Air Fryer Halloumi: Golden Edges, Soft Middle

A short shopping list

One standard block makes two filled wraps or a small sharing plate. Halloumi brings plenty of salt of its own, so taste before adding any more.

• 225 g halloumi
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Black pepper, to taste
• Lemon wedges and a few mint leaves, to serve
• Optional: 1 teaspoon honey mixed with a small pinch of chilli flakes

Cut thick slices and dry the surface

Drain the block and slice it roughly 1 cm thick. Pat the pieces dry, then brush lightly with the oil. Thin shavings are tempting if you want more pieces, but they leave very little soft cheese beneath the browned surface.

Use your normal air-fry setting and preheat if your manual calls for it. Arrange the slices flat with gaps between them. If they will only fit by overlapping, cook two batches.

Smart tip

Put the plates, lemon and any sauce on the table first. Halloumi needs no resting time, so serve it as soon as it comes out of the drawer.

Turn once, then watch the colour

Cook at 200°C / 400°F for eight minutes. Turn the slices carefully with silicone-tipped tongs and give them another two to five minutes, checking as they colour.

Aim for golden patches and lightly crisp edges. The whole surface does not need to look like toast. Transfer straight to a plate, add black pepper and a squeeze of lemon, then scatter over the mint. Spoon on the chilli honey at the table if using.

Three ways to make it lunch

For a wrap, spread hummus down the middle of a warm flatbread. Add shredded lettuce, cucumber and halloumi, then a little chilli sauce. Fold the bottom in before rolling so the filling stays put.

For a bowl, combine cooked couscous with chopped tomatoes, spring onion and parsley. Dress with lemon and olive oil, then sit the warm cheese on top. Keep the dressing sharp: the cheese is already rich.

For a sharing plate, serve the slices with warm pitta, olives and crunchy radishes. Put the honey in a separate dish so people can choose how sweet they want it.

When halloumi turns rubbery

Halloumi naturally has some squeak. A leathery edge is different, and usually means it has cooked too long or the slices were too thin. On the next batch, keep the pieces thicker and stop at a lighter colour.

If the cheese is pale but drying out, check the spacing before adding more time. Several overlapping slices will not brown like a single layer. Brands and moisture levels differ too, so use the first batch to judge your particular block.

What you can do ahead

Chop the salad, mix the sauce and lay out the plates in advance. Leave cooking the cheese until everyone is ready. If you are feeding more than two, a wide frying pan may be easier than holding several air-fryer batches warm.

This method is for plain halloumi slices. Breaded halloumi fries and frozen cheese bites need their own packet instructions; the coating changes how quickly the outside colours.