Halloumi is a hearty, squeaky cheese from Cyprus that is absolutely scrumptious when grilled up. All you need to make this recipe is just some halloumi from your local grocery store! Be prepared for a delicious and easy treat.

Overhead view of grilled halloumi with a side of honey

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I absolutely loved making this Grilled Halloumi recipe at home. I had had a busy day and needed a quick snack that I didn’t need to pay a lot of attention to. This recipe is perfect because it’s so easy, you can’t mess it up!

Plus, this recipe is full of healthy proteins and would be a great addition to any charcuterie plate, vegetable platter, or even just enjoyed by itself!

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What is Grilled Halloumi?

Halloumi is an unripened, brined cheese that is made with a mixture of goat’s milk and sheep’s milk. Occasionally it is also made with cow’s milk. Greeks and Cypriots enjoy halloumi a lot and eat it quite often in their respective countries!

This type of cheese is pretty tough, and it has a high melting point, meaning that it can easily be grilled without melting. A popular snack, especially in Cyprus, is made by grilling the halloumi cheese on the grill until it forms grill marks.

The cheese thins out and hardens a bit, but it is crispy on the outside and a little creamier on the inside. It’s deliciously salty and full of good proteins. You can eat your halloumi as is, with a dip, or use it as an ingredient in other food.

Keep reading for instructions and best tips for making your halloumi!

What Ingredients are in this Grilled Halloumi Recipe?

Halloumi cheese

How to Make Grilled Halloumi?

Slice the cheese into long slices about ⅓” thick.

Heat a barbecue grill or indoor grill over medium heat. Place the halloumi on the grill and allow to sit until grill marks form. The halloumi might emit liquid at first. Keep grilling and the cheese will dry up.

Use tongs to flip over and heat until grill marks form on the other side. Remove from heat and enjoy!

What Does Grilled Halloumi Taste Like?

This grilled halloumi is a complex blend of soft and salty. If you’re eating high quality halloumi, you’ll also notice that your cheese should resemble Wisconsin cheese curds.

The cheese should be squeaky, meaning that when you bite into it, the cheese feels… squeaky!

Do you Have to Grill Halloumi?

You can eat halloumi cold/ungrilled if you’d like, but I actually wouldn’t recommend it! The cheese has a texture that is perfect for grilling and eating warm.

If you’d like to eat it cold, nothing bad will happen! However, I would strongly recommend grilling the cheese if you can.

What Do You Eat Halloumi With?

Halloumi tastes good with pretty much anything. You can eat it with grilled peppers or eggplants for a healthy and vegetarian-style treat. I have a vision of using Grilled halloumi to top an arugula and peach salad– one day I’ll get around to recipe testing and writing a post about it!

If you want a heartier way to use your halloumi, you can also treat it like a meat, and eat it on a burger or with sides. Because of halloumi’s delicious hearty texture, it’s a popular substitution for meat in a vegetarian meal.

If you want to eat your halloumi plain, you can do that, too! That’s what I did and it was definitely a great move. It’s absolutely delicious dipped in honey.

This recipe for Halloumi Ravioli from My Family’s Food Diary also looks amazing!

What Can I Use Instead of a Grill?

I have a grill at home, but I didn’t know how (didn’t want to) fire it up to grill! Instead, I fired up my tabletop grill (a George Foreman) and made my Grilled Halloumi on the tabletop grill instead!

You can make your Grilled Halloumi on the grill or a tabletop grill. If you don’t have either, you can also make it in a skillet! You just won’t have those beautiful grill lines like in the photo.

Did you make this recipe for Grilled Halloumi? Post a photo on Facebook or Instagram and use the hashtag #TheForeignFork and tag @TheForeignFork. Don’t forget to also leave a comment on this page letting me know what you thought!

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