Halloumi cheese is another Greek cheese that can be used in place of feta. Halloumi is a little different, though. It is a little bit harder and has a salty flavor. Like feta, though, halloumi can be pan fried or even grilled and will keep its shape.
Brands vary, but feta is usually the winner. Haloumi tends to have more calories and a higher fat content. Plus, it usually has more salt. Haloumi makes a good cooking cheese thanks to its high melting point.
Feta is Greek brined curd white cheese made from sheep, goat, or cow's milk. Sometimes it can be a combination of two types of milk! Feta cheese is saltier than halloumi but holds its shape well when frying at high heat.
Mastelo cheese
Similar to halloumi – although it's creamier and less squeaky and salty – Mastelo can also be made from sheep's milk, which has a slightly more yellow colour and elastic texture.
Panela Cheese
It is white and made from cow's milk and has a texture similar to halloumi. Panela cheese can be sliced up or grilled, and it holds its shape really well. Like halloumi, panela cheese is a good feta substitute if you want it grilled.
What you'd get would be nablusi, a semi-hard, brined Palestinian cheese made of sheeps' or goats' milk.
Halloumi, like other dairy foods, is rich in calcium, a mineral we need for muscle and nerve function as well as strong healthy bones and teeth. A portion (80g) supplies a significant contribution towards your daily calcium needs, something which is of important for all life-stages.
Nutritionally haloumi cheese contains slightly less fat (26 per cent) than regular cheddar cheese but more than double the sodium content thanks to the brine used to preserve it. Haloumi is delicious, and as such one of the biggest issues it poses is the risk of overeating.
Halloumi cheese is dense in fat and therefore high in calories. In addition, a serving of halloumi contains a substantial amount of protein. This hard cheese is an excellent calcium source. However, it is also high in sodium content.
Halloumi Nutrition
While not necessarily a healthy superfood, halloumi cheese is high in protein and calcium. However, halloumi is quite high in sodium, so it's important to eat it in moderation.
Cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, goat cheese are a few options you can use as a substitute for feta cheese in a salad. Crumbled goat cheese, has a similar tangy and salty flavor. Crumbled blue cheese is another good option.
Graviera cheese comes in second to feta as the most popular cheese in Greece. It's a hard cheese with a light to deep yellow color, small irregular holes, a hard rind, and flavor ranging from slightly sweet and nutty to a bit spicy.
Cooking: Feta melts well, turning soft, not gooey, and maintains its flavor when heated. One way to serve Feta which will blow your mind is to mix it with fresh melon of any kind.
Halloumi is also unique in having a high melting point and so can easily be fried or grilled. It is the high pH (low acid) of the cheese that causes this non-melting characteristic.
This means that halloumi should be consumed in moderation, and it really doesn't need any added salt when preparing it. Because of its higher salt content, it's best to enjoy one to two slices of halloumi about once a week or less.
Cheese variants such as Feta, low-fat cottage cheese, cheddar, swiss, and parmesan are excellent choices for weight loss, especially regarding reducing belly fat. Not only are these cheeses full of beneficial nutrients, but they also come in low-calorie servings.
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.
Yes, you can eat halloumi raw, and here's how
There are many, many recipes in which halloumi is much better fried. Golden-delicious grilled or fried halloumi creates a texture and flavour which pairs so well with both cooked and raw vegetables, meats, in burgers, wraps or for breakfast.
Halloumi cheese
Halloumi is typically grilled, but can also be fried, and is made from cow's milk. This cheese is included on the menu of almost every Greek restaurant, so very accessible! It is a great appetizer and goes well with a typical Greek salad.
Traditional halloumi also often has a crescent shape with the fold may containing a whole mint leaf. This is a nod to the traditional belief that wrapping halloumi in mint keeps it fresher and more flavoursome. It is traditionally consumed uncooked in Cyprus.