Saganaki is a delicious traditional Greek fried cheese meze. A golden crust reveals warm melted cheese. Our saganaki is paired with an optional spicy red pepper tomato chutney for an irresistible treat.

*This recipe is updated from the original, published in November 2021. It has new photos, updated ingredients, and a better cooking method.

If you’re a fan of our delicious Saganaki, you’re in for a treat with our Baked Feta with Honey, Shrimp Saganaki, and Feta Grilled Cheese with Thyme!

Saganaki Greek fried cheese sliced with a fork and a spoon with chutney on a plate, a lemon wedge and a cloth napkin on a table.

Why this recipe sings

  • It’s delicious.ย Saganaki is a must-have meze appetizer for Greeks. This is the simplest yet delicious version, served with tomato pepper chutney for extra impact.
  • It’s easy. The fried cheese takes five minutes to make, and the chutney is ready in about thirty minutes.
  • It’s versatile. Our saganaki can be ready in 10 minutes or 45 minutes, depending on how you wish to serve it. Usually, it’s served with lemon wedges for a bit of drizzle of juice on top. Adding the chutney elevates the experience, but it’s definitely optional. The saganaki will be delicious whatsoever. If you go for it, try the chutney with other dishes, too, like a curry or a roasted chicken, or add it to a grazing board. Feel free to use your favorite store-bought chutney or jam. Fig, apricot, and cranberry preserves go very well with this fried cheese meze.

Here is what you need

Two pieces of hard cheese, flour and olive oil on parchment paper.
  • The right cheese. For our recipe, you need kefalotyri cheese or graviera (Greek gruyere). Kefalotyri is similar to pecorino romano, a hard salty cheese mainly used grated over pasta. Cut it into thin slices, about one cm/one-third of an inch thick.
  • “Squeaky” cheeses, such as formaela (comes in a round tube, shown above), talagani, mastelo and halloumi, are ideal for saganaki. Due to their elastic texture, they do not dissolve in the pan. They only melt on the outside and soften on the inside. However, they should be eaten immediately because as they cool, they harden. Cut them into relatively thick slices, about 2 cm thick, and place them in a non-stick pan with a little oil or bake in the oven in a saganaki dish. Once they are golden on the bottom side, turn them over on the other side.
  • For frying. You need flour and olive oil. You may use canola oil or your go-to vegetable oil instead.
  • For serving. Traditionally, saganaki cheese is served with lemon wedges for a light drizzle of lemon juice. It can also be served next to sweet chutneys and jams that complement it wonderfully. In the recipe card, you will find a recipe for a tomato pepper chutney perfect for fried cheese.

How to make saganaki

Fill a shallow bowl that fits the cheese slices with water. Put about half a cup of flour in a similar bowl.

A piece of cheese in water.

Dip each piece of cheese into the bowl of water, then shake off the excess.


A piece of cheese in flour.

Next, dip the cheese into the flour, coat all sides, and then shake off the excess.

A piece of cheese frying in olive oil.

Place a frying pan over medium to high heat.  Add about a third of an inch of olive oil.
Fry the cheese evenly on all sides…


A piece of cheese frying in olive oil.

…until it gets golden for about 1 minute per side.

Saganaki Greek fried cheese sliced with a fork and a spoon with chutney on a plate, a lemon wedge and a cloth napkin on a table.

Side dishes for cheese saganaki

Cheese saganaki is a must-order appetizer in Greece. It is always served tapas style with other appetizers. Try it with:

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Saganaki Greek fried cheese sliced with a fork and a spoon with chutney on a plate, a lemon wedge and a cloth napkin on a table.

Saganaki-Greek Fried Cheese

by Jenny Skrapaliori Graves
Saganaki is a delicious traditional Greek fried cheese meze. A golden crust reveals warm melted cheese. Our saganaki is paired with an optional spicy red pepper tomato chutney for an irresistible treat.
4.84 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 4 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Greek
Servings 2
Calories 439 kcal

Equipment

  • frying pan

Ingredients
  

  • ยฝ lb kefalotyri cheese or pecorino romano cut in โ…“ inch thick pieces
  • ยฝ cup all-purpose flour
  • ยผ cup olive oil or a neutral vegetable oil
  • lemon wedges for serving

Instructions
 

  • Fill a shallow bowl that fits the cheese slices with water. Put about half a cup of flour in a similar bowl.
  • Dip each piece of cheese into the bowl of water, then shake off the excess.
  • Next, dip the cheese into the flour, coat all sides, and then shake off the excess.
  • Place a frying pan over medium to high heat.ย  Add the olive oil.
    When the olive oil is hot but not boiling, fry the cheese evenly on all sides until it turns golden for about 1 minute per side.
  • Serve the fried cheese with lemon wedges to go around the table.
    If you like, add a bowl with our tomato pepper chutney (recipe in notes) or your favorite chutney or jam.

Notes

Tomato Pepper Chutney recipe

You need:
  • 1ยผ cups white wine vinegar
  • 1ยผ cups brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 2 bell peppers diced. Can be red, orange, or yellow.
  • 1ยฝ cups tomatoes diced
  • 2 habanero peppers seeded and diced fine (removing seeds reduces heat)
  • 1 sweet onion medium size, peeled and diced
  • 2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 teaspoons rum optional
ย 
  1. Dice the tomatoes, bell peppers, and sweet onion.
  2. Place the diced bell peppers, tomatoes, habanero peppers, and onion in a large pot. Add the minced ginger, cumin, ground cloves, stir gently to combine.
  3. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. After it has come to a boil, put the lid on but keep it ajar with a few inches of opening for the steam to escape. Allow it to boil quite rapidly for about 30 minutes. Don’t stir.
  4. After 30 minutes, add the molasses and rum, and stir to combine. Let chutney boil uncovered for 5 to 15 minutes, or as long as the liquid has reduced to the desired level. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
ย 
A big thanks to averiecooks.com for the excellent inspiration for the chutney.
The nutritional analysis is only an estimate based on available ingredients and the recipeโ€™s preparation.ย 

Nutrition

Calories: 439kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 36gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 118mgSodium: 1361mgPotassium: 98mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 471IUCalcium: 1207mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @thegreekfoodie__ or tag #thegreekfoodie__
Saganaki-Greek Fried Cheese

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4.84 from 6 votes

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Recipe Rating




14 Comments

  1. 4 stars
    This saganaki is great! My first time making it. You can’t go wrong with melty, cheesy goodness. Skipped the tomato chutney, I tried it with mango chutney I already had and it tasted delish.

  2. 5 stars
    For the new years, me and my husband always go to my in-laws house. We all bring an appetizer and we just eat appetizers until midnight. This looks like the perfect thing to bring this year, thanks so much for the recipe!! ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. 5 stars
    You had me at fried cheese and the chutney sealed the deal! It wasn’t so complicated to make and tasted great over a bed of salad greens. Thank you Jenny.

  4. 5 stars
    This was the first time I had served it, but it was a hit. Everyone loved it. The chutney was perfect! I’ll be making this again.