Get ready to dive into a homemade plate of deep fried camembert with this no-nonsense recipe. I’m talking about crispy on the outside, melty on the inside goodness that’s easy to make. Let’s get straight to the irresistible satisfaction of biting into a perfectly fried piece of camembert drizzled with balsamic reduction or another sauce of your choosing.
I’ve been noticing more and more deep fried cheese dishes at upscale restaurants these days. It used to be just some mozzarella sticks at your local dive bar or on a kids meal. But recently I’ve seen everything from fried gouda balls, panko crusted halloumi, and one of my favorites, deep fried camembert wedges.
The best thing about this recipe is it only takes a few seconds of actual frying time. Most of the time you are just waiting for the oil to reach temperature. I know this recipe is for deep fried camembert but you can also shallow fry the cheese wedges if you like (it is just harder to get an even color that way).
If you are not a fan of deep frying because of the mess, I highly recommend you buy a cheap deep fryer (seriously that one is about $40) since it really makes everything so much easier. Of course I often just use a small pot with a thermometer since I do not want to use that much oil, but there is a bit of splatter with the traditional method.
What Is Camembert?
Camembert is a semi-soft, creamy French cheese that originated in the Normandy region. Traditionally made from cow’s milk, it is characterized by its velvety white rind and a rich, buttery interior. The cheese undergoes a unique production process involving lactic fermentation and surface mold ripening, resulting in its distinctive flavor and texture. Renowned for its pungent aroma and earthy, mushroom-like taste, camembert has become a staple in global culinary culture, often enjoyed on its own or as a versatile ingredient in various dishes.
How To Make Deep Fried Camembert Wedges
This recipe only has four ingredients (plus the oil and sauce of your choice) so it is easy to whip up whenever you get the urge. While I just drizzled over some balsamic glassa another great option would be a fruit compote. I can wholeheartedly recommend spooning some blackcurrant compote over these fried camembert wedges as the blend of rich and fatty with sweet and tangy is divine.
Ingredients
- 2 wheels Camembert – Each wheel I used was 120 grams so in total you are looking at roughly 240 grams. However I would try to use two smaller wheels instead of one larger one as the bigger they are, the harder they are to bread and fry. If you go to the cheese monger try asking for petit camembert.
- 50 grams Potato Starch – This is about a quarter cup. You can also use corn starch if you like.
- 2 large Eggs
- 100 grams Panko Breadcrumbs – This is a smidge more than a cup’s worth. You can use any breadcrumbs you like, but I love the light crispy texture of panko for this recipe. You might not need to use all of the breadcrumbs, but having more than needed makes breading the cheese wedges much easier.
- Oil – For frying.
- Balsamic Glassa – Optional, for drizzling. You can use whatever sauce you like.
- * Note: For this recipe I did not add any seasonings or even salt. You can add salt if you like, or get creative with other herbs/spices.
Fried Camembert Instructions
The first thing to do is to cut your camembert into even wedges. Each 120 gram wheel can perfectly divide into 8 pieces. Before starting the recipe (or while the oil is heating up) I recommend placing the cheese in the freezer for about 5 minutes. This helps prevent the insides from squishing as you cut, and makes the camembert wedges hold their shape much better.
The breading station for this fried camembert recipe is super easy. Just place the wedges in the bowl with potato starch and toss to coat. In another bowl beat two eggs. And finally the last bowl will just have the panko breadcrumbs. Take a wedge of camembert from the starch, dredge it in the beaten egg, then toss it with the panko to coat.
Repeat the previous step until you have breaded all of your wedges. I suggest placing them on a sheet of parchment paper so they do not stick to your counter. This deep fried camembert recipe is super easy, but can make a bit of a mess if you are not organized.
Once your pot of oil reaches 175 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) you can begin to fry. Gently drop the breaded camembert wedges into the hot oil. Deep fried cheese cooks much, much faster than a meat like chicken or pork so have your spider or slotted spoon ready to pull them out after about 15 seconds.
Place the fried cheese on a paper towel lined plate to drip off any excess oil. Sometimes the cheese can burst through the breading, but this is okay and you can still plate the final deep fried camembert beautifully.
How To Serve This Fried Camembert Recipe
I love to serve deep fried cheese with a sauce that complements the richness of the dairy. In this instance I drizzled over a little balsamica glassa (reduction) and just ripped some basil right on top. The flowers in the photo, while completely edible, are also decorative and add a nice pop of color. Other dips, sauces, or dressings you might like can be Cocktail Sauce, Huancaina Sauce, Red Sauce, or even a few drops of your favorite hot sauce. I make a lot of hot sauce using dried peppers so there is always a fun flavor in my fridge to experiment with.
Fried Cheese Tips
If you want to prep this fried camembert recipe early you absolutely can. Once they are breaded and on the sheet of parchment paper, place the sheet in the freezer. When completely frozen you can remove them from the sheet and place them in a bag or container to save space.
You can fry deep fried camembert directly from frozen. Remove them from the freezer and let sit on the counter while you heat up your oil, then gently drop the frozen wedges into the oil. Pay attention to the breading as they still cook extremely fast.
Do You Like Deep Fried Cheese? Here Are Some More Cheesy Recipes To Love
- Korean Corn Cheese
- Peruvian Cheese Sauce Potatoes
- Syrnyky (Ukrainian Cheese Pancakes)
- Basque Burnt Cheesecake
- Homemade Boursin
- The Best Cream Cheese Pasta
Deep Fried Camembert
Equipment
- 1 Pot | or deep fryer if you have one
Ingredients
- 2 wheels Camembert Each wheel I used was 120 grams so in total you are looking at roughly 240 grams. However I would try to use two smaller wheels instead of one larger one as the bigger they are the harder they are to bread and fry. If you go to the cheese monger try asking for petit camembert.
- 50 grams Potato Starch This is about a quarter cup. You can also use corn starch if you like.
- 2 large Eggs
- 100 grams Panko Breadcrumbs This is a smidge more than a cup's worth. You can use any breadcrumbs you like but I love the light crispy texture of panko for this recipe. You might not need to use all of the breadcrumbs, but having more than needed makes breading the cheese wedges much easier.
- Oil For frying.
- Balsamic Glassa Optional for drizzling. You can use whatever sauce you like.
- Note: For this recipe I did not add any seasonings or even salt. You can add salt if you like or get creative with other herbs/spices.
Instructions
- Place your camembert in the freezer (just for a few minutes) while you do step two.
- Place oil in your pot (or deep fryer) and turn on the heat until it reaches 175C or 350F. While it is heating up, place the potato starch in one bowl, the beaten egg in another bowl, and the panko in a third bowl.
- Take the camembert out of the freezer and cut each wheel into 8 even pieces. Drop them in the potato starch and toss to coat. Take a wedge and give it a shake to remove excess starch, then dip in the egg and then the panko. Place panko breaded camembert wedges on a parchment sheet until you are done breading and ready to fry.
- When the oil is at the correct temperature gently lower the wedges into the pot. Fry for around 15 seconds, or until the breading JUST gets lightly golden. They will continue to darken after you remove them from the oil so you really want to be quick with this. Place them on a paper towel lined plate to dry.
- Plate the deep fried camembert wedges on a plate and dress with your sauce of choice.
Waaaaayyy better than mozz sticks 😋
Manda I am in 100% agreement with you there
Yesssssss!! That tip about popping the wheel in the freezer for a few minutes was awesome. I’ve made these before and they were so difficult to bread and fry but once chilled they came out perfect.
Do you know if you can do this deep frying with brie also or is that too soft?
Hi Benny thanks for your comment. A Brie should work as long as it is a fairly dense one. I would avoid something like a triple creme brie that just oozes as soon as you pierce the rind.
This deep fried camembert was soooooo good. I hate deep frying but this cheese is worth it.
Delicious!
Sooooooo good.