Odysea Sheep & Goat’s Milk Halloumi PDO (225g) (2024)

FAQs

What is halloumi called in the USA? ›

Many Halloumi-style cheeses are prepared by dairy and goat farmers in Canada and the United States. For legal proprietary reasons, these cheeses are usually called Halloumi-style or grillable cheeses. Sometimes they are called grilling cheese or frying cheese, or queso de freír in Spanish.

Traditional halloumi is typically made from fresh, unpasteurised sheep and/or goat's milk. However, for its commercial production a mixture of pasteurized sheep, goat and occasionally cow's milk is used (with the cow's milk making up the lowest proportion of the milk used, if used at all).

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.

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.

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.

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.

Halloumi will keep in the refrigerator for as long as a year, if it's unopened. Once opened, store it in the refrigerator in salt water in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Or wrap it tightly in waxed paper, parchment paper or cheese wrap.

If you can't find it, most traditional grocery stores have what's known as "grilling cheese." Halloumi cheese and grilling cheeses are similar in style, but because of legal proprietary reasons, grilling cheeses made in the U.S. or Canada cannot be called halloumi.

Halloumi could be eaten raw, but it typically isn't as its flavour and texture is enhanced when cooked. A big part of enjoying halloumi is the crisp, browned outside and soft inside when cooked, and this would be lost if eaten raw.

Halloumi cheese also contains high levels of selenium, which is a mineral that has anti-inflammatory properties. Selenium helps reduce inflammation throughout the body, which can help relieve pain and improve joint health. The high levels of selenium in halloumi cheese also help boost the immune system.

Is halloumi bad for cholesterol? ›

In a word, no. As Watkins explains, Halloumi is 'high in saturated fat (12g per 70g), which has been linked with 'bad' cholesterol levels. It also matters how you prepare the halloumi as adding lots of oil – if frying – will increase the calorie count.

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.

How do you tell if halloumi cheese is bad? 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.

Its charms have long been recognised in its homeland of Cyprus, where the average resident gets through an average of 8kg (17lbs) of it each year. But now Britons are said to consume more halloumi than any other European country outside Cyprus, with Sweden coming in behind.

Same day is best - It's best to fry only what you're going to eat while the cheese is still warm. Once it cools down, halloumi will get rubbery again. Beware of refrigerating cooked halloumi for use on another day; refrigeration tends to make fried halloumi too hard and firm.

Halloumi has been available in the specialty cheese sections for quite some time and is easily accessible through your grocery store with your Instacart shopper.

Halloumi is known to most of us by its Greek name, but is also known by its Turkish name, hellim.

1. Feta. While the texture of feta is more dry and crumbly than halloumi, they are both salty and cheesey. Feta won't squeak or melt in the same way but it's the closest option.

Instead of the former, substitute halloumi: another Mediterranean cheese similar to the Greek classic, but with a more mild taste and firmer texture. Halloumi works as a perfect feta substitute because it's more neutral in taste and smell than feta, but not different enough to fully change any given dish.