How to Cook Cheese Nuggets in a Deep Fryer
Do you love cheese? Do you love nuggets? Do you like to throw things in the fryer and see what happens? Well, let me introduce you to cheese nuggets, also known as “air fried halloumi”.
I’m no stranger to cheese making, especially halloumi (and to a lesser extent bread cheese). Halloumi cooks just as well on the grill as it does in a waffle iron , but something special happens in the deep fryer, giving it a tender, crispy crust that you don’t get with other methods.
The grill produces nice charred charcoal and the waffle iron creates crispy peaks and troughs, but the churning, high temperature winds of the deep fryer dry the surface of the cheese, creating a thin, almost cracked surface with a warm, tender, cheesy interior. . Unlike mozzarella sticks or halloumi fries, it’s not breaded, allowing you to focus on the cheese and saving you the hassle of breading (which is always tiring in my opinion).
Bread cheese, however, is not as good as halloumi. It does well in the pan or on the grill, but turns into a sticky mess in the fryer, which is fine if you’re looking for a raclette-like situation, but it doesn’t hold its shape well enough to be dunked. .
You can use pickled or unmarinated halloumi, but the first option is a bit more interesting. You can finish it with a lemon or if you really want to lean on the nuggets edging, you can use a dipping sauce like lemon aioli, sweet chili sauce, or hot chili oil. (I wouldn’t mind a classic McDonald’s-style sweet and sour either.)
Fried cheese nuggets
Ingredients:
- halloumi
- Lemon for serving or your favorite dipping sauce
Set the fryer to 375℉. Slice the halloumi into wafers and cook for 5-6 minutes, flipping once, until the corners are dark brown and the outside is tender and crispy. Serve immediately with fresh lemon or your choice of dipping sauce.