These low-carb fried cheese curds are a fantastically tasty keto-friendly appetizer or snack! Crispy, cheesy, and oh-so-yummy, these gluten-free cheese curds are the perfect low-carb snack or appetizer you don’t want to miss. With just a few ingredients and no fancy equipment needed, you can make a batch of these crispy, cheesy bites quickly. These crisp-gooey, golden nuggets of heaven will satisfy your comfort food cravings and keep the hunger pangs at bay. They’re so good that they literally disappear quickly!
What are Cheese Curds?
If you don’t know what a cheese curd is, you need to look it up ASAP. They’re delicious balls of cheese that are juicy and have a “springy” texture. If you remember the nursery rhyme about curds and whey, then you have some base understanding of what a cheese curd actually is. In fact, cheese curds are truly just unaged cheddar cheese made from cheese culture during the beginning stages of the cheese-making process. These fresh curds are great for coating in bread crumbs. For those not familiar, cheese curds are fresh chunks of cheese, often cheddar cheese. Traditional cheese is usually aged for months or years to reach that savory flavor and rich texture, but cheese curds are the opposite.
Why Cheese Curds are Keto-Friendly
Cheese curds are an excellent choice for any wellness or keto diet. They’re naturally low in carbs and high in fat, making them an ideal snack or appetizer. Yes, cheese curds are a ketogenic diet friendly, zero carb food. The macros for one serving are 0 grams of carbs, 10 grams of fat, and 7 grams of protein. They are the perfect cheese to snack on and help keep you full and satiated.
Ingredients You'll Need
As the name suggests, it is essential to have cheese in the recipe.
- Cheese curds: Two cups of the freshest and best quality cheese curds you can find. Large cheese curds work best for this recipe. Find them in the specialty cheese section at most grocery stores.
- Eggs: Whisk a few large eggs to coat the curds.
- Parmesan cheese: The quality of your cheese also impacts the recipe.
- Almond Flour: Used for coating.
- Garlic powder: For flavor.
- Flavor boosters: Additional seasonings like paprika or cayenne pepper or herbs like basil can help make your cheese curds extra flavorful. You can also sprinkle in some black pepper, onion powder, or even Italian seasoning if you’d like.
- Bread Crumb Mixture: For this recipe, you can use traditional panko bread crumbs, pork panko (keto/ gluten free), or a gluten free bread crumbs.
- All Purpose Flour or Keto /Gluten Free Flour (optional): Flour acts as a binding agent for the egg wash to adhere to the cheese curds so you can fully coat them in the bread crumb mixture. Use standard flour, 1:1 gluten free flour, or a keto friendly flour sub here.
- Seasonings: Flavor the crumb coating with your favorite seasonings. I like Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder , smoky paprika, and a little cayenne pepper for some heat. Don’t forget to add a little salt!
- Cooking Spray: I use a light spritz of cooking spray to help get the food a little crispier when cooking in the air fryer.
Preparation
Frying in a Pan
Fried cheese curds are perfectly crisp on the outside, with a lusciously soft interior. Here’s how to fry them in a pan:
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- Coat the cheese curds: Whisk the eggs and garlic powder together in a large bowl. Add the Parmesan cheese to a second bowl and lightly roll a curd, one at a time, until covered. Work in batches until all the curds are coated, removing each batch before adding more.
- Heat the oil: Heat the cooking oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat. I prefer lard for frying because it’s a traditional animal fat ideal for fried foods like cheese curds.
- Fry the curds: Using a slotted spoon or spatula, arrange the cheese curds in a single layer and fry the first side until golden brown. Flip and continue cooking the second side, also until golden brown. The oil may bubble and froth, but this is fine. Just tip the pan to the side and spoon the pooled-up oil over the curds while the second side cooks.
Baking in the Oven
Oven-baked cheese curds produce chunky, gooey, perfectly soft curds. Besides, the ease of preparation makes this method a breeze. You don’t have to stand over the stove babysitting the curds.
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350 F (176 C).
- Prepare the curds: Whisk the eggs and garlic powder together in a large bowl. Add the Parmesan cheese to a second bowl and lightly roll a curd, one at a time, until covered. Work in batches until all the curds are coated. Remove each batch before adding more.
- Bake: Arrange cheese-covered curds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the tops turn golden brown and the cheese sizzles.
Air Frying
Learn how to make crispy and delicious fried cheese curds with this easy recipe using your at-home air fryer.
- Bread the Cheese Curds: Start by making your breaded cheese curds. You will need to prep these about an hour (or more) ahead of time before you actually air fry. The curds will need to be frozen before air frying. Why? Because cheese curds not frozen or only semi frozen are going to completely melt and not hold shape in the air fryer. Do not skip this step!
- Set up an assembly line of small bowls: In one small bowl, place flour mixture, then the egg wash, and then take your seasonings and combine panko bread crumbs together and set aside.
- Dredge cheese curds: Place them in the first bowl with the flour coating, then in the second bowl with the egg wash, and then finally in the third bowl until you fully coat cheese curds in breading. Shake off any excess coating for best results.
- Freeze: Place cheese curds onto a parchment paper rimmed baking sheet (or sub with aluminum foil to prevent sticking) and place your curds into the freezer for at least an hour to fully freeze or until you are ready to air fry.
- Preheat the air fryer: Heat the air fryer to 400 degrees F (make sure it’s set on the air fryer setting) and allow it to fully come up to the cooking temperature.
- Air Fry: Remove your frozen cheese curds from the freezer (don’t allow them to sit out or come up to room temperature) and lightly spray them with olive oil spray or traditional oil of your choosing. Place them in your air fryer basket in a single layer and begin to cook them. Cooking your cheese curds at a higher temperature allows them to brown on the outside and thaw on the inside, giving them that classic deep fryer texture without them loosing shape. Set a time for 8 minutes. Flip the curds half way through for even color or until they are golden brown and the perfect cooking time.
Tips for Perfect Cheese Curds
- Choose fresh: Fresh cheese curds will give you the best flavor and texture.
- Correct temperature: When frying, be sure that the oil is at the right temperature. If it’s too low, the cheese curds may take longer to cook and cause them to get greasy and soggy.
- Cook in batches:
- Drain properly:
Serving Suggestions
Serve these cheese curds with light dipping sauces such as ranch dressing, honey mustard, garlic aioli, or marinara. Gluten-free cheese curds are best enjoyed hot and fresh off the pan. You can also serve these gluten-free cheese curds on a fresh salad for a classic combo. I guarantee that these are also perfect as a side to a juicy keto burger instead of French fries. The creamy texture of homemade coleslaw also balances well with the crispy curds. All that’s left to do is dip cheese curds in your favorite sauce and enjoy that signature “squeaky cheese” sound and enjoy!
Storage and Reheating
If you have leftovers, keep them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 2-3 days. To reheat fried cheese curds, fry them again for about 1 minute or refresh them in the oven to maintain their crispiness. For baked cheese curds, bake again for about 5 minutes or until heated through.
Recipe Variations
- Flavor boosters: Additional seasonings like paprika or cayenne pepper or herbs like basil can help make your cheese curds extra flavorful. You can also sprinkle in some black pepper, onion powder, or even Italian seasoning if you’d like.
- Make it keto: If you want to make a keto friendly or low carb fried cheese curds, you can coat them in pork rind bread crumbs and keto flour (as I’ve outlined below).
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