Halloumi cheese is a versatile ingredient popular in summer recipes, often used to elevate salads, pastas, and burgers. For cheese lovers cooking halloumi at home, a food content creator has revealed an important step that should not be overlooked.
The Key Step: Soak Before Frying
Food content creator @Cookingwithzainab, who has over 170,000 followers on TikTok, shared a video titled "How to upgrade your halloumi at home." In the video, she explained why soaking halloumi in water for ten minutes before frying is a "complete game-changer."
Zainab said: "If you've ever ordered halloumi in a restaurant and wondered why it tastes so much better than when you make it at home, it's because you're missing one key step. First, you need to cut it properly. There's usually a line down the middle of the block, so cut along that and half it again so you get nice thick pieces. Then the real trick is to soak it in hot water for ten minutes. This makes the cheese soft, stretchy and perfectly chewy instead of tough and squeaky."
How to Prepare and Serve
After soaking, Zainab advises draining the cheese, patting it dry, and frying until golden on both sides. She then suggests squeezing over lemon juice, adding honey and chilli flakes, and letting it bubble. "Eat it straight away while it's warm and stretchy," she added. In her caption, she included additional tips: "Pat the halloumi really dry before frying or it will splutter. If the sauce gets too thick, add more lemon juice, a bit more honey or a splash of water. If you need to eat it later, microwave to reheat and it gets soft again."
Popular Response and Alternative Method
The video gained over 3.5 million views and more than 160,000 likes. One commenter said: "Looks delicious." Another viewer added: "Omg boiling before completely changed the texture! This was AMAZING, THANK YOU."
Arla, a dairy brand, also recommends soaking halloumi, but suggests using cold water instead. On its website, Arla shares a recipe for halloumi fries and explains: "While completely optional, many swear by this step for a softer, more flavourful, and sweeter result that will set your halloumi apart from all others. The easiest method is to soak the whole block of cheese in cold water for at least two hours (or overnight if you have time). Pat the cheese dry with a paper towel, cut into sticks, and fry as usual. This will remove any excess saltiness and bring out the halloumi’s delicate sweetness, while also softening the cheese for an even more addictive texture."
