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halloumi fries with a side of yogurt mint sauce and lemon wedges

Halloumi Fries with Za’atar and Mint Yogurt Sauce

Looking for a quick and delicious vegetarian appetizer to make for your next game night? Look no further. These Halloumi Fries are made in 20 minutes, crispy and golden on the outside and soft, cheesy, and chewy on the inside. Flavored with za’atar, they are served with a refreshing yogurt and mint sauce. Just put a bottle of your favorite Sauvignon Blanc in the fridge and get ready to feast!

  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Scale

Halloumi fries

1 pound (450 g) of good-quality halloumi cheese

3 tablespoons (20 g) of all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons (10 g) of za’atar

neutral vegetable oil such as sunflower, avocado, or grapeseed oil, to pan-fry

Yogurt Mint Sauce

¼ cup (5 g) of fresh mint (or 1 and ½ tablespoons of dried mint)

1/2 cup (140 g) of Greek yogurt

1 small clove of garlic, grated 

1 tablespoon of lemon zest (or about the zest of one lemon)

1 tablespoon (15 ml) of lemon juice

1 teaspoon of sumac

 teaspoon of kosher salt

Instructions

Start by making the yogurt mint sauce:

  1. Chop the fresh mint using the chiffonade technique (see step-by-step photos above in this post). Stack the mint leaves and gently roll them together. Using a sharp knife, thinly chop the rolled leaves.
  2. In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt, chopped mint (or dried mint), grated garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, sumac, and kosher salt.
  3. Stir until well combined and set aside.

Prepare the halloumi fries:

  1. Using kitchen paper, pat the halloumi dry.
  2. Slice the halloumi in half, then cut into four equal pieces.
  3. Cut into fries, about ½ inch (1.5 cm) thick.
  4. In a bowl large enough to fit all the halloumi, add all-purpose flour and za’atar and mix until well combined.
  5. Add the halloumi sticks to the bowl, and using your finger, toss well to coat. Set aside. 

Pan-fry the halloumi fries:

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of neutral vegetable oil in a non-stick pan, over medium heat.
  2. Add the halloumi fries (making sure to remove the excess coating) and fry until golden on each side, about 5-7 minutes. 
  3. Repeat the process until they are all golden, and transfer onto kitchen paper to soak up the excess oil.  
  4. It’s ready! Serve immediately with the yogurt mint sauce and a chilled glass of your favorite Sauvignon Blanc.

Nim Keys

  1. Halloumi is a salty cheese, do not add any salt to the coating mixture (or it will be painfully oversatlted). 
  2. Chopping fresh mint: the chiffonade technique prevents flavor (mainly located in the watery parts of the leaves) from being transferred to the chopping board. Handling mint leaves gently without bruising or crushing them preserves their beautiful flavor.
  3. Do not overcrowd the fries while frying them, the extra room allows them to get perfectly crispy.
  4. Cooking the halloumi fries in two frying pans simultaneously reduces the cooking time by half.
  • Author: Ninon Michels
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 10
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Pan-Fried
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 537
  • Sugar: 1.7 g
  • Sodium: 1488.3 mg
  • Fat: 41.9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 7 g
  • Protein: 32.3 g
  • Cholesterol: 105.5 mg

Keywords: halloumi fries, fried halloumi, halloumi recipe, yogurt mint sauce, mediterranean-inspired recipe