halloumi from Cyprus: For one of the best outcomes, use genuine Cypriot halloumi. Decrease high quality or imitation varieties gained’t provide you with that good golden crust and should crumble when cooked!
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Reduce it Thick: Slice your halloumi 1 – 1.25cm / 0.4 – 0.5″ thick. Thicker than you suppose! It shrinks about 30% throughout cooking, so thicker slices guarantee a comfortable, juicy inside somewhat than a dry one.
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Use Oil: Don’t skimp on the oil! Halloumi wants it to attain a golden, crispy exterior. With out oil, it can simply burn, brown inconsistently and positively gained’t get crisp.
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Pat the Slices Dry: Dry the slices totally earlier than cooking. This step prevents the scorching and spitting of water on preliminary contact, resulting in a greater crust.
Angela’s recommendation is spot on, and I used to be grateful that I checked all her containers. Now halloumi fans all over the place can cook dinner it completely too! Who knew a hair appointment might double as a cheese tutorial!? 🧀✨
(I do know what you’re pondering, and NO you aren’t going to get a photograph of me with goop in my hair!!)
For the crispy golden pan fried halloumi
Simply halloumi and olive oil for cooking!
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Halloumi – The model you get issues! Actual halloumi is from the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, not Greece. It’ll fry up golden on the floor and be comfortable on the within. Economical manufacturers might be rubbery on the within (even when sizzling), or be so bloated with brine they appear to endlessly leech water as they cook dinner and *by no means* go golden, whereas others are simply oddly dry and crumbly.
Search for halloumi with “PDO” on the packet label (Protected Designation of Origin). It is a mark of excellence that proves a merchandise’ high quality and can’t be used on any product made exterior of Cyprus. I get Alambra and Dodoni manufacturers.
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Olive oil – Although some recipes don’t use oil to cook dinner halloumi, you actually do want a contact of oil to get a pleasant golden crust on the halloumi. With out, you simply get patchy brown elements, and in the event you attempt to take it additional it simply burns and doesn’t go crispy. So, if you would like a very nice golden crispy halloumi, don’t skip the oil!
I like to make use of olive oil as a result of it has extra flavour than unflavoured oils like canola oil and so forth. Whereas you should use additional virgin olive oil right here as a result of we’re not high-temp cooking, don’t use your great things. Save that for salads and ending dishes!
For the HONEY THYME end (OPTIONAL)
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Honey – Or maple syrup, although I personally suppose that the flavour of honey pairs higher. It’s additionally thicker so clings higher.
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Contemporary thyme leaves – It’s simply such an ideal earthy flavour that works so properly with the salty-sweet mixture occurring right here! I wouldn’t substitute with dried thyme, it’s simply not the identical. However, hand on coronary heart, that is nonetheless price making with simply honey!
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Chilli flakes (crimson pepper flakes) – That is non-compulsory, so as to add the tiniest refined trace of heat to this dish and in addition add some pretty crimson flecks. For me, it’s simply a simple manner so as to add an additional contact to this dish, however as I discussed, it’s 100% non-compulsory!
Different sprinkling / drizzling choices I’ve used and loved through the years:
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recent oregano (roughly chopped)
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walnuts (walnuts + honey is such an ideal, Greek-vibes combo)
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different nuts (almonds and pistachios come to thoughts)
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white sesame seeds
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lemon juice or lemon zest
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swish of additional virgin olive oil
Good and simple, however please be aware of how thick to chop the slices and patting them dry earlier than cooking!
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Reduce the halloumi into 1 – 1.25 cm / 0.4 – 0.5″ thick slices. Any thinner, and also you’ll find yourself with halloumi chips. ✨This is without doubt one of the Golden Guidelines of Halloumi cooking! (See prime of submit)✨
I get 7 to eight slices out of a regular 225 – 250g/8 oz block.
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Dry – Lay the slices out on paper towels then pat the floor dry as properly. Don’t press down arduous, we simply wish to blot extra moisture off the floor.
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Cook dinner – Warmth the oil over medium-high warmth in a non stick pan. Place the halloumi within the pan fastidiously – it can splutter! I take advantage of my arms so I can deal with the items fastidiously. Cook dinner for 1 1/2 minutes or till the underside is golden. Initially, they’ll leech water (the brine contained in the cheese) then as soon as the water evaporates that’s when the underside will begin to get color.
When to show – Once you see the perimeters of the underside turn into golden, that’s a great signal that the entire underside is golden.
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Fastidiously flip (I take advantage of a spatula and a butter knife) then cook dinner the opposite aspect for round 1 to 1 1/2 minutes till golden.
⚠️ Don’t attempt to cook dinner too many slices within the pan on the similar time, else they’ll braise and by no means go golden!
⚠️ Transfer the slices round if wanted in order that they cook dinner evenly, however the extra you possibly can depart them undistributed, the extra even the golden floor.
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Switch immediately onto the serving plate. You’ll be able to serve it identical to that (which is certainly the commonest manner I eat halloumi!) or end it with the honey and thyme.
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End – Working rapidly (so you will get it to the desk whereas the centres are nonetheless heat and comfortable!), drizzle with honey, sprinkle with thyme and chilli flakes, then serve it asap!
So as of frequency:
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With arms, straight off the plate, as a starter. That is most likely the commonest manner I serve it (with and with out the honey). I cook dinner it up when I’ve a couple of spare minutes then go it round. I actually attempt to minimise cooking time when buddies are round however it is a nice one to do as a result of it’s so fast!
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As a part of a cheese board unfold. It’s all the time the primary to go (normally as a result of I put it down and flap my arms round insisting that everybody eat up, eat up, whereas it’s sizzling!) 😂
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On a salad. Take a bowl of plain leafy greens and plonk a couple of fried halloumi’s on prime and woah! All of the sudden that boring salad is a lot extra thrilling – and passes as a meal, at that! Or, particularly, attempt including halloumi onto one among these salads to dial them up a notch (skip or scale back any pre-existing cheese in these recipes):
Simply to flag a couple of stand-outs: I believe the Pear Salad could be spectacular with halloumi as an alternative of blue cheese (fruit + salty cheese + honey + nuts = 💯) as would the French Heat Goats Cheese Salad (made with halloumi as an alternative of goats cheese) and the Pearl Couscous Salad (I really feel like halloumi + shiny lemon dressing + slippery garlicky pearl couscous could be a house run).
Or – simply skip the greenery and follow my #1 technique of consuming it: with arms, standing within the kitchen! 😂 – Johnsat x
Ingredients
- 225-250g/ 8oz halloumi block, Cyprus made PDO stamped recommended (Note 1)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp honey (eyeball it), sub maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves and tiny sprigs , (sub heaped ¼ tsp white sesame seeds, 1.5 tbsp roughly chopped roasted walnuts or pistachios) (Note 2)
- 2 – 3 pinches chilli flakes (red pepper flakes), optional
Instructions
- Cut into 1 – 1.25cm / 0.4 – 0.5″ slices, pat dry. Pan fry in the oil on medium high until golden, serve on pre-warmed plate, with optional finishes.
- Cut halloumi into 1-1.25 cm thick slices (0.4 – 0.5") (see Note 3). Place the slices on a paper towel and pat the surface dry.
- Warm a serving plate. (Note 4)
- Heat the oil in a non stick pan over medium high heat.
- Fry – Carefully place the halloumi in the pan (I use my hands). Cook for 1 1/2 minutes or until the underside is golden. Shuffle if needed so they cook evenly.
- Turn gently (I use a spatula + butter knife to guide) and cook the other side for 1 – 1/2 minutes until golden.
- Transfer onto the serving plate.
- Optional finishes – Working quickly, drizzle with honey, sprinkle with thyme and chilli flakes. I do full honey coverage for some slices, and for others just a drizzle.
- Serve immediately, quick, before the halloumi goes squeaky! 🙂 Though actually, the squeak doesn’t bother me but it's at its prime straight out of the pan when the surface is still crisp and the inside is soft. (Note: Honey on the plate is ideal for bread mopping)
Notes
1. Halloumi – Not all halloumi is made equal! Authentic halloumi is made in Cyprus (not Greece) and the better brands will be labelled PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) which is a stamp of authentication. Fairly widely available these days in Australian grocery stores, sold in packets with a bit of watery brine inside.
2. Dried thyme just isn’t the same here so I don’t recommend substituting with that. Instead, I’d use white sesame seeds or roughly chopped toasted walnuts or pistachios, or just honey and chilli flakes. See in post for more drizzling/sprinkling ideas!
3. Cutting direction – Cut the short edge of the block (see photos in post) so you are cutting perpendicular through the usually invisible crack in the middle of the halloumi and each piece will hold together. If you cut along the long edge, the pieces will split in two. Not the end of the world, but it’s nice to have larger pieces (better soft centres) whereas long thin pieces fry up more crispy all the way through.
4. Plate warming – keeps halloumi warm for a little longer. I do 30 seconds in the microwave on high.
Leftovers will keep for 3 – 4 days in the fridge, though it gets hard. I still eat it! 🙂 It does soften when reheated but it’s not the same as freshly cooked, gets kind of spongey.
Nutrition per serving, assuming 3 servings.
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