Air Fryer Halloumi

Air fryer halloumi is one of those things that once you try it, you won’t go back to the frying pan. The hot circulating air crisps the outside evenly in about 8 minutes, with no oil spattering across your hob and barely any washing up. The result is golden on the outside, soft and squeaky in the middle — exactly what good halloumi should be.

This works brilliantly as a starter, a quick lunch with flatbreads and salad, or as something to share while dinner finishes cooking. It’s naturally vegetarian and gluten-free, and you can season it as plainly or as boldly as you like. A little smoked paprika and dried oregano go a long way.

If you’re after more easy air fryer ideas, try these air fryer tostones or this cauliflower pakora recipe — both come together quickly and make great sharing plates.

Ingredients

• 250g halloumi, sliced into 1cm pieces
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• Lemon wedges, to serve

Instructions

1. Preheat the air fryer. Set your air fryer to 200°C and let it heat for 3 minutes while you prep the halloumi.
2. Dry and slice the halloumi. Pat the block dry with kitchen paper — this helps it crisp rather than steam. Slice into pieces roughly 1cm thick.
3. Season. Place the halloumi slices in a bowl, drizzle over the olive oil, and toss with the smoked paprika and oregano until each piece is lightly coated.
4. Cook in a single layer. Arrange the halloumi in the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure the pieces aren’t overlapping. Cook at 200°C for 4 minutes.
5. Flip and finish. Turn each piece over with tongs and cook for a further 4 minutes, until both sides are deep golden and the edges look slightly charred.
6. Serve straight away. Transfer to a plate and squeeze over a little lemon juice while still hot. Halloumi firms up as it cools, so serve immediately.

Notes

Storage: Cooked halloumi is best eaten fresh. If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat in the air fryer at 180°C for 2–3 minutes to revive the texture.

Swap: No smoked paprika? Plain halloumi with just olive oil and a crack of black pepper is still delicious. You can also try a pinch of chilli flakes or za’atar for a different flavour.

Tip: Don’t overcrowd the basket — if the slices overlap, they’ll steam instead of crisping. Cook in two batches if needed.

FAQs

Do I need to soak halloumi before air frying?

No, soaking isn’t necessary. Patting the slices dry with kitchen paper is enough to help them crisp up. Some people soak halloumi to reduce the saltiness — if yours is very salty, a 10-minute soak in cold water and a good pat-dry will do the job.

Why is my halloumi rubbery instead of crispy?

The two most common reasons are overcrowding the basket (slices touching each other trap steam) or not preheating the air fryer. Give the slices space, make sure the air fryer is properly hot before you add them, and they should come out golden rather than soft.

Can I cook halloumi from frozen in the air fryer?

You can, though fresh gives a better result. From frozen, add 3–4 extra minutes and check frequently — frozen slices release more moisture and may need a slightly longer cook to brown properly.