Flaming Saganaki

Name: Flaming Saganaki
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 1 lb (450 g) kasseri cheese, in slabs about 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick (or kefalotyri, graviera, or halloumi); 1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour; 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil; 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter; 2 tbsp (30 ml) brandy or ouzo, slightly warmed; 1 lemon, cut into wedges; freshly ground black pepper; 1/2 tsp (1 g) dried oregano (optional)

Flaming Saganaki Say it: sah-gah-NAH-kee

By the Passport Plate editors. Published November 5, 2026.

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Saganaki is a Greek appetizer that found its second home in Chicago, where Greek restaurants serve it as a drama: a slab of firm sheep's-milk cheese fried until crackling and golden, then doused with brandy and set alight at the table. The flames burn off the alcohol and leave a faint sweetness behind, and a squeeze of lemon cuts through the rich, salty, stretchy interior. Outside is crisp, inside is molten — it is one of the quickest, most generous things you can put on a table.

Flaming Saganaki

Pronounced sah-gah-NAH-kee

Serves: 4
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 10 min
Total: 20 min
Level: Medium

Vegetarian

Also nut-free and egg-free.

Allergens: contains gluten, milk. Check labels on packaged ingredients.

Ingredients

4 servings

1 lb (450 g)450 g (1 lb) kasseri cheese, in slabs about 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick (or kefalotyri, graviera, or halloumi)
1/2 cup (60 g)60 g (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
2 tbsp (30 ml)30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
1 tbsp (14 g)14 g (1 tbsp) unsalted butter
2 tbsp (30 ml)30 ml (2 tbsp) brandy or ouzo, slightly warmed
1 lemon, cut into wedges
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp (1 g)1 g (1/2 tsp) dried oregano (optional)

Method

Cut the cheese into slabs about 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick and pat them very dry with paper towels — dry cheese is what makes the crust crisp instead of soggy.
Spread the flour on a plate and season it lightly with pepper. Dredge each slab on both sides, then tap off the excess so only a thin, even dusting remains.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a small heavy skillet over medium-high heat until the butter foams and a pinch of flour sizzles on contact.
Lay in the cheese, working in two batches if your pan is small, and fry for 1-2 minutes per side, until deep golden and the edges look crisp and lacy. Lift onto a warm plate.
Wipe out any burnt flour, set the pan back over medium heat for a moment, then take it off the heat and return the cheese to it. Pour the warmed brandy evenly over the top.
Stand back and carefully ignite the brandy with a long match; tilt the pan gently and let the flames burn for 20-30 seconds until they die down on their own.
Squeeze lemon over the cheese, scatter with oregano if you like, and take it straight to the table with lemon wedges — it is best eaten while the crust still crackles.

Regional variant: Shrimp saganaki (Garides saganaki)

Instead of frying the cheese, soften a chopped onion and 2 garlic cloves in olive oil, add a splash of ouzo and a 14 oz (400 g) can of chopped tomatoes, and simmer until thick. Nestle in 1 lb (450 g) peeled shrimp, crumble 7 oz (200 g) feta over the top, and bake at 400°F (200°C) for about 15 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and just firm and the feta has softened.

Cook's notes

Keep a lid or a large metal bowl within reach in case the flames need smothering, and never carry a flaming pan across the room.
A firm, low-moisture cheese is essential; soft cheeses will collapse and burn before they crisp.
Fry in a small pan so the cheese sits in a generous pool of hot fat — shallow-frying gives the best crust.

Serve with

Warm pita or crusty bread, olives, and a cold glass of white wine or ouzo.

Make ahead and storage

Best fried and flambéed at the last moment; the cheese can be sliced and dredged up to 2 hours ahead and kept covered in the fridge.

Flaming Saganaki