Spanakopita-Style Halloumi Fries with Thyme Honey

Name: Spanakopita-Style Halloumi Fries with Thyme Honey
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 16 oz (450 g) halloumi cheese, cut into sticks about 3 inches long and ½ inch thick (about 32 sticks), patted very dry; ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour; ½ tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper; 2 large (100 g) large eggs, beaten with the water until smooth; 1 tbsp (15 ml) water; 1½ cups (90 g) panko breadcrumbs; 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil; 2 scallions (30 g) scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced; 4 cups, packed (100 g) baby spinach, roughly chopped; 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh dill, finely chopped; 1 large (120 g) lemon, zested (about 1 tsp zest), then cut into wedges for serving; ⅛ tsp (0.3 g) ground nutmeg; 3 cups (720 ml) neutral oil (sunflower, canola or vegetable), enough for about 1½ inches (4 cm) depth; ¼ cup (85 g) honey; 4 sprigs (4 g) fresh thyme sprigs; 2 tsp (2 g) fresh thyme leaves, stripped from the stems, for sprinkling; flaky sea salt, to taste, only if needed (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Squeaky halloumi sticks wrapped in a crisp panko crust flecked with spinach, scallion, dill and lemon zest, the flavors of spanakopita, then fried and drizzled with warm thyme honey. Salty, sweet, herby and impossible to stop eating.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 35 min
Total: 1 hr 25 min
Makes: About 32 fries (6 party-snack servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the fries
16 oz (450 g) halloumi cheese, cut into sticks about 3 inches long and ½ inch thick (about 32 sticks), patted very dry
½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
½ tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
2 large (100 g) large eggs, beaten with the water until smooth
1 tbsp (15 ml) water
For the spinach crumb
1½ cups (90 g) panko breadcrumbs
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
2 scallions (30 g) scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced
4 cups, packed (100 g) baby spinach, roughly chopped
2 tbsp (8 g) fresh dill, finely chopped
1 large (120 g) lemon, zested (about 1 tsp zest), then cut into wedges for serving
⅛ tsp (0.3 g) ground nutmeg
For frying
3 cups (720 ml) neutral oil (sunflower, canola or vegetable), enough for about 1½ inches (4 cm) depth
For the thyme honey
¼ cup (85 g) honey
4 sprigs (4 g) fresh thyme sprigs
2 tsp (2 g) fresh thyme leaves, stripped from the stems, for sprinkling
flaky sea salt, to taste, only if needed (optional)

Equipment (8)

Deep 10-inch (25 cm) skillet or 3-quart (3 L) heavy-bottomed pot
Deep-fry or instant-read thermometer
Large nonstick or regular skillet, 10-inch (25 cm), for the spinach
3 shallow dishes or pie plates
Wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet
Small saucepan
Slotted spoon or spider
Clean kitchen towel or fine mesh strainer

Steps

Before you start

Use regular firm halloumi sold in a block, not the grilling-style or light versions, which can weep or melt faster.
The halloumi is salty, so the crust has no added salt. Taste one fry before adding any flaky salt at the end.
Read the timing: the breaded fries must chill 15 minutes so the crust stays on in the oil.
You'll fry in 3 batches. Set a wire rack over a sheet pan and have a thermometer ready.

1
Cut and dry halloumi
- Drain the halloumi and cut the block into sticks about 3 inches (7.5 cm) long and ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick, about 32 in all.
- Lay them on a towel-lined plate, blot the tops and sides thoroughly, and let them sit 10 minutes while you cook the spinach.
- Dry cheese holds the coating much better.
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Ready when: Surfaces feel dry and tacky, not wet, when touched
Tip: Don't skip drying. Moisture steams the crust off in the hot oil.
2
Wilt the spinach
- Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch (25 cm) skillet over medium heat.
- Add the scallions and cook 1 minute, stirring, until softened and fragrant.
- Add the spinach in handfuls and cook, stirring, 2 minutes until fully wilted and the pan looks nearly dry.
- Tip onto a plate and cool 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Spinach is bright dark green, completely limp and no longer releasing liquid
3
Squeeze and toast spinach
- Wrap the cooled spinach and scallions in a clean kitchen towel and wring out as much liquid as you can.
- Chop very finely, almost to a paste.
- Return to the dry skillet over medium-low heat and stir 2 to 3 minutes, breaking up clumps, until it looks dry and crumbly like damp tea leaves.
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Ready when: Spinach is dry, loose and crumbly with no wet sheen
Tip: Wet spinach makes soggy, patchy crumbs, so squeeze twice if needed.
4
Mix the crumb
- Tip the spinach into a shallow dish with the panko, dill, lemon zest and nutmeg.
- Rub everything together with your fingertips until the green is evenly distributed through the crumbs and no clumps remain.
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Ready when: Crumbs look evenly speckled green and feel loose and dry
5
Infuse the honey
- Combine the honey and thyme sprigs in a small saucepan over low heat.
- Warm 2 minutes until the honey is loose and runny, with small bubbles only at the edge.
- Remove from the heat and let the thyme steep while you bread the fries.
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Ready when: Honey is pourable and smells herbal
Tip: Don't let it boil. Overheated honey turns bitter and scorches.
6
Set up and bread
- Whisk the flour and pepper in a second dish.
- Put the beaten eggs and water in a third.
- Working a few sticks at a time, toss in flour and shake off excess, dip in egg and let the extra drip off, then roll in the spinach crumb, pressing gently so it coats all sides.
- Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Keep one hand dry and one wet to avoid clumpy fingers.
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Ready when: Every stick is fully coated with no bare cheese showing, especially at the ends
Tip: Dip the ends too. Bare spots are where cheese leaks out in the fryer.
7
Chill the fries
- Refrigerate the breaded sticks, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
- Chilling firms the cheese and sets the crust so it stays on in the oil.
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Ready when: Crust feels dry and firmly attached
8
Heat the oil
- Pour the frying oil into a deep 10-inch (25 cm) skillet or 3-quart (3 L) heavy-bottomed pot so it is about 1½ inches (4 cm) deep.
- Heat over medium-high heat until a thermometer reads 350°F (175°C), about 6 minutes.
- Set a wire rack over a baking sheet nearby.
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Ready when: Thermometer holds steady at 350°F (175°C); a pinch of crumbs sizzles right away
Tip: Adjust the heat between batches to hold 340-355°F (170-180°C). Too cool makes greasy fries, too hot burns the crumbs.
9
Fry in batches
- Fry about 11 sticks at a time, without crowding, for 1½ to 2 minutes, turning once with a slotted spoon, until deep golden brown all over.
- Lift out, drain briefly, and transfer to the rack.
- Let the oil return to 350°F (175°C) before starting the next batch.
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Ready when: Crust is deep golden and crisp; fries feel firm and spring back when pressed
Tip: Fry just 3 or 4 test sticks first. If any burst, the oil is too hot or the coating has gaps.
10
Drizzle and serve
- Pile the hot fries on a platter.
- Remove the thyme sprigs from the honey and drizzle the warm honey over the fries.
- Scatter with the thyme leaves, add a few flakes of salt only if needed after tasting, and serve right away with lemon wedges for squeezing.
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Ready when: Fries glisten with honey and the cheese inside is soft and squeaky-tender
Tip: Serve within 10 minutes. Halloumi turns rubbery as it cools.

Good to know

Tips

Pat the cheese dry and chill the breaded fries. These two steps matter most for a crust that stays on.
Squeeze the spinach really dry; it should feel like crumbs, not mush.
Use a thermometer and keep the oil near 350°F (175°C). Halloumi only needs a couple of minutes.
Serve with Greek yogurt mixed with lemon juice and a little garlic for dipping if you like.

Make ahead

Bread the fries up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerate on a parchment-lined tray, uncovered, then fry just before serving. The spinach crumb can be made a day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. The thyme honey keeps at room temperature for several days; rewarm gently before serving.

Storage & reheating

Best eaten immediately. Leftover fries keep in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 days; reheat on a rack in an air fryer at 400°F (200°C) for 5 to 6 minutes until hot and crisp (they won't be as crisp as fresh). Uncooked breaded fries can be frozen on a tray, then bagged, for up to 1 month and fried from frozen for 2½ to 3 minutes. Store the honey at room temperature up to 1 week.

Substitutions

halloumi cheese → Kefalograviera or firm paneer. Kefalograviera is also fry-friendly; paneer is milder and needs a pinch of salt in the crumb.
panko breadcrumbs → Fine dry breadcrumbs. The crust will be denser and less crunchy; use 80 g (¾ cup).
fresh dill → Fresh flat-leaf parsley or mint. Use the same amount; mint gives a fresher, cooler flavor.
honey → Hot honey or maple syrup. Maple makes it vegan-adjacent but not traditional; hot honey adds heat.