Cooking more halloumi than you can eat is quite often because it is a very dense and strong-tasting cheese, so you won’t eat as much as you think. So, this leads us to the next question, can you reheat halloumi? And what are the best ways of doing it without changing the texture and taste that much?
I know when eating Greek or Cyprus breakfast, you get one or two small pieces of grilled halloumi and the first thought, at least for me, was that this is not enough, only to find out that I was wrong because you can take big bites from it. I mean, you can, but you will be overwhelmed with a salty, tangy taste if you do.
In this article, I will talk about the best way to reheat halloumi and also a few more ways to do it, so you have where to choose from.
Can you reheat halloumi?
The best way to reheat halloumi is to put it in the preheated oven at 350 F for up to 4 minutes, depending on how big and how many halloumi slices you have.
To reheat halloumi in the oven properly, you will need a wire rack or a baking tray that you can cover with aluminum foil.
Reheating halloumi in the oven will guarantee you the best taste and texture you can get from reheated cooked halloumi, it will not be the same as a fresh cooked one, but it will be good enough.
If you followed my reheating article, you can find that reheating food in the oven is the preferred way of doing it in order to keep the best taste and texture. But as I said in other articles about reheating salmon or reheating pizza rolls, you don’t always have an oven ready to use or the necessary time. I keep repeating this because I reheated a lot of food at work, and the only way to do it was by using the microwave.
So, for this reason, I will talk about all the reheating methods, even if you will lose a bit of the grilled halloumi quality by using them. If you don’t have a choice, it is better to use what you can rather than throw away the food or eat it cold.
Three more ways to reheat halloumi?
I will list here all the other ways of reheating grilled cheese you can go for if you don’t have access to an oven or enough time to use it.
Reheating leftover halloumi in the microwave
Reheating halloumi in the microwave might not be the best for keeping its texture as good, but it might be the best method if you are in a hurry or at work.
All you have to do is to put cooked halloumi on a plate, in only one layer, and put it in the microwave on high for about 20-30 seconds. You should check it to ensure it is done because some microwaves heat the food much faster than others, and it will also depend on how thick the halloumi slice is.
The downside of reheating halloumi in the microwave is that it will dry quickly after you reheat it, so you must eat it immediately.
Reheating leftover halloumi in a skillet
Reheating leftover halloumi in a skillet is easy and quite effective in keeping its quality. This method has the same downside as the oven one, which is that it is not always available for you.
All you have to do is to heat a nonstick pan on medium-high heat and then put the halloumi on it for about one minute on one side and 30-40 seconds on the other side. Use just a bit of oil in case you don’t have a nonstick pan to ensure your halloumi will not stick to the pan, it should not happen anyway, but it is better to be safe then, sorry.
This is a great way of reheating leftover halloumi, but compared to the oven one, you have to pay more attention to it, and many times the pan is smaller than the baking tray, so you will have to reheat them in batches if you have more.
Reheating in an air fryer
I put this as the last reheating method since it can work, but it will dry out the halloumi, so you will not get a good texture out of it.
To reheat halloumi in an air fryer, you have to reheat it at 350 F for about 2 minutes.
I would opt for this method only if it is the only one I have.
Can you eat cold-cooked halloumi?
Keep in mind that you can eat cold cooked halloumi as well as you can eat raw/fresh halloumi. It can work great in salads or at a nice breakfast. If you don’t have the time of the possibility to reheat leftover halloumi, you should not throw it away, you can even put it in a wrap or a sandwich.
I usually don’t like cold food, but cold cheese is not that bad, and the texture of cold halloumi is pretty good, you risk ruining it by reheating it without the proper method.
How long cooked the halloumi last?
Cooked halloumi can last in the fridge for one or two weeks if wrapped in cheese or parchment paper or placed in an airtight container. However, the quality can deteriorate after the first 3-4 days, so eating in the first days is recommended.
Make sure you don’t let your leftover halloumi out overnight since the bad bacteria can grow inside even if it looks good the next day.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we found out that the best method of reheating leftover halloumi is in the oven, but the skillet is not far away either. Also, the best and often only method of reheating food during a short break at work is by using the microwave, whether we like it or not.
I hope this article helped you know what to do with your leftover halloumi and also that you can eat it cold if you can’t reheat it.
