ZUCCHINI & HALLOUMI BALLS

Zucchini and Halloumi cheese are blended together to make flavourful keto halloumi balls.  A low carb and gluten free halloumi appetizer or main course dish.

These are utterly delicious and gorgeous!  Gorgeous I tell you!  They were much better than I had thought they would be and as ever, easy to make and easier to eat!  

The fresh herbs really give the zucchini balls a great flavour and could be served simply by themselves. These can be made in the air fryer or fried in a pan. I now prefer the air fryer.

WHAT IS HALLOUMI CHEESE?

If you have not have the pleasure of enjoying halloumi cheese you should look out for it in the stores! Halloumi is a firm cheese that originates from Cyprus and is normally made from sheep’s or goat’s milk.

Halloumi cheese is perfect for grilling and it keeps it’s shape. The taste is slightly salty with a mild flavour. We call it “squeaky cheese” for the texture it makes against your teeth (but in a good way!).

IS HALLOUMI KETO FRIENDLY?

Initially, you may think that cheese is very low carb but not all cheeses have zero carbohydrates. Some have 2g net carbs a serving but Halloumi cheese is a happy zero carbs making it a great keto ingredient.

THE INGREDIENTS

The main ingredients to make these keto halloumi balls is zucchini, halloumi, coconut flour and egg to bind with fresh seasonings.

I use coconut flour to help bind the balls because it acts like a piece of kitchen roll and soaks up any moisture, but another low carb flour such as almond flour could be used instead.

You could also use this mixture to make keto halloumi fritters by forming the mixture into a patty shape instead.  

HOW TO MAKE KETO ZUCCHINI BALLS

This is an easy recipe that we used to pan fry but now are making them in our air fryer. They take just 10 minutes in the air fryer which is great for a quick appetizer or snack.

1. Grate the zucchini. A medium zucchini should give you 10oz.
2. Place the grated zucchini in a colander and sprinkle with salt to remove the excess water. Sit for 30 minutes.
3. Squeeze out the water in either a nut bag or cheesecloth.
4. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl until you have a pliable mixture. Add more coconut flour if required.
5. Scoop into balls.
6. Place in the air fryer and cook for 10 minutes. Or you can shallow fry them in a large skillet.

RECIPE TIPS

When squeezing the water out of the zucchini, make sure you get every drop out. If the zucchini is too wet, the balls may fall apart.

Try other seasonings. Cumin and coriander would give the balls a more Middle Eastern flavour.

These zucchini halloumi balls can be made ahead before air frying or pan frying and stored in the fridge in an air tight container.

If you have any cooked zucchini balls leftover, store them in the refrigerator in an air tight container. They will last up to 4 days (not in our house!) and can be enjoyed cold or reheated.