Here’s an unbelievably delicious 5 minute halloumi recipe: pan fried golden, drizzled with honey and sprinkled with thyme. It’s a stellar combination of flavours – salty, sweet and earthy herb. Great starter, snack, or make a basic salad so much more interesting!
Fried halloumi
It’s impossible to resist devouring golden fried halloumi straight from the pan, when it’s crispy on the surface and gooey inside. And why should we? It’s so great plain!
But one day, try it with a drizzle of honey, sprinkle of fresh thyme and pinch of red pepper flakes. It is Outrageously Delicious (caps intentional) and a great 2-second-way to dress up halloumi when you’ve got company.
Serve with warm pita bread, olives, and good olive oil for a simple yet thoroughly enjoyable starter!
The golden rules of halloumi cooking
It just so happens that while I’m writing this post, I’m at my hairdresser, Deange Hair which is owned by Greek sisters. So I’m sitting here with my head full of goop, having an enthusiastic discussion with Angela, the younger sister, about the golden rules of cooking halloumi. Here’s what you need to know!
Real Halloumi from Cyprus: For the best results, use authentic Cypriot halloumi. Lower quality or imitation varieties won’t give you that perfect golden crust and may crumble when cooked!
Cut it Thick: Slice your halloumi 1 – 1.25cm / 0.4 – 0.5″ thick. Thicker than you think! It shrinks about 30% during cooking, so thicker slices ensure a soft, juicy interior rather than a dry one.
Use Oil: Don’t skimp on the oil! Halloumi needs it to achieve a golden, crispy exterior. Without oil, it will just burn, brown unevenly and certainly won’t get crisp.
Pat the Slices Dry: Dry the slices thoroughly before cooking. This step prevents the sizzling and spitting of water on initial contact, leading to a better crust.
Angela’s advice is spot on, and I was thankful that I checked all her boxes. Now halloumi enthusiasts everywhere can cook it perfectly too! Who knew a hair appointment could double as a cheese tutorial!? 🧀✨
(I know what you’re thinking, and NO you are not going to get a photo of me with goop in my hair!!)
What you need
For the crispy golden pan fried halloumi
Just halloumi and olive oil for cooking!
Halloumi – The brand you get matters! Real halloumi is from the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, not Greece. It will fry up golden on the surface and be soft on the inside. Economical brands can be rubbery on the inside (even when hot), or be so bloated with brine they seem to endlessly leech water as they cook and *never* go golden, while others are just oddly dry and crumbly.
Look for halloumi with “PDO” on the packet label (Protected Designation of Origin). This is a mark of excellence that proves a products’ quality and cannot be used on any product made outside of Cyprus. I get Alambra and Dodoni brands.
Olive oil – Though some recipes don’t use oil to cook halloumi, you really do need a touch of oil to get a nice golden crust on the halloumi. Without, you just get patchy brown parts, and if you try to take it further it just burns and doesn’t go crispy. So, if you want a really nice golden crispy halloumi, don’t skip the oil!
I like to use olive oil because it has more flavour than unflavoured oils like canola oil etc. While you can use extra virgin olive oil here because we’re not high-temp cooking, don’t use your good stuff. Save that for salads and finishing dishes!
For the HONEY THYME finish (OPTIONAL)
Honey – Or maple syrup, though I personally think that the flavour of honey pairs better. It’s also thicker so clings better.
Fresh thyme leaves – It’s just such a great earthy flavour that works so well with the salty-sweet combination going on here! I wouldn’t substitute with dried thyme, it’s just not the same. But, hand on heart, this is still worth making with just honey!
Chilli flakes (red pepper flakes) – This is optional, to add the tiniest subtle hint of warmth to this dish and also add some lovely red flecks. For me, it’s just an effortless way to add an extra touch to this dish, but as I mentioned, it is 100% optional!
Other sprinkling / drizzling options I’ve used and enjoyed over the years:
fresh oregano (roughly chopped)
walnuts (walnuts + honey is such a great, Greek-vibes combo)
other nuts (almonds and pistachios come to mind)
white sesame seeds
lemon juice or lemon zest
swish of extra virgin olive oil
How to make golden pan-fried Halloumi
Nice and straightforward, but please take note of how thick to cut the slices and patting them dry before cooking!
Cut the halloumi into 1 – 1.25 cm / 0.4 – 0.5″ thick slices. Any thinner, and you’ll end up with halloumi chips. ✨This is one of the Golden Rules of Halloumi cooking! (See top of post)✨
I get 7 to 8 slices out of a standard 225 – 250g/8 oz block.
Dry – Lay the slices out on paper towels then pat the surface dry as well. Don’t press down hard, we just want to blot excess moisture off the surface.
Cook – Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a non stick pan. Place the halloumi in the pan carefully – it will splutter! I use my hands so I can handle the pieces carefully. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes or until the underside is golden. Initially, they will leech water (the brine inside the cheese) then once the water evaporates that’s when the underside will start to get colour.
When to turn – When you see the edges of the underside become golden, that’s a good sign that the whole underside is golden.
Carefully turn (I use a spatula and a butter knife) then cook the other side for around 1 to 1 1/2 minutes until golden.
⚠️ Don’t try to cook too many slices in the pan at the same time, else they will braise and never go golden!
⚠️ Move the slices around if needed so they cook evenly, but the more you can leave them undistributed, the more even the golden surface.
Transfer directly onto the serving plate. You can serve it just like that (which is definitely the most common way I eat halloumi!) or finish it with the honey and thyme.
Finish – Working quickly (so you can get it to the table while the centres are still warm and soft!), drizzle with honey, sprinkle with thyme and chilli flakes, then serve it asap!
How I eat fried halloumi
In order of frequency:
With hands, straight off the plate, as a starter. This is probably the most common way I serve it (with and without the honey). I cook it up when I have a few spare minutes then pass it around. I really try to minimise cooking time when friends are around but this is a great one to do because it’s so quick!
As part of a cheese board spread. It’s always the first to go (usually because I put it down and flap my hands around insisting that everyone eat up, eat up, while it’s hot!) 😂
On a salad. Take a bowl of plain leafy greens and plonk a few fried halloumi’s on top and woah! Suddenly that boring salad is so much more exciting – and passes as a meal, at that! Or, specifically, try adding halloumi onto one of these salads to dial them up a notch (skip or reduce any pre-existing cheese in these recipes):
Just to flag a few stand-outs: I think the Pear Salad would be spectacular with halloumi instead of blue cheese (fruit + salty cheese + honey + nuts = 💯) as would the French Warm Goats Cheese Salad (made with halloumi instead of goats cheese) and the Pearl Couscous Salad (I feel like halloumi + bright lemon dressing + slippery garlicky pearl couscous would be a home run).
Or – just skip the greenery and stick with my #1 method of eating it: with hands, standing in the kitchen! 😂 – Nagi x
Golden Halloumi with Honey and Thyme
You’d think so!! The recipe itself was a no brainer, something I’ve been making for years in various forms.
But Herron, my video editor, will tell you that I sent her a drive filled with a ridiculous number of takes for the “simple video” for this “simple recipe”. Because of course, after years of making it with no problems, the one time I go to film it I can’t find any of my usual Halloumi brands. So I got an economical brand I hadn’t tried before and it was not good! It split when cooking, the edges were jagged, the surface just burned rather than going golden, and the insides were rubbery.
Which of course lead me down the path of “how much does the halloumi quality matter?” which involved getting every single halloumi brand I could find at my local stores, ranging from authentic PDO Cypriot made halloumi (undisputed winner), Greek made halloumi (second best) to Australian made (premium and economical brands).
Turns out, wow, the authenticity of the origin matters! Authentic halloumi made in Cyprus is superior, delivering golden surfaces and soft gooey insides. Lower quality halloumi doesn’t pan fry as well, the insides never go soft, they stay rubbery, and they typically don’t hold their shape as well when fried (they split into a “V” or into 2 pieces, and the edges are much more jagged than what you see in my photos).
So this “simple recipe” turned out not to be so simple after all!! Oh the irony. 😂
Yes it is, and so this dish is gluten free.
No, it won’t go golden on the surface. Yep, been there, tried that! To use feta, you’d have to at least dust with flour or better yet, crumb it with breadcrumbs. SO GOOD!
Heck yes! If hot honey was a staple in my world, I’d have suggested that! 🙂
Plenty of options!
fresh oregano (roughly chopped)
walnuts (walnuts + honey is such a great, Greek-vibes combo)
other nuts (almonds and pistachios come to mind)
white sesame seeds
lemon juice or lemon zest
swish of extra virgin olive oil
Watch how to make it
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Golden Halloumi with Honey and Thyme
Ingredients
- 225-250g/ 8oz halloumi block, Cyprus made PDO stamped recommended (Note 1)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Optional finishing:
- 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
Abbreviated recipe:
- 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.
Full recipe:
- 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)
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
I will never look back and say “I spent too much time with Dozer”. ❤️
Not possible to spend too much time with our fur babies! Enjoy every second.
Just love halloumi; definitely will be trying this recipe!!
I am! I hate being away from him these days, ever since he got sick I’m so attached 😭
Dozer was a beautiful dog. You must be glad that you had him.
He’s still with us!! 🙂 He is alive and very well N x
I’m pretty sure Dozer is still alive. She just loves him so much that she cherishes all the moments and loves to share them with us.
Oh gosh yes!!! There will be no hiding it when it’s Dozer’s time, you know I will fall apart
Your Golden Halloumi with honey sounds delicious and I’ll get back to the recipe but I’m so taken up with the gorgeous picture of you and Dozer. Please have it printed in your ” third recipe book” if not on the cover.
Aww Kathy! What a lovely message, thank you. It was just a selfie! Stuck my arm out with the camera, grabbed Dozer and SNAPPED! N x
While I love sweet & spicy food, I’m not a fan of eating chili flakes (love the flavor they add, just don’t like chewing on them)…would using hot honey be a good substitute?
Yes! We used hot chilli honey on it instead of flakes and it was perfect 👌🏽fully recommend
Absolutely! I would have used it if I had it 🙂 N x
What a great idea! Showed this recipe to the husband and he was like, Umm maybe, when I mentioned hot honey he said “you’re on!” lol
HE HAS GOOD TASTE! Maybe consider keeping him 😂
I’ve thought about! We did try it with the hot honey and OMG it was next level! My mum who is a spice wuss also loved it. Already planning on when to have it next and what we could serve it with. Thank you x
I just love your posts and recipes, your enthusiasm and kindness flows thru. I also just love hearing about Dozer and seeing the pics – the bond you two have is truly special. Thanks Nagi xx
Thanks Christene!! He’s a great side kick 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi and gorgeous Dozer
As always I learn so much from your posts. I will buy some authentic halloumi today to make this. Since making your pasta salad last week I cant believe the difference in the taste of authentic Feta. It is worth the extra cost because it all gets eaten and not swimming in brine.
I cant wait until your new recipe book arrives in October.
Thankyou Nagi.
and big hugs for Dozer
Isn’t authentic feta a revelation?? Once I discovered that, I was happy to pay more but have it less frequently 🙂 I can’t wait for the new book either! SO EXCITED! (Also – nervous)
Hi Nagi.
The photo of you and Dozer is awesome. Beautiful smiles on both of you.
I agree with you that we can never spend too much time with or love our furry family members too much. Over the past thirty years I have had the privilege of having three dogs and five cats as part of my family. They have all been a blessing. Much loved and appreciated and very loving in return.
The haloumi looks delicious. Could I use something instead of honey as it doesn’t agree with me?
Have a lovely weekend,
Maria. xx
Thanks Maria!! All your fur babies are / were very lucky to have you as their mum 🙂 Re: honey – can you do maple syrup?? N x
My thoughts exactly Cheryl.
Beautifully captured shots of Dozer and you too, of course Nagi.
Thank you Kath! N x
Saving this one for Christmas Day. It sounds delicious & I am sure it will be a hit with my whole family 🙂
SUCH a good one for Christmas Day!! N x
Got the email with this recipe, dashed to the fridge where, as luck would have it, a block of Dodoni Halloumi was waiting for just this moment! Sliced, fried and drizzled as instructed, am now sitting here content and replete and just added another reason to my “why I love Nagi’s recipes” list. Thank you
NO WAY!!! I always love hearing from the first person to try a new recipe 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it Liz! N xx
Treasure every moment with the boy.
I most definitely am! N x
Since I seem to be obsessed with Lebanese za’atar lately, I would use it instead of thyme, and finish with a light sprinkle of Aleppo pepper. Thanks for sharing the recipe! What an easy, flavorful appetizer or late night snack ❤
I LOVE za’atar! It would be beautiful 🙂 I shall add it as a suggestion! N x