Air-Fryer Halloumi Fries: Crispy, Quick, And Easy!

Halloumi fries are the perfect snack or appetiser. Salty halloumi cheese is coated in flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs, then cooked in an air fryer until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The air fryer method is healthier than pan-frying, as it uses less oil, but still produces a delicious result. You can serve halloumi fries with a variety of dips, such as spicy sriracha aioli, honey, or yoghurt sauce.

How to cut halloumi for frying

There are two ways to cut halloumi for frying:

Method 1:

• Cut the halloumi block into slices. The thickness of the slices depends on your preference for the crispiness of the halloumi. Thinner slices will result in crispier fries, while thicker slices will give you a crisp exterior and a softer, bouncier centre.
• Cut each slice into fries.
• Place the halloumi fries in the air fryer. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the fries in multiple batches.
• Cook at 200°C for 4 minutes.
• Turn the fries over and cook for another 4 minutes, or until golden and crisp.

Method 2:

• Cut the halloumi block into fries, approximately 1/2 inch thick.
• Place the halloumi fries in the air fryer, ensuring they are in a single layer with space in between each fry.
• Cook at 180°C for 6-8 minutes, flipping the fries over halfway through.

Tips:

• Before placing the halloumi in the air fryer, pat the cheese dry with a kitchen towel to absorb excess moisture.
• Avoid overcrowding the air fryer to ensure even cooking and crispiness.
• Do not overcook the halloumi fries, as this can make them dry and chewy.
• Enjoy the fries while they are still warm, as this is when they have the best flavour and texture.

Serving Suggestions:

Halloumi fries can be served with a variety of dips, such as sweet chilli jam, tangy relish, dill yoghurt sauce, sour cream and chives dip, or a vegan burger sauce. They can also be added to a pita pocket with lettuce, salad, jalapenos, and garlic yoghurt sauce, or served as part of a breakfast spread.

How to season halloumi fries

Halloumi fries are a delicious snack or appetiser and can be seasoned in a variety of ways. The type of seasoning you use will depend on your personal preference and taste. Here are some ideas for seasoning your halloumi fries:

Plain Flour or All-Purpose Flour

Coating the halloumi in plain or all-purpose flour will help to create a crisp and golden coating. You only need a small amount of flour—around 2-3 tablespoons per package of halloumi. You can also use gluten-free flour, corn starch, rice flour, almond flour, or coconut flour.

Spices and Herbs

You can add a variety of spices and herbs to your flour coating to give your halloumi fries extra flavour. For example, you could use garlic powder, Italian herbs, salt, black pepper, dried mint, oregano, or cumin. You could also try stirring za'atar into the flour before coating the halloumi and sprinkling it over the cooked fries.

Oils

You can use a variety of oils to fry your halloumi, such as light olive oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil, or extra virgin olive oil. If you are using an air fryer, you can spray or brush the halloumi with oil before cooking.

Dips and Sauces

Halloumi fries are often served with dips and sauces, which can also be seasoned. Some popular options include Greek yoghurt, sour cream, sweet chilli sauce, honey lime dressing, ranch dressing, garlic sauce, mayonnaise, tahini sauce, warm honey, or marinara sauce. You could also serve the halloumi with a squeeze of lemon juice.

How to coat halloumi fries

Coating halloumi fries is simple and can be done in a few easy steps. Firstly, prepare your chosen coating. This could be a seasoned flour blend, cornflour, almond flour, or coconut flour. For a flour blend, mix plain flour with seasonings such as garlic powder, Italian herbs, salt, black pepper, paprika, cumin, or oregano. You could also use gluten-free flour to make the recipe gluten-free. If you want to use cornflour, almond flour, or coconut flour, simply have it ready in a bowl.

Next, cut the halloumi into fries. You can cut the halloumi block into slabs, slices, or thin fries. Thinner slices will result in crispier fries, while thicker slices will give you a crisp exterior and a softer centre. Pat the halloumi fries dry with a kitchen towel to absorb any excess moisture.

Now you are ready to coat the halloumi fries. If using a flour blend, toss or roll the halloumi fries in the mixture until they are evenly coated. If using cornflour, almond flour, or coconut flour, dip each halloumi fry into the flour to ensure it is covered well.

Finally, cook your halloumi fries in an air fryer or frying pan. For an air fryer, preheat to 180C for 2 minutes and cook for 7-12 minutes, turning them halfway through. For a frying pan, heat oil on medium heat and fry each side for a few minutes until golden brown and crispy.

How long to cook halloumi fries for

The length of time you should cook halloumi fries for depends on the method you choose. If you are using an air fryer, most recipes suggest cooking the fries for around 10 minutes, although some sources recommend a shorter or longer cooking time.

Air Fryer

If you are using an air fryer, you should cook the halloumi fries for around 10 minutes. However, the exact cooking time will depend on the specific recipe you are following and the desired level of crispiness. For example, one recipe recommends cooking the fries for a total of 7-8 minutes, flipping them once halfway through. Another recipe suggests cooking the fries for 6 minutes, flipping them, and then cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes. A third recipe calls for an initial cook time of 8 minutes, followed by an additional 2-5 minutes after flipping the fries.

To ensure even cooking, it is important to arrange the halloumi fries in a single layer in the air fryer basket and avoid overcrowding. Additionally, preheating the air fryer for 2 minutes before cooking can help achieve an even cooking temperature.

Pan-Fry

If you are using a pan-fry method, the cooking time will be shorter. One recipe recommends cooking the fries for 2-3 minutes on the first side and 1 minute on the second side.

Oven-Baked

For oven-baked halloumi fries, one recipe suggests baking the fries for 10 minutes, flipping them, and then baking for an additional 5 minutes.

Tips for Perfect Halloumi Fries

Regardless of the cooking method, it is important to avoid overcooking the halloumi fries, as this can make them chewy. Halloumi has a high melting point, but it is still possible to overcook it. It is also important to pat the halloumi dry before cooking to remove excess moisture, which can affect the crispiness of the fries.

Additionally, the thickness of the halloumi fries will impact the cooking time. Thinner slices will result in crispier fries, while thicker slices will have a crisp exterior and a softer center.

What to serve with halloumi fries

Halloumi fries are a delicious snack, appetiser, or side, and there are plenty of options for what to serve with them.

First, you'll want to choose a dip. Halloumi fries go well with a range of dips, including sweet chilli sauce or jam, Greek yoghurt with pomegranate seeds and mint, harissa yoghurt sauce, or a dill yoghurt sauce. You could also try a creamy sour cream and chive dip, homemade Indian mint sauce, or a fat-free Greek yoghurt dip with pomegranate molasses.

Halloumi fries are also great in a pita pocket with lettuce, jalapenos, and garlic yoghurt sauce, or as part of a larger meal with a salad. Joe Wicks serves his halloumi fries with a quick tomato salsa and rocket, but you could also opt for roasted veggies.

If you're making a big batch, you could serve halloumi fries as part of a chips and dip platter with pita chips, marinated feta cheese, and puff pastry cheese straws.

Halloumi fries are also great in a salad—they can be added to a halloumi salad with roasted butternut squash and quinoa, or a halloumi kebab.

Frequently asked questions