Greek Meze and Appetisers
Manouri me Meli Recipe (Greek Grilled Manouri Cheese with Honey)
Μανούρι με μέλι mah-NOO-ree meh MEH-lee · Manouri me meli
In short
Manouri me meli is thick slices of manouri, a soft, mild, creamy Greek whey cheese, briefly pan-seared until golden on the outside, then drizzled with honey and a scattering of toasted sesame seeds. Manouri's genuinely mild, delicate character, distinct from saltier feta or firmer halloumi, makes this one of the gentlest cheese and honey pairings in Greek cooking.
Manouri, a soft, creamy Greek whey cheese made mainly in Thessaly and Macedonia, has a genuinely gentler, milder character than feta or halloumi, closer in some ways to a very firm ricotta, and this makes it particularly well suited to a simple sweet and savoury pairing that a saltier cheese would fight against rather than complement.
The technique here is deliberately minimal: a brief, hot sear in a dry or lightly oiled pan just until the outside turns golden, leaving the interior still soft and warm, followed by a generous drizzle of good honey and a scattering of toasted sesame for a little textural contrast.
This is genuinely quick meze, ready in well under fifteen minutes, and it works equally well as a simple dessert if served at the end of a meal rather than alongside drinks.
Key preparation steps
- Slice manouri into thick rounds.
- Sear briefly in a hot pan until golden.
- Plate immediately while still warm.
- Drizzle with honey and toasted sesame.
Slicing and searing
Slice the manouri into thick rounds, around two centimetres, and sear in a hot, lightly oiled pan for just a minute or two per side, until golden on the outside. Manouri is soft, so handle it gently with a wide spatula to keep the slices intact.
Finishing
Transfer the seared manouri to plates immediately while still warm, then drizzle generously with good honey and scatter over toasted sesame seeds, which add a welcome bit of crunch against the cheese's soft, creamy interior.
Tips from my kitchen
Handle the cheese gently
Manouri is soft and can break apart if pushed around the pan too roughly. A wide spatula and a light touch keep the slices intact.
Serve immediately
This dish is at its best while the cheese is still warm from the pan, with the honey just starting to melt slightly into it.
Toast the sesame seeds properly first
A few minutes in a dry pan brings out real flavour and crunch, considerably more than raw sesame would add.
Manouri me Meli Recipe (Greek Grilled Manouri Cheese with Honey)
Μανούρι με μέλι · by Kalliopi Andreou · updated 2026-07-31
- Prep
- 10m
- Cook
- 10m
- Total
- 20m
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan over a medium-high heat.
- Sear the manouri slices for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until golden. Handle gently with a wide spatula, since the cheese is soft.
- Transfer immediately to plates while still warm.
- Drizzle generously with the honey and scatter over the toasted sesame seeds.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition, per 1 portion
- Calories
- 268
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Sat fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
These figures are calculated estimates based on the ingredients listed, not laboratory analysis. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion size.
Frequently asked questions about Manouri me meli
What is manouri?
A soft, mild, creamy Greek whey cheese made mainly in Thessaly and Macedonia, with a genuinely gentler character than feta or halloumi, closer in some ways to a very firm ricotta.
Can you substitute another cheese for manouri?
A firm ricotta or a mild, fresh goat cheese are the closest reasonable substitutes, though neither quite matches manouri's specific texture and delicate flavour.
Is manouri me meli a starter or a dessert?
Both, genuinely. It works equally well as a simple meze served with drinks or as a light dessert at the end of a meal.
