How To Reheat Halloumi – I Test 5 Methods [Pics]

This article was updated on 14/07/2023 for clarity and to incorporate new insights.

I’ve experimented with five different halloumi reheating methods, to find out what’s best at delivering a fresh, elastic, and flavorful halloumi.

(No dry, rubbery halloumi in sight!).

The best way to reheat halloumi is in the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Place your halloumi directly on a wire rack or on some ridged foil and leave it to heat for 4-5 minutes. The halloumi is done when it’s hot to the touch.

How I tested reheating halloumi

Most sources online advise against reheating halloumi because it can turn rubbery and lose some of its flavor. I wanted to see if this was true or if there is a decent way to salvage it.

So, I got a big block of halloumi and fried it until it was browned and crispy on the outside and soft and squidgy in the middle.

The following day, I took it out of the fridge and tried five different ways of reheating it:

• Oven: My favorite method.
• Re-frying in a pan: An excellent method.
• Broiler: Very similar to the oven.
• Microwave: Not recommended (but extremely quick).
• Air fryer: Not recommended.

The halloumi had gone hard in the fridge, so I was looking for a method that softened it but still kept its signature squeak.

Reheating halloumi in the oven (or toaster oven)

Time: 4-5 minutes
Rating: 8/10 (10/10 toaster oven)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Put the halloumi directly on a wire rack in the oven or on a ridged piece of foil on a baking tray.
3. Heat the halloumi for 4-5 minutes (for 2-3 minutes in a toaster oven).
4. Serve immediately. 

The wire rack or ridged foil means the heat can easily reach both sides of the halloumi, so you don’t have to flip it halfway through heating.

If you use a baking tray, lightly oil the tray and flip the halloumi halfway through heating.

Results: The oven was my favorite method out of everything I tried, it was really easy and low effort. And the halloumi was soft but still had a bite to it (and the squeak. Best of all, it was still soft and warm after 5 minutes. 

Reheating halloumi in a skillet

Time: 1-2 minutes
Rating: 9/10

1. Heat a non-stick pan on a medium-high heat (add some oil if you’re not using non-stick).
2. When the pan is up to temperature, add the halloumi and heat on one side for 30-60 seconds.
3. Flip the halloumi and heat the other side for 30 seconds.
4. Serve immediately.

Using a skillet is a great method of reviving old halloumi, especially because you can add other flavors to the pan like honey and lemon juice (have you tried TikToks hot honey halloumi? I’m obsessed).

There’s no need to use any oil with non-stick pans, and you only need very little with standard pans. Halloumi isn’t prone to sticking, and you’re not leaving it in the pan for very long.

Results: The texture of the halloumi was soft but still firm (very similar to the oven), and it still squeaked when I bit into it.

Reheating halloumi under the broiler

Time: 1-2 minutes
Rating: 8/10

1. Set the broiler to a medium-high setting and spread the halloumi out on a wire rack.
2. Heat the halloumi on one side for 30-60 seconds.
3. Flip the halloumi over and heat it for 30 seconds.
4. Serve immediately.

Be careful not to burn your hands when you’re flipping the halloumi. I suggest using tongs!

Results: The broiler produced very similar results to the oven. I thought the halloumi might go a bit crispy under the broiler, but this wasn’t really the case because the slices were under there for so little time. You could always leave the halloumi for 30 seconds longer to try and crisp it up.

Reheating halloumi in the microwave

Time: 15 seconds
Rating: 3/10

1. Spread the halloumi out on a microwave-safe plate in a single layer.
2. Heat the halloumi on high for 15-20 seconds.
3. Serve immediately.

Timings will vary based on the thickness of your halloumi and how many slices you’re reheating.

I would always check after the first 15 seconds to judge how much longer your halloumi needs (you might find it’s already done).

Results: This was by far the quickest method – it took a matter of seconds! But the halloumi came out very soggy and then quickly hardened to the point where it was more like eating cardboard. There was also no ‘squeak’ left.

Reheating halloumi in the air fryer

Time: 1 minute
Rating: 5/10

1. Set the air fryer to 350°F (180°C) and spread the halloumi out in the basket, keeping it in a single layer.
2. Heat the halloumi for 1 minute.
3. Do it in batches if you have too much halloumi. 

The air fryer is a very harsh reheating method, so the halloumi doesn’t need long at all.

Results: My halloumi was dried out when it came out of the air fryer, so I think I left it too long (it was longer than a minute). If you use this method I’d check on the halloumi every 30 seconds.

Other ways to reheat halloumi

Here are some more creative ways to reheat halloumi. As with any method, just heat the halloumi until it’s warm because overheating it will leave you with hard, dried-out halloumi.

• In the toaster: You’ll need a toaster bag to stop any juices from falling into the toaster. The bag also makes it easy to take the halloumi out. Toast the halloumi for 1-2 minutes, depending on thickness.
• In a George Foreman grill: Another idea would be a George Foreman grill (or something similar). Put the halloumi on the George Foreman and close the lid for 30 seconds.
• Deep frying: If you don’t mind switching things up, dip the halloumi sticks in milk and then roll them in flour. Then fry them in a decent amount of oil until the coating is golden and crispy. Yum.

How to reheat halloumi fries

The best way to reheat halloumi fries is to re-fry them. Cover the bottom of a pan with oil and heat it until it’s shimmering. Add the halloumi fries and heat them for 30 seconds on each side. You can also use the oven or the air fryer. 5-10 minutes at 350°F (180°C) will do. 

How to store leftover halloumi

To store leftover halloumi, put it in an airtight container in the fridge. The halloumi will last for up to 2 days. Line the container with a paper towel and separate any layers with parchment paper to keep the halloumi as crisp as possible. The paper towel will soak up excess moisture.

To store raw, opened halloumi, keep it in salt water in an airtight container for two weeks. Alternatively, tightly wrap the halloumi in wax/parchment paper and keep it in a sealed plastic bag (or just use cheese paper). Replace the wrapping each time you unwrap the halloumi.

Can you freeze leftover halloumi? 

To freeze leftover halloumi, lay it out on a parchment-paper-lined sheet pan and freeze the individual pieces for an hour. Then transfer the halloumi to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

The texture of the halloumi will suffer, but it will still be edible.

If you have the option, it’s always better to freeze raw halloumi over cooked halloumi. Raw halloumi’s texture holds up much better to freezing and you can keep it for up to 6 months.

How To Reheat Halloumi [Tested Methods]

I've experimented with five different reheating methods, to find out what’s best at delivering a fresh, elastic, and flavorful halloumi. No dry, rubbery halloumi in sight!

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Snack

Cuisine: Greek

Keyword: halloumi, reheat halloumi

Prep Time: 0 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 4 minutes minutes

Total Time: 4 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 person

Calories: 346kcal

Equipment

• Foil

Ingredients

• 1 portion halloumi
• 1 spray oil optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
• Put the halloumi directly on a wire rack in the oven or on a ridged piece of foil on a baking tray.
• Put the halloumi in the oven for 2-4 minutes.
• Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 100g | Calories: 346kcal