Can You Bake Halloumi?

Halloumi. That squeaky, salty cheese must be one of life’s greatest pleasures (no, we aren’t biased at all!). Whether you have it on a burger or add it to your summer salad, grilled halloumi can give any meal a spark. If you don’t know how to grill halloumi, check out our quick guide. But what about baking it? Can you pop halloumi in the oven without it melting? While many people are used to grilling or pan-frying halloumi, the good news is that you absolutely can bake it in the oven.

Baking with Halloumi Cheese

The beautiful thing about halloumi, which is a traditional Cypriot cheese, is its versatility, and its ability to stay stable when cooked, which includes when using it in the oven.

Halloumi can be baked on its own and added to a picnic plate or a cheese platter. Simply add slices to an ovenproof dish and drizzle with a little quality olive oil. You can add some herbs and spices, or simply allow the flavours of our minted halloumi to come through. Bake for 10 -15 minutes in a hot oven (200/C fan forced oven) and let cool slightly before devouring.

It can also be used in a range of casseroles and bakes, adding that lovely salty flavour it is known for to some cracking winter meals. Choosing a halloumi which is made with a non-animal rennet (as we use at Olympus Cheese) will mean halloumi is also great choice for vegetarian meals with substance.

How to Serve Baked Halloumi

There’s plenty of great ways to serve baked halloumi, whatever the season. The team at River Cottage in the UK combined asparagus, new potatoes (baby potatoes) and halloumi for a lovely light summer meal. You’ll notice that the halloumi has been added at the end and only cooked for a short time. This allows you to get the flavour of the cheese throughout the dish without over-cooking.

For an easy weeknight meal or weekend treat while watching a movie, spread a little olive oil over a pizza base, add some grated halloumi and bake – trust us, pizza will never be the same! 

Can you bake halloumi as a dessert?

Halloumi is not just a main. Or an appetiser. You’ve probably had cheese boards in place of desserts, but halloumi is a great treat for those who love their sweets after dinner as well as those who prefer a more savoury flavour to finish a meal.

Halloumi isn’t going to be your traditional dessert but there are plenty of tasty option out there including Flaounes or Cypriot Easter bread that was shown on SBS’s Food Safari. For an even quicker option, pop some halloumi in the oven as per the directions we shared earlier on. Once done, drizzle with some good quality raw honey, and serve with some grilled peaches.

Haloumi is one of those cheeses that brings a meal to life; whether it’s a simple tomato and halloumi tart to take along to a BBQ or a tasty Halloumopsomo (Halloumi Bread) for Sunday brunch, baked halloumi is a great addition to any meal.

For more recipes with halloumi, take a peep at our ideas below. Happy baking!