Halloumi is a white, semi-hard, salty cheese, traditionally made from goat or sheep's milk or a combination of both.
Originating from Cyprus, halloumi is a semi-hard, un-ripened, brined cheese that can be made from cow, sheep or goat's milk. It can be eaten raw but is truly delicious cooked, having a high melting point, makes it an excellent choice for grilling or frying.
Halloumi can be made from the milk of goats, sheep, or cows. The process involves heating milk and adding rennet, a substance used to coagulate milk. This naturally separates the curds and whey. The curds are then drained using a cheesecloth-lined strainer and pressed into a mold.
The halloumi base is typically made from unpasteurised goat's or sheep's milk, and sometimes cow's milk. The inclusion of dairy milk of any kind renders halloumi completely not vegan friendly, and should not be consumed by anyone strictly following a plant-based diet.
"Halloumi is high in protein (to help you maintain and grow your lean muscle mass), contains calcium (for healthy bones and teeth), phosphorus (for bone health), zinc (for cognitive, immune and fertility functions), iodine (for thyroid and cognitive function) and vitamin A (to support your immunity, vision and skin)," ...
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.
Which cheeses are usually vegetarian? Paneer and cottage cheese is traditionally made without rennet and is instead coagulated with an acidic ingredient like vinegar or lemon juice.
The answer here is a pretty straightforward no. As feta cheese is made from the milk of sheep and sometimes goats it isn't suitable for anyone on a fully plant-based diet. Vegans will not only abstain from eating meat, but also all animal products or other foods that are made with the use of byproducts too.
"Rennet is an enzyme that comes from the stomach of ruminant animals like cows and goats," says Abby Cannon, R.D., who personally follows a plant-based diet. "Because it's obtained after slaughtering the animal, it's not considered vegetarian.
Squeaking against the teeth is a characteristic of halloumi's texture. The reason why lies in the fact that it contains a large amount of the milk protein casein in its intact form, which creates a dense network.
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.
For a cheese to melt it needs a protein structure that stretches in the frying pan or under the grill. Halloumi contains a tightly knit three-dimensional network of milk proteins that hold fast during cooking.
Halloumi Fries | Vegetarian & Gluten-Free | Delicious Everyday.
The rich fatty composition of the ewe's milk seeps out of the cheese when heated and forms a delicious crispy golden crust, whilst the goat's milk ensures a firm texture and definitive lingering flavours.
Halloumi is typically preserved in brine, which is a salt solution. The salt can penetrate the cheese, so rinsing it in water or lemon juice will only remove the surface salt. Soaking the cheese in milk is also an option.
Suitable for vegetarians. Président Brie is a soft cow's milk cheese with a mild edible rind, famously known as the " cheese of kings" in France. It is the No. 1 Brie brand in France and in the UK.
Depending on the type, Camembert can be made from either pasteurised or raw milk. With no fillers or artificial preservatives, the cheese is unadulterated and gluten free, though the addition of animal rennet makes it unsuitable for vegetarians.
McDonald's has their cheese specifically made for them. It is a form of processed cheddar. This can be equated to the rough equation of 60% cheese, and 40% other ingredients. The cheese used is suitable for vegetarians, however as it does contain dairy it is not suitable for vegans.
Our products that are suitable for vegetarians carry the "suitable for vegetarians symbol". You can find this symbol on the packs. Vegans however will not be able to eat Philadelphia as it is made from a product derived from an animal source (milk).
Parmesan cheese uses rennet, an enzyme that's found in the lining of a goat or calf's stomach. Because cheeses like Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, Manchengo, Gruyère, Gorgonzola, and others use it, they aren't technically vegetarian.
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.
Feta cheese has few calories than any other cheese, so it a good choice for weight loss. 28 grams of feta cheese contains 75 calories.