Halloumi Fries

Halloumi meets French Fries in this crispy, cheesy snack that is just irresistibly good! This was inspired by a menu item at McDonald’s in the UK but since we’re not that special enough in the states to get it too, we’re going to make it at home and even better!

Now last year I shared a recipe for Halloumi Nuggets and they were a huge hit! They’re so fun to make and almost like a vegetarian cheesy nugget. Then I recently learned that McDonald’s in the UK have a very special summer menu with halloumi fries!! I knew I had to recreate it at home and I can guarantee you it will be even better than McDonald’s. I posted a teaser of these halloumi fries on my story and a bunch of people who tried them in the UK said they weren’t that good but I promise the homemade version tastes like crispy cheesy bites of heaven. Let’s make them!

The Breading

There are three steps to breading the halloumi so they turn out extra crispy! And when I tell you crispy, it’s unbelievable. My husband came home an hour later after they came out of the fryer and they were still making all sorts of crunch sounds.

Step 1: The Flour Coating

Here are the ingredients you need:

• all purpose flour
• dried parsley
• paprika
• garlic powder
• salt
• black pepper

To make the flour coating, whisk together all the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Feel free to also only season with salt and black pepper if you’d like.

Step 2: The Wet Coating

Here are the ingredients you need:

• large eggs
• salt
• black pepper

Just whisk everything together in a bowl until smooth and set aside.

Step 3: The Panko Coating

Here are the ingredients you need:

• Panko breadcrumbs
• paprika
• garlic powder
• black pepper
• salt

In a third bowl, combine all the ingredients and set aside. Once again, you can only add salt and pepper to keep it more simple but I also like to add paprika and garlic powder for a bit more flavor and color.

Preparing the Halloumi

Now that all our prep is done, the hard part is over with and now it’s time to bread the halloumi and fry!

If you are having a hard time finding halloumi in stores, you’ll find it in any Middle Eastern grocery store or market. Some American stores will have it but it’s not as common.

Start out by cutting the block of halloumi into French fry shapes, thin long rectangular strips.

Dip each piece first into the flour mixture and shake off any excess. Then dip into the egg mixture and let any excess drip off. Lastly, dip into the panko breadcrumb mixture and make sure it’s fully coated all over. Set on a plate and repeat until all the halloumi is breaded.

Frying

Add some vegetable oil into a frying pan and heat to 350°F. You can also use peanut oil or canola oil.

Drop the halloumi fries in and fry until they are golden brown all around. It only takes a few minutes.

Take out of the oil and place on a wire rack on or a plate with a paper towel to drain any excess oil.

If you want to avoid deep frying, just spray with oil and pop in the air fryer until beautifully golden.

Keep in mind halloumi is a firm cheese so it doesn’t melt like mozzarella or cheddar for example. The cheese stays a bit gooey only when it’s right out of the fryer but it will firm up real quick.

Enjoy warm with your favorite dipping sauce like ketchup, honey mustard, ranch, or spicy mayo!

If you tried this recipe and loved it, drop by down below and let me know how you liked it with a rating and comment! Feel free to also leave a question there about this recipe and I’ll get right back to it.

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