These za’atar halloumi cheese fries are a delicious low carb snack. Salty, briny halloumi cheese is simply pan fried and seasoned the bit of Middle Eastern za’atar spice. Only a few minutes to make, you will be crazy for this fried cheese snack.
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My in laws used to live in New Port Richey, FL When we went to visit them we always stopped at our favorite Greek restaurant in Tarpon Springs for “opa cheese”. It was a flaming fried cheese dish we loved. So recently I noticed some halloumi cheese at the grocery story and decide to make it into fries for a low carb snack. And while I was at it, I thought I’d sprinkle some za’atar spice on top for extra flavor. They were addicting. My son did not care for the cheese texture but that just meant more halloumi cheese fries for me.
What is Halloumi cheese?
Halloumi cheese is a semi-hard, brined cheese that is made from a mixture of goat’s milk, sheep’s milk and sometimes cow’s milk. It has a high melting point so that is why lots of people like to fry or grill it. It’s very salty and has a wonderful, spongy texture.
What is Za’atar Spice?
Za’atar is a spice blend made up of thyme, oregano, marjoram, or some combination and mixed with toasted sesame seeds, sumac and salt. I grew up with this. My father used to pour a bit of olive oil in a small dish and sprinkle za’atar spice over the oil. Then he would take a chunk of good bread and dip it into the oil mix. Delicious! This spice brings back good memories of my dad. I have a za’atar zucchini chips recipe on this blog that I really liked and thought the za’atar would be nice with the cheese (which also reminds me of my dad. )
Za’atar Halloumi Cheese Fries Recipe
- Take the cheese out of the packaging. If it’s in a brine, towel off the excess liquid.
- Cut the cheese into long fries and set aside.
- Get a frying pan nice and hot.
- Add a bit of cooking spray and then place the fries in.
- Once the bottoms start to crisp, flip to the next side and continue for all 4 sides. (about 1 minute each side).
- Take the cheese out and immediately sprinkle the za’atar spices on top.
- Eat immediately.
These tend to harden once they cool down but they were still tasty. As a matter of fact I even ate them cold from the refrigerator.
I found this halloumi in our local grocery store but I see it at Trader Joes sometimes too. I hope you give this a try, because I think you will really like it. This 8 oz block of cheese made 16 (very filling) fries and the nutrition for 1 fry is:
1 fry = 56 cals / 4.6g fat / 0.1g carbs / 3.6g protein = 0.1 g net carbs
To see all the products I recommend like za’atar for my low carb recipes, please visit my Amazon page.
And for another cool keto recipe, check out my friend Zuzana’s keto French fries recipe.
Za'atar Halloumi Cheese Fries (low carb)
These za'atar halloumi cheese fries are a delicious low carb snack. Salty, briny halloumi cheese is simply pan fried and seasoned the bit of Middle Eastern za'atar spice. Only a few minutes to make, you will be crazy for this fried cheese snack.
Ingredients
- 8 oz Halloumi cheese, cut into fries
- 1 teaspoon za'atar spice
Instructions
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Spray a frying pan with cooking spray and turn up the heat to medium high.
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When the pan is hot, add the sliced halloumi fries and brown each side for 1 -2 minutes until browned.
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When browned on all sides, sprinkle the fries with the za'atar spice and eat immediately.
Anna
So excited to finally see a recipe for fried halloumi that doesn’t require breading it first! Thanks for the recipe!
Denise
You are welcome Anna! There is much to this recipe but I am just loving haloumi all of a sudden and thought I’d write a post!
Debbie
I never had Halloumi cheese, you have me intrigued!
Denise
It’s salty and yummy!