Air Fried Halloumi with Chopped Mediterranean Salad
A crispy twist on the classic Greek salad, Air Fried Halloumi with Chopped Mediterranean Salad comes together in under 30 minutes.
Have you ever stumbled upon a new food and instantly fallen head over heels? For me, that new food was halloumi cheese. Although I’d heard about it for years, it wasn’t until this year that I finally tried it—and now I can’t get enough! I’m constantly experimenting with new ways to incorporate it into my meals, and this Air Fried Halloumi with Chopped Mediterranean Salad is one of my favorite creations.
It’s probably no surprise that I love Greek salads. And this Greek-inspired Mediterranean salad, with its fresh vegetables, briny olives and tangy lemon-oregano dressing does not disappoint. It’s similar to the traditional Greek salad you are probably familiar with but instead of using feta cheese, I’ve used crispy, air-fried halloumi to add flavor and texture. But what exactly is Halloumi cheese?
What is Halloumi Cheese?
If you have never tried halloumi before, you are really missing out. Halloumi is a semi-hard, brined cheese originating from Cyprus. Similar to the more widely known feta cheese, it’s often made from a blend of sheep’s and goat’s milk. However, it has a milder taste and a completely different texture than feta. Something that makes halloumi special is that it has a unique ability to retain its shape when grilled or fried, or as in this recipe, air fried! To me, halloumi tastes like a slightly tangier and firmer mozzarella cheese and this Air Fried Halloumi recipe reminds me of a mediterranean style giant fried mozzarella stick – yum!
Four Reasons You Will Love This Recipe
- Air Fried Halloumi is a great vegetarian main dish alternative to a breaded chicken or fish. It’s satisfying and fairly high in protein as well.
- It’s super quick to make. The whole meal – halloumi and salad – comes together in under 30 minutes.
- Air frying creates way less mess than traditional oil frying. No cleaning up oil splatter all over your stovetop or figuring out how to dispose of the leftover fry oil.
- It’s delicious and healthier than traditional frying. Air frying uses less oil than traditional frying but you don’t sacrifice taste or satisfaction for fewer calories.
This recipe has been a hit with everyone who has tried it. If you love cheese AND a great salad, definitely give Air Fried Halloumi with Chopped Mediterranean Salad a try!
How to Make Chopped Mediterranean Salad
A Chopped Mediterranean Salad is not only delicious but full of tons of healthy produce and super easy to make. Here’s how you do it:
- Prepare your dressing: Start with freshly squeezed lemon juice then add olive oil, honey, dried oregano, a pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Give it a good whisk then set it aside.
- Chop your fresh veggies: You will need an English cucumber, cherry or grape tomatoes, red onion, and green bell pepper. You’ll also need to slice up some briney kalamata olives.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, add all your freshly chopped veggies as well as some chickpeas. Top everything with the dressing and give it a good mix. Set it aside until you’re ready to serve it (it’s a great make ahead recipe!)
How to Make Air Fried Halloumi
The best part of Air Fried Halloumi is that it’s so much less intimidating to use an air fryer than traditional oil frying – but with such similar results. Here is how I make my Air Fried Halloumi.
- Slice your halloumi into two equal slabs: I can find an 8 oz rectangular block of halloumi at my grocery store so it’s easy to slice it into two, 4 oz pieces.
- Set up your breading station: You will need three shallow dishes or bowls. In one bowl, place some cornstarch and flour (the cornstarch helps make the breading extra crispy). In the second bowl, you will add one beaten egg. In the final dish, you place your bread crumbs.
- Bread your halloumi: Take one piece of halloumi and press both sides into the flour mix until fully coated. Shake off any excess. Then dip the halloumi into the egg mix, coating both sides, and let any excess drip off. Lastly, place the halloumi into bread crumbs and use your hands to press in the breadcrumbs until it’s well coated. Transfer to a clean plate and repeat the process with the remaining halloumi slab.
- Air Fry: Preheat air fryer to 350 degrees. Brush or spray the air fryer basket with oil and place breaded halloumi inside. Lightly brush or spray the breaded halloumi with oil. Cook for 4 minutes then gently flip the halloumi and brush or spray the other side with oil and cook for an additional 4 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.
Want to WATCH me make this recipe? Check out this VIDEO!
Tools and Supplies You’ll Need
- Air Fryer: Essential for making Air Fried Halloumi. I personally use a Cuisinart Air Fryer and absolutely love it.
- Shallow Dishes or Bowls: To streamline the breading process, use shallow dishes or bowls. Avoid using regular plates without edges, as they can cause your breading ingredients to spill over, and steer clear of deep bowls, which can make it difficult to coat the halloumi evenly.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
Yes! The Chopped Mediterranean Salad can be prepared several hours in advance – in fact it gets yummier as the vegetables marinate in the dressing. While the halloumi is best eaten after it’s freshly air fried, you can also prepare the Halloumi ahead of time and reheat if you need to. I like to reheat my Halloumi in my air fryer on a lower temperature (300 degrees) for about 3-5 minutes to ensure the breading doesn’t burn.
Similar Recipes
Looking for other recipes with similar Mediterranean inspired flavors? Definitely check out my recipe for Maroulosalata (Greek Lettuce Salad with Feta Cheese).
Air Fried Halloumi with Chopped Mediterranean Salad
A crispy twist on the classic Greek salad, Air Fried Halloumi with Chopped Mediterranean Salad comes together in under 30 minutes.
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (approximately 1 large lemon)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tablespoon honey
- 1 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered
- ½ large English cucumber, chopped
- ¼ cup red onion chopped
- ½ green bell pepper, chopped
- ¾ cups chickpeas
- ¼ cup Kalamata olives, halved
- 1 block halloumi (about 8 ounces)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup dried bread crumbs
- Cooking spray or cooking oil for brushing
- (optional) 1-2 pita bread, toasted and cut into quarters
Instructions
- Prepare dressing: In a small mixing bowl, add the lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt, pepper, and oregano and whisk to combine. Set aside while you prepare the salad vegetables.
- Prepare salad vegetables: In a large salad bowl, add the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, and olives as well as the prepared dressing. Toss well to combine. Set aside while you prepare the halloumi.
- Slice halloumi: Slice the block of halloumi in half through the center horizontally, to create two rectangular slabs (approximately ½ inch thick). If your halloumi breaks while slicing, you can bread and fry the smaller pieces.
- Prepare the breading: In a shallow dish, add the flour and cornstarch. In another shallow dish, add the eggs and gently beat them. Place the bread crumbs in a third shallow dish.
- Bread the halloumi: Take one piece of halloumi and press both sides into the flour mix until fully coated. Shake off any excess. Then dip the halloumi into the egg mix, coating both sides, and let excess drip off. Lastly, place the halloumi into the bread crumbs and use your hands to press in the breadcrumbs until it’s well coated. Transfer to a clean plate and repeat the process with the remaining halloumi slab.
- Air fry halloumi: Preheat air fryer to 350 degrees. Brush or spray the air fryer basket with oil and place breaded halloumi inside. Lightly brush or spray the breaded halloumi with oil. Cook for 4 minutes then gently flip the halloumi and brush or spray the other side with oil and cook for an additional 4 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.
- Finish and serve: Give the prepared salad another toss, then divide the salad among two plates and top each plate with one piece of halloumi and if you like, toasted pita bread. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition information reflects that not all of the flour, cornstarch, egg and breadcrumbs are not used in the cooking process.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Piece of Halloumi and Half of Salad
- Calories: 846
- Sugar: 9.5 g
- Sodium: 2129.7 mg
- Fat: 61.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 39.6 g
- Protein: 36.6 g
- Cholesterol: 122.9 mg
I didn’t expect air-fried cheese to be so good, but it really is!