Crispy Halloumi Fries with Lemon Aioli
Golden, salty halloumi cheese fries with a zesty lemon aioli for dipping. Ready in under 15 minutes for a showstopping Mediterranean appetizer.
- Total time
- 12 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 542
- Protein
- 22g
Ingredients
- 8 oz halloumi cheese
- 1 cup neutral oil, for frying
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 whole lemon
- 1 whole garlic clove
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Instructions
- 1
Remove the halloumi from the refrigerator and pat it completely dry with paper towels, pressing gently on all sides — this helps it crisp instead of splattering.
- 2
Cut the halloumi block lengthwise into four long slabs, each about 1/2 inch thick; then cut each slab lengthwise again into strips about 1/2 inch wide, like French fries.
- 3
Mince the garlic until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice, about the size of pencil-tip dots, and place in a small bowl.
- 4
Cut the lemon in half and squeeze both halves into a small bowl, catching any seeds with your other hand; you should have about 3 tablespoons of juice.
- 5
Pour 0.5 cup of mayonnaise into the bowl with the garlic and add the lemon juice and 0.25 teaspoon of sea salt; stir with a spoon until the mixture is smooth and pale yellow.
- 6
Pour 1 cup of neutral oil into a deep medium saucepan and set it over medium-high heat; wait until the oil shimmers and a piece of halloumi sizzles immediately when dropped in, about 3 minutes.
- 7
Working in two batches so the pan is not crowded, carefully slide half the halloumi strips into the hot oil using a spoon or fork; listen for an immediate, steady sizzle.
- 8
Fry the first batch for 90 seconds without moving them, until the surface touching the oil turns golden brown like caramelized sugar, then gently flip each piece with a fork.
- 9
Fry the flipped side for another 60 seconds until it also turns golden brown, then use a slotted spoon to lift the strips out onto a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
- 10
Repeat steps 7–9 with the remaining halloumi strips, heating the oil between batches until it shimmers again, about 90 seconds.
- 11
Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over all the hot halloumi fries while they are still steaming, which helps it cling to the crispy surface.
- 12
Transfer the halloumi fries to a serving plate and place the bowl of lemon aioli next to them for dipping; serve immediately while the cheese is still hot and crispy.
Tools you’ll need
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- paper towels
- small bowl
- spoon
- lemon juicer or citrus reamer
- deep medium saucepan (2- to 3-quart)
- cooking thermometer (optional)
- slotted spoon
- paper-towel-lined plate
- serving plate
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