If you’re a halloumi fan (like me!), you’re going to love this quick and easy air fryer recipe. These honey, lemon, and thyme halloumi bites are golden on the outside, soft in the middle, and drizzled with a tangy-sweet glaze that takes them to the next level.
It’s the perfect dish to make when you want something a little fancy but without any fuss — ready in about 15 minutes from start to finish. Whether you serve them as a starter, a snack, or as part of a mezze platter, these bites always disappear fast.
What You Need To Make Halloumi Bites
For exact measurements and concise instructions please scroll down to the recipe card.
Halloumi
Firm and salty, halloumi is ideal for air frying. It holds its shape beautifully and develops a lovely golden crust when cooked. Cut it into bite-sized cubes for the best crisp-to-soft ratio.
Olive Oil
Just a little oil helps the halloumi crisp up without drying out. You could use spray oil if you prefer, but I find tossing it in a bowl gives more even coverage.
Lemon Zest
Zesty, fragrant, and the perfect balance to the saltiness of the halloumi. It’s worth using a fine grater or microplane to get the best flavour.
Thyme
Thyme adds a lovely herby note that pairs so well with lemon and cheese. Use fresh if you’ve got it, but dried works just fine too.
Black Pepper (to taste)
No salt needed here (halloumi takes care of that!), but a few twists of black pepper rounds things off nicely.
For the Honey Lemon Glaze:
Runny Honey
Sweet, sticky and the perfect contrast to salty halloumi. Use clear runny honey so it mixes easily with the lemon juice.
Fresh Lemon Juice
Gives the glaze its tang and cuts through the richness of the cheese and honey. Fresh is best here for that punchy citrus hit.
Making It
Step 1: Preheat your air fryer
Before anything else, get your air fryer going — set it to 200°C (400°F). This gives it time to heat up while you prep the halloumi and helps give the cheese that delicious golden exterior.
If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheat setting, don’t worry — just let it run for 2–3 minutes while you get your ingredients ready. Preheating isn’t essential, but it does help that first blast of heat crisp things up nicely.
Step 2: Toss the halloumi with the flavourings
Cut your halloumi into bite-sized cubes — aim for roughly even pieces so they cook at the same speed. Pop them in a bowl, then drizzle over the olive oil, sprinkle on the lemon zest, thyme, and a few grinds of black pepper.
Give everything a gentle toss so each piece of halloumi is coated. You don’t need to be too precise here — just make sure you’re not leaving any bits dry. The oil helps the cheese crisp up, and the lemon zest gives a fresh, citrusy lift that’s so good with salty halloumi.
Step 3: Air fry until golden
Transfer the halloumi to your air fryer basket, cook for 8–10 minutes, giving the basket a shake around the halfway mark to help the pieces brown evenly. They’re ready when they’re turning golden and slightly crispy on the outside — don’t worry if some bits catch a little, it adds extra flavour!
Step 4: Make the glaze
While the halloumi is cooking, you can whip up a simple glaze. In a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.
Warm it gently — either over low heat on the hob or in the microwave for around 15–30 seconds — just enough to thin the honey and make it pourable.
Tip: You can skip warming it if you’re short on time — just mix and drizzle — but warming does help the flavours meld a bit more.
Step 5: Drizzle and serve
As soon as your halloumi bites are done, take them out of the air fryer and transfer to a serving plate. While they’re still hot, drizzle the warm honey lemon glaze all over.
Serve them up straight away — they’re at their absolute best fresh from the air fryer, with that perfect contrast of crispy and soft.
More Halloumi Recipes
Tips & Variations
- Don’t add the honey before air frying – it burns quickly and can make a sticky mess!
- Short on time? You can skip warming the glaze and just mix the honey and lemon juice together — it still tastes delicious.
- This recipe works well with flavoured halloumi too — try chilli or garlic varieties for a twist.
- Add a pinch of chilli flakes to the glaze if you fancy a sweet-spicy kick.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve as a starter or snack with cocktail sticks and a squeeze of lemon.
- Add to a mezze board alongside hummus, tzatziki, olives, and warm pita bread.
- Pair with a simple green salad or roasted veggies for a light lunch.
- These are best eaten fresh, but if you have leftovers, reheat them in the air fryer for a few minutes to bring back the crispness.
More Air Fryer Snacks
The air fryer is perfect for cooking up some snacks, it’s quick and it means you don’t need to switch the oven on. Check out some of my favourite snacks for the air fryer.
- Air Fryer Potato Peels
- Air Fryer Camembert
- Air Fryer Vegetable Crisps
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
- Air Fryer Boiled Eggs
Honey, Lemon & Thyme Air Fryer Halloumi Bites
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Ingredients
- 225 g halloumi cut into bite-sized cubes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon zest
- ½ tsp dried thyme or 1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
- Black pepper to taste
For the Honey Lemon Glaze:
- 1 tbsp runny honey
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Optional: extra thyme for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 200°C (400°F) while you prep the halloumi.
- In a bowl, toss the halloumi cubes with the olive oil, lemon zest, thyme, and a little black pepper until evenly coated.
- Place the halloumi in the air fryer basket in a single layer — don’t overcrowd. Cook for 8–10 minutes, shaking halfway through, until golden and slightly crisp.
- Meanwhile, make the glaze by gently warming the honey and lemon juice in a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl until thin and pourable (about 15–30 seconds).
- Remove the halloumi from the air fryer and immediately drizzle with the warm honey lemon glaze.
- Garnish with extra thyme if you like, and serve warm with lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
- Don’t add the honey before air frying — it will burn.
- If you’re short on time, you can skip warming the glaze — just mix and drizzle.
- Perfect as a snack, starter, or part of a mezze board with warm pita and dips.
- For extra flavour, try using flavoured halloumi (chilli or garlic) or add a pinch of chilli flakes to the glaze.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an estimate.