Saganaki (Greek Fried Cheese)

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This golden, crispy and irresistibly gooey fried cheese is one of Greece’s most beloved appetizers! This Saganaki recipe takes just three ingredients and is ready to serve in less than 10 minutes. Quick and easy to make, you’re going to fall in love with this famous Greek fried cheese!

What is Saganaki?

The term saganaki refers both to a variety of Greek appetizers as well as the pan in which they’re cooked (a two-handled heavy frying pan). The most popular saganaki dish is cheese saganaki which is made by frying cheese that has been lightly breaded so that it’s crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside. Salt, pepper and lemon juice are traditional seasonings. It’s commonly served as an appetizer with other Greek favorites or is served atop or along with a leafy green salad, with bread, or a light drizzling of honey. In Greek restaurants in the U.S. it’s often splashed with some brandy and flambéed at the table for a dramatic effect, then extinguished with a squeeze of lemon juice, a tradition that started in Chicago’s Greektown.

Ingredients

You only need 3 ingredients to make saganaki cheese, with some optional ingredients I’ll discuss below. Here is what you’ll need to make it:

• Cheese: A variety that’s firm enough to hold its shape when fried but soft enough to melt on the inside. See below for recommended cheese varieties.
• Flour: This forms the coating for the cheese. You can use either semolina flour (this gives it more texture) or all-purpose flour. If you’re gluten-free, you can use all-purpose GF flour.
• Oil: This is for frying. Olive oil is traditional but I prefer to use avocado oil for frying because of its high smoke point.
• Optional: Salt, pepper, and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Depending on how you’re planning on serving your saganaki cheese, you can use or omit these. For example, if you’re serving the saganaki drizzled with honey you can still use a little salt but omit the pepper and lemon juice. If you’d like to add more flavor, you can sprinkle on your favorite seasoning blend before frying (e.g., Greek Seasoning, Lemon Pepper Seasoning, Creole Seasoning, Seasoned Salt).
• Optional Breading: If you prefer a crunchier and more substantial breading, you can coat the cheese in the flour followed by some beaten egg and breadcrumbs before frying.

The Best Cheese for Saganaki

The key to the perfect saganaki lies in choosing the right cheese. Important considerations are that it must be firm enough to hold its shape when fried but soft enough to melt inside for that nice gooey texture. There are a few cheeses you can choose from depending on your flavor and texture preference, with some being gooier than others and some having a milder or stronger flavor profile. Here are some traditional options to choose from as well as some popular alternatives:

• Kefalotyri: A hard, salty Greek white cheese made from sheep milk or goat’s milk.
• Kefalograviera: A rich and slightly nutty Greek cheese typically made from sheep’s milk, sometimes goat.
• Graviera: A sweet yet slightly salty Greek cheese that crisps up beautifully.
• Kasseri: A semi-hard Greek cheese with a mild, buttery taste.
• Feta: A Greek brined white cheese traditionally made from sheep’s milk though you can use cow’s feta as well.
• Halloumi: This cheese is from Cyprus but its high melting point makes it an excellent alternative.
• Provolone or Monterey Jack: Thick slices of either variety also make great alternatives.

Saganiki Recipe

Let’s get started!

The first step is to prepare the cheese. Slice the cheese into 1/2 inch thick slices. Avoid slicing them any thinner or they will melt too quickly while you’re frying them.

Briefly rinse each slice under running water then gently blot them with a paper towel, leaving them moist so that the flour adheres to the cheese.

Place the flour in a shallow dish, adding some salt and pepper as desired, and dredge the cheese in the flour, coating all sides. Shake off excess flour.

If you’re breading the the cheese with breadcrumbs, next you’ll want to dip the cheese slices in lightly beaten egg and then dredge them in breadcrumbs, shaking off the excess.

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, fry the cheese on the first side until it is golden brown.

Carefully flip over the cheese and fry on the other side until it’s golden brown. Lower the heat if it’s browning too quickly.

Serve immediately. Squeeze some lemon juice over the cheese as desired.

Optional: If you’d like to flambé your saganaki, pour a small amount of brandy over the cheese and carefully ignite it. You can then douse the flame by squeezing some lemon juice over the cheese.

How to Serve Saganaki Cheese

There are a number of potions for serving saganaki cheese. Here are just a few suggestions:

• On a bed of lettuce or a Greek salad with vinaigrette dressing.
• With fresh tomatoes, tomato salad or cucumber salad (see my German tomato salad and German cucumber salad).
• With warm pita bread.
• With marinated olives.
• Drizzled with honey.

Storing and Reheating

As with most fried foods, saganaki is best eaten immediately. It does not store well because the coating gets soggy and its crispy-melty texture is lost. If you do have leftovers, store them in the fridge for up to 5 days and reheat them in the pan with some oil or in an air fryer.

Enjoy!