Homemade Halloumi Cheese Recipe - Larder Love (2024)

Recipe

Homemade cheese is so easy to make and delicious too. This homemade halloumi is packed with flavour and perfect for frying, adding to salads, in burgers, on a BBQ and so much more.

Homemade Halloumi Cheese Recipe - Larder Love (1)

“Blessed be the cheesemakers” – so said the great Monty Python.

Why you should try making homemade cheese

  • Making cheese at home is fun and so easy you can get the kids involved in a bit of real hands-on kitchen crafting.
  • Homemade halloumi (or any other homemade cheese) tastes way better than the average supermarket cheese.
  • You know exactly what is in there. No additives, colourings or preservatives.

Halloumi cheese facts

Halloumi comes originally from Cyprus. And it’s traditionally made with a mixture of goat and sheep milk but commercially cow’s milk is used to produce halloumi.

This is now one of the most popular cheeses in the UK.

Squeaky cheese – A real favourite with kids because of the way it kind of squeaks when you bite into it.

Halloumi cheese is firm to start with but when you fry it or grill it the cheese goes gorgeously creamy.

It’s a great cheese for taking on other flavours. Mint and chilli are favourite additions.

Ingredients for making homemade halloumi cheese

There are only 3 ingredients here;

  • Full fat milk
  • Vegetarian rennet either in tablet form or liquid.
  • Salt

What kind of milk do you need for cheese making?

You have to use unhom*ogenized milk which sounds rather daunting till you realise that this just means the full cream variety of milk you can easily buy in Tescos, Waitrose and the like. Look for the gold top milk.

I used 2 litres of milk and an eighth of a tablet of rennet.

You can even get a kit to make homemade halloumi from The Big Cheesemaking Kit Company.

Homemade Halloumi Cheese Recipe - Larder Love (2)

How to make homemade halloumi

You dissolve the rennet in 25ml of cooled boiled water and after heating the milk to 90F/32C you very gently stir in the rennet solution, cover the pan and leave it in a water bath at the same 90F/32C for 45 minutes.

After this time you have a solid mass of curds in the pan and you cut these into cubes and slices to help release the whey.

By this time visions of Little Miss Muffet sitting on her tuffet were fairly dancing in my mind. All this curds and whey business was getting to me.

Let the curds rest for 10 minutes then heat to 105F/40C and carefully stir the curds for about 15 minutes.

Homemade Halloumi Cheese Recipe - Larder Love (3)

Now comes the draining part. Line a colander with cheesecloth/muslin (after rinsing in boiling water) and pour in the curds. Gather up the edges of the cloth and fold over to enclose the cheese.

Place a plate on top and then something heavy to weigh it down and help press out all the whey.

After an hour you heat the whey to 200F/93C and skim off any curds that form. You are going to cook the halloumi in the whey so you need to cut it into pieces first and then gently lower into the hot whey using a slotted spoon. Let it cook for 20 minutes then dunk each piece into a bowl of chilled water to cool and set out on a baking rack to dry out. A sprinkle of sea salt on both sides and the Halloumi is ready to eat.

Though having said that it is better if you can resist the temptation to stuff yourself and leave it overnight for the salt to work its own sort of magic and really flavour the cheese.

Homemade Halloumi Cheese Recipe - Larder Love (4)

How long does homemade halloumi keep?

Your homemade cheese will keep for up to a week in a covered container in the fridge.

How to serve homemade halloumi cheese

I managed to hang on till next day to use mine and simply fried one piece on my griddle pan for about 2 minutes on either side and served it with some spinach and basil, a good squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkling of black pepper.

I love serving my homemade halloumi fried, check out my recipe for fried halloumi cheese.

You can turn your homemade halloumi into amazing chips, dipped in spiced flour and deep fried to serve with a tasty yogurt dip or just ketchup!

With a salad, fried halloumi cut into pieces and mixed with juicy fresh tomatoes, basil and cucumber, summer on a plate.

Cheesemaking, yes please!

Homemade Halloumi Cheese Recipe - Larder Love (5)

Looking for more super easy cheese-making ideas to try at home? Then check these out before you go;

How to make your own mascarpone cheese (+Video!)

Homemade Labneh (yogurt cheese) + video!

How to make Crowdie – traditional Scottish creamy cheese

Homemade Greek feta cheese

How to make ricotta cheese + video

Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.

Photos And Tips AboveMost of my recipes have step by step photos and useful tips plus videos too, see above.

Homemade Halloumi Cheese Recipe - Larder Love (6)

How to make homemade halloumi cheese

Karon Grieve

Make your own delicious halloumi 'squeaky cheese' perfect fried, grilled, in salads and so much more.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Comment Bookmark Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Resting Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Course cheese

Cuisine Cyprus, Mediterranean

Servings 8 servings

Calories 1 kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 lt milk whole milk unhom*ogenized
  • 1/8 vegetarian rennet tablet
  • 1 tbsp salt

Instructions

  • If using rennet tablets dissolve 1/8 tablet in 25ml cooled boiled water. And after heating the milk to 90F/32C you very gently stir in the rennet solution, cover the pan and leave it in a water bath at the same 90F/32C for 45 minutes. After this time you have a solid mass of curds in the pan and you cut these into cubes and slices to help release the whey.

  • You then heat the curds to 105F/40C and gently stir the for about 15 minutes

  • Line a colander with cheesecloth/muslin (after rinsing in boiling water) and pour in the curds. Gather up the edges of the cloth and fold over to enclose the cheese. Use a heavy weight on top to press the curds down.

  • After an hour you heat the whey to 200F/93C and skim off any curds that form. You are going to cook the halloumi in the whey so you need to cut it into pieces first and then gently lower into the hot whey using a slotted spoon. Let it cook for 20 minutes then dunk each piece into a bowl of chilled water to cool and set out on a baking rack to dry out. A sprinkle of sea salt on both sides and the Halloumi is ready to eat.

  • It is best to leave it to rest for 12-24 hours in the fridge to really firm up and let the flavours develop.

Notes

Serve homemade halloumi fried or grilled or made into chips dusted with spiced flour and deep fried.

Add dried chilli flakes or mint to the halloumi as you are making it.

Nutrition

Calories: 1kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 872mgPotassium: 1mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1IUCalcium: 1mgIron: 1mg

My Top Tips*Always read the full recipe first. *Assemble all your ingredients and everything you need before you start. *For baking check the size of tins I’m using as this makes a big difference to your cakes. * I use medium sized eggs unless otherwise stated. * I use extra virgin olive oil unless otherwise stated. * I use unsalted butter unless otherwise stated. * Check out My Preserving Kit!

Tried this recipe?Mention @LarderLove or tag #LarderLove

Homemade Halloumi Cheese Recipe - Larder Love (2024)

FAQs

Should you soak halloumi before frying? ›

Why do you soak halloumi before cooking? 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).

How do you keep halloumi from falling apart? ›

I'm often asked how I slice my halloumi without it splitting, so I thought I'd film a reel to show you exactly how I do it (it's really easy! 🙌). The key is to slice it on the narrower side of the block, rather than the larger side.

How long does homemade halloumi last in the fridge? ›

Once you remove a halloumi from the container do not place it back inside otherwise it will turn the rest of the halloumi off. Instead, once you remove a halloumi from the bottle, keep it inside the fridge with no liquid, where it should probably last up to one week.

Why do you rinse halloumi? ›

Should I soak haloumi before cooking? When you buy a packet of haloumi, it comes with a little salty brine. Simply patting the haloumi dry with paper towel will remove some of the saltiness, but you can also place it in a bowl of cold water to remove more of the salt, if you prefer.

Is halloumi OK uncooked? ›

What is halloumi? Originating from Cyprus, halloumi is a semi-hard, un-ripened, brined cheese that can be made from cow, sheep or goat's milk. It can be eaten raw but is truly delicious cooked, having a high melting point, makes it an excellent choice for grilling or frying.

How to stop halloumi from being rubbery? ›

My halloumi is too tough / rubbery

This can happen when it's cooked for too long in the oven, so next time try a lower cook time or thicker slices. It can also happen when it's been sitting out for too long, or with reheated halloumi.

Why does halloumi taste rubbery? ›

– don't overcook the halloumi – a couple of minutes on each side is all it needs! You still want it to be soft, not totally crispy. – eat the halloumi within 5 minutes or so of cooking it – if you leave it to cool, it will become a little more rubbery.

Why is my halloumi slimy? ›

Spoiled halloumi cheese can be easily identified. If the cheese has become slimy or developed a mold, it's time to toss it out. Moreover, a strong sour smell or change in color can also indicate that the cheese is past its prime.

Is halloumi cheese healthy? ›

When eaten regularly in large quantities halloumi can be considered unhealthy, as this fried cheese is pretty high in saturated fat and salt. However, when eaten sporadically as part of a balanced diet, halloumi has a range of health benefits, as it's high in calcium and protein.

How many times a week can you eat halloumi? ›

The frying cheese is also high in saturated fats. This means that halloumi should be consumed in moderation, and it really doesn't need any added salt when preparing it. Because of its higher salt content, it's best to enjoy one to two slices of halloumi about once a week or less.

Can you freeze homemade halloumi? ›

While halloumi can be safely frozen for longer periods, it may start to lose some of its original texture and taste after three months. For the best culinary experience, it's recommended to consume the frozen halloumi within this timeframe.

How is halloumi traditionally served? ›

Cypriots also enjoy halloumi fried for a hearty breakfast served with eggs, cucumber, tomatoes, and traditional Cypriot sausages like loukaniko or lountza (smoked pork marinated in red wine). Because it can withstand high heat, halloumi is perfect for the grill.

Why does halloumi make your teeth squeak? ›

This is because, unlike many cheeses, halloumi has a high pH, as no starter cultures are used in its production. It seems that when this dense casein network “rubs” against the enamel of the teeth, it produces a squeak. Other cheeses usually have a lower pH, which tends to make the casein more fragile.

Why is halloumi so expensive? ›

Halloumi is made out of sheep's milk, which is more expensive than cow's or goat's milk due to the animal milking production—though nowadays you can also find Halloumi varieties with a mix of these kinds of milk, thus lowering the price of the product.

Why does halloumi smell? ›

Yeast activity in white-brined cheese can cause gas blowing, unpleasant yeasty or ester-like odor, softening in texture and increases in pH due to lactate fermentation.

Does soaking halloumi remove salt? ›

After soaking, remove the halloumi from the water and allow it to drain. It's important to note that while soaking halloumi can help reduce its sodium content to some extent, it won't eliminate it entirely.

How do you keep halloumi from sticking to the pan? ›

I pre heat the pan for 2mins. Water drops dance on the surface. I add some olive oil (about 2tbsp in a 24cm skillet). Stir it around and let it heat then add my halloumi cheese.

Should you store halloumi in water? ›

An unopened packet of halloumi will keep in the fridge for up to a year. Once opened store in salt water in the fridge.

How do you get water out of halloumi? ›

The tool for the job is a cheese press, though for small quantities a tofu press (I have one similar to this) works well. I bought mine for home-made paneer and bought tofu, but have also used it for halloumi and mozarella (home made, not brilliantly successful).

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