These crispy, delicious air fryer halloumi fries are one of my favorite side dishes. With a breaded exterior, and soft cheese on the inside, this is a popular appetizer or side dish every time it’s served.
The Nandos halloumi fries changed my life the first time I tried them, and I’m so excited to be able to make this homemade version any time I please.
Breaded halloumi sticks, air fried to perfection in 10 minutes, is a complete game changer that honestly makes buying an air fryer totally worth it.
Ingredients
This easy recipe only requires three ingredients: breadcrumbs, an egg and halloumi.
For the breadcrumbs, I like to combine panko breadcrumbs with grainy plain breadcrumbs. You can also use either one by themselves.
If you wish, you could add some seasoning to the breadcrumbs. Consider adding peri peri seasoning, taco seasoning, some garlic powder or salt and pepper. I usually make mine plain, and serve it with a delicious dipping sauce.
Instructions
Slice the halloumi into thick fries.
Crack an egg into a bowl, and whisk until it’s combined. In another bowl, add the breadcrumbs.
Use a fork to dip each halloumi stick individually into the whisked egg, then into the breadcrumbs. The cheese should be coated with the breading on all sides. Repeat with each fry.
Preheat your air fryer to 180 °C/ 355 °F. Then, add the breaded halloumi sticks to the air fryer basket. Make sure to leave room between each stick to allow the halloumi to cook evenly.
Air fry the halloumi fries for 8-10 minutes, turning them once halfway through the cooking time. Serve them immediately while they are still hot.
What is halloumi cheese
Halloumi is a semi-hard cheese common in Greek and Cypriot cuisine. It’s well known for its squeaky texture, and for it’s high melting point which makes it ideal for frying or grilling.
Fried halloumi is commonly used as a main protein in meat free dishes. If you wish to try other halloumi recipes, you can check out our chickpea and halloumi curry, or roasted courgette and halloumi salad.
Top tips
Here is my best tips for the ultimate halloumi fry experience:
- A combination of panko breadcrumbs and regular crumbs is ideal. This will give the fries a thin coating with some thicker panko chunks here and there.
- Preheat the air fryer before you add the halloumi to allow the fries to cook more evenly.
Air Fryer Halloumi Fries
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 13 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: British
Ingredients
- 1 lb halloumi (450 g)
- ½ cup breadcrumbs (8 tablespoons)
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
-
Slice the halloumi into thick fries.
-
Crack the egg into a bowl, and whisk until it’s combined. In another bowl, add the breadcrumbs, salt and garlic powder.
-
Use a fork to dip each halloumi stick individually into the whisked egg, then into the breadcrumbs. The cheese should be coated with the breading on all sides. Repeat with each fry.
-
Preheat your air fryer to 180 °C/ 355 °F. Then, add the breaded halloumi sticks to the air fryer basket. Make sure to leave room between each stick to allow the halloumi to cook evenly.
-
Air fry the halloumi fries for 8-10 minutes, turning them once halfway through the cooking time. Serve them immediately while they are still hot.
Notes
Can I make this with other types of cheese? – Halloumi is not a traditional cheese, as it does not melt. You could try substituting it with paneer, or with mozzarella cheese sticks.
Leftovers
Leftover halloumi fries can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep in mind that the breading tends to soften, and the cheese will harden after being refrigerated.
They definitely taste best served immediately after air frying, so I highly recommend only preparing the amount you need.
Top tips
- Preheat the air fryer before you add the halloumi to allow the fries to cook more evenly.
