Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Haloumi fries Recipe
The perfect haloumi recipe I do know – Haloumi Fries! Assume – French fries, however higher. The outsides are crunchier (thanks panko!) and the insides are heat, salty haloumi cheese. Assured crowd pleaser for a celebration or as a starter. Fry, bake or air-fry!
I discovered myself in a typical scenario of getting an extra stash of one thing (haloumi on this case) as a result of it was steeply discounted and I couldn’t resist. Let’s make a stunning haloumi salad! I declared enthusiastically, channelling the virtuous facet of me.
There have been a number of iterations. And so they have been all scrumptious……however then somebody had the genius concept to strive haloumi fries and impulsively, the salads have been lengthy forgotten.
So sure, these haloumi fries advanced from salads. You possibly can join the dots, proper? 😂
( I did share a haloumi salad recipe as soon as – it’s right here.)
Named as such as a result of they appear like fries besides made with haloumi, Haloumi Fries usually are not a brand new factor. They’ve been on the menu of Mediterranean and loads of non-Mediterranean eating places/bars/bistros for years, and there’s a great deal of recipes on the web.
Haloumi is a cheese from Cyprus that’s agency, salty and briny. It’s a bit like Greek feta. Nonetheless, feta crumbles whereas halloumi doesn’t crumble as nicely, halloumi goes golden brown when pan fried whereas feta doesn’t, and feta semi-melts when heated whereas halloumi doesn’t. Which is why it’s excellent for making fries!
Right here’s what you might want to make Haloumi Fries:
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Haloumi – or halloumi. A agency briny cheese from Cyrus, seems like Greek feta. Discover it vac-packed within the cheese part. Has a superb lengthy shelf life so I replenish when discounted!
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Panko breadcrumbs – A Japanese breadcrumb favoured for the extra-crispy coating it offers crumbed meals. You should purchase it at most giant grocery shops (Coles, Woolworths) within the Asian meals part however cheaper in Asian shops! Substitute with common breadcrumbs in case you can’t discover it.
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Spices – For seasoning the flour coating. Provides further flavour. Not important…however why skip it?? The Italian herbs is simply the generic retailer purchased pre-mix bought in each grocery retailer. I exploit it usually in my recipes, just like the One Pot Beef Pasta I shared lately!
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Egg and flour – The glue, to make the panko stick with the haloumi.
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Oil for shallow frying – Canola, vegetable or some other impartial flavoured oil. Even olive oil (however don’t waste your cash utilizing pricier further virgin olive oil!).
Garlic yogurt sauce
We’re making a fast garlic dipping sauce at the moment utilizing yogurt as the bottom. The cool tangy creaminess with beautiful hit of garlic goes so nicely with the haloumi fries, so don’t skip it!
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Plain yogurt – Not sweetened. Preferable Greek. Should you use low-fat, it received’t have the identical mouthfeel as a result of it’s not as thick and creamy, however it’s going to work simply tremendous!
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Garlic – Finely grated utilizing a microplane or grater so it disappears into the yogurt.
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Lemon – Only a contact, for further freshness. Substitute with vinegar.
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Further virgin olive oil – So as to add a little bit of richness to the sauce. We solely use a tiny quantity.
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Salt – For seasoning. Once more, only a tiny quantity!
It’s truly comparatively quick as a result of they solely take 90 seconds to fry. I can do a batch in 20 minutes from begin to end. I additionally like that it’s extra shallow-fried relatively than deep fried. Simply – much less splatter, much less oil to cope with, and many others and many others. (I’m a selective deep frier. ie I solely fry when it’s actually price it!).
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Reduce the haloumi into sticks round 1.5cm / 0/6″ thick. The size will rely upon the form of your haloumi. I minimize mine into 5 slices lengthwise, then every into half which makes uniform fries, and get 20 items.
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That is me reducing the slice in half to kind a fry. 🙂
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Garlic dipping sauce – In all probability ought to have put this primary as a result of I do it first! Simply combine the substances collectively then put aside when you make the haloumi fries. It wants a minimum of quarter-hour to let the flavours infuse and meld.
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Crumbing – OK, crumbing time! Flour first….then shake off extra.
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Then egg – maintain it as much as let the surplus drip off.
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Than the panko. Press to stick nicely and ensure there’s no bare patches!
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Use bowls giant sufficient to suit the haloumi.
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Use the identical hand for the flour and egg, the the opposite hand for the panko. Much less finger-mess.
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Professional degree – crumb two at a time! Use a finger to maintain the fries separated as you dredge.
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Fry the halmoui sticks for simply 90 seconds till golden and crisp in oil pre-heated to 180°C/350°F.
Oil temperature testing – Should you don’t have a thermometer, check the oil temp utilizing a small dice of white bread. It ought to take 15 seconds to show golden and crispy.
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Drain the cooked fries on a paper towel lined tray. Then proceed cooking.
As a result of haloumi fries solely take 90 seconds to cook dinner, you don’t want to fret about maintaining cooked ones heat within the oven.
As soon as they’re all cooked, serve with the garlic dipping sauce!
Each time I share a deep fried recipe, the commonest query is – can I bake this? And scorching on it’s heels lately is – can I make this in my air fryer?
So at the moment, we’ve examined it out and completely satisfied to report you can!
The baked choice is finest made utilizing my panko pre-toasting approach the place the breadcrumbs are baked within the oven for 8 to 10 minutes to make them golden and crunchy earlier than utilizing. In any other case, they may come out pale with brown spots relatively than an attractive even golden brown like when fried. It’s not an enormous deal – unfold on the identical tray you’ll be baking the haloumi fries. 🙂 Tried and confirmed approach that readers love in recipes corresponding to Crunchy Chicken Tenders, Baked Filet-O-Fish and Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu! Crumb the halloumi, then bake on a rack at identical temp for 20 minutes or till crunchy.
The air fryer choice works a deal with! Pre-heat air fryer to 200°C/390°F for five minutes. Oil spray fries and spray the basket. Place all haloumi fries in a single layer in a 7 L/qt+ air fryer. Cook dinner for 9 minutes till crispy and golden!
Distinction to fried model (trustworthy choice) – The baked model is about 80% nearly as good because the fried model. You lose some moisture from contained in the haloumi as a result of it takes longer to get the crunchy coating within the oven (even with pre-toasting). The air-fryer model, nevertheless, is superb!
The crumbing on each the air fryer and baked variations break up a wee bit just because they take longer to cook dinner than within the oil which is a brilliant quick 90 seconds.
Haloumi fries usually seem on menus as a starter or a small-dish tapas choice. It’s a meals for nibbling, one thing utterly completely different out of your common chips ‘n dips. Not that I’ve something in opposition to chips ‘n dips, being the snack monster that I’m (proof – my full dip recipe assortment right here!).
However, generally it’s good to have one thing completely different to the same old that may impress the pants off your loved ones and associates. The mix of the nice and cozy, softy, salty halloumi insides and the golden crunchy crumb with the cooling garlicky yogurt dip is each snack monsters’ dream come true. I actually hope you do this in the future! – Johnsat x
Ingredients
- 360g / 12oz haloumi cheese blocks , 2 x 180g/6 oz blocks (Note 1)
- 2 cups canola oil (or other natural oil)
- 2 large eggs , whisked
- 1/2 cup plain/all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp Italian herbs (Note 2)
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika (sub ordinary paprika)
- 1 tsp ground white pepper (sub black pepper)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs – or ordinary breadcrumbs (Note 3)
- 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yoghurt
- 1 garlic clove , finely grated using a microplane
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice (sub white vinegar)
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
Instructions
- Garlic dipping sauce – Mix ingredients in a bowl and set aside for at least 20 minutes to let the flavours develop.
- Cut the haloumi into fries around 1.5cm / 0/6" thick. The length will depend on the shape of your haloumi. I cut mine into 5 slices lengthwise, then each into half which makes uniform fries, and get 20 pieces.
- Dry – Pat halloumi mostly dry using tea towels.
- Prep – Using 3 bowls large enough to toss the halloumi, put the eggs in one bowl, mix Flour Dredge in another and mix Crumbing ingredients in a third.
- Crumb – Dip a haloumi fry in flour, shake off excess. Dip in egg, allow excess to drip off. Coat in breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere, then place on tray. PRO: Do 2 at a time. 🙌🏻 Toss haloumi in breadcrumbs (by tossing the bowl) so you don't have to touch. 🙌🏻
- Heat oil in a medium sauce pan over high heat until it reaches 180°C/350°F (Note 4).
- Fry 5 haloumi sticks at a time for 1 1/2 minutes. Drain on a paper towel lined tray. Repeat with remaining haloumi.
- Air fry and baking – see Note 5.
- Serve hot with yoghurt garlic dipping sauce!
Notes
1. Halloumi – A firm white salty, briny Greek cheese usually sold in vac packs. It doesn’t melt into ooze when cooked which is why it’s ideal for making fries!
2. Italian herbs – Store bought mix you can find in any grocery store. Substitute with any mix of dried oregano, basil, parsley.
3. Panko breadcrumbs – A Japanese breadcrumb favoured for the extra-crispy coating it gives crumbed foods. You can buy it at most large grocery stores (Coles, Woolworths) in the Asian foods section but cheaper in Asian stores! Substitute with regular breadcrumbs if you can’t find it.
4. Oil test – If you don’t have a thermometer, test the oil temp using a small cube of white bread. For 180C/350F, it should take 15 seconds to turn golden and crispy.
5. Air fry option (excellent!) – Pre-heat air fryer to 200°C/390°F for 5 minutes. Oil spray fries and spray the basket. Place all haloumi fries in a single layer in a 7 L/qt+ air fryer. Cook for 9 minutes until crispy and golden!
Baking (haloumi dries out a little more than frying) – Spread breadcrumbs on tray, spray generously with oil then at bake 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced) for 8 to 10 minutes, shaking the tray halfway, until the breadcrumb is golden. (If you don’t do this, your fries will end up pale and splotchy not an even golden colour). Crumb the halloumi, then bake on a rack at same temp for 20 minutes or until crunchy.
6. Leftovers reheat quite well! 10 minutes in a 180C/350F oven. It’s 90% as good. If making for a crowd, I’d happily serve reheated haloumi fries!
Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings. I made an estimation of oil that actually ends up on each piece and factored in leftover flour and breadcrumbs.
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