Fried Goat Cheese Balls are a perfect party appetizer that are not just delicious, but easy to make. I like to pair them with my Sriracha Mayo, but they also go well with some homemade Gorgonzola Sauce. I know I know, cheese on cheese, but it’s still really good. This recipe is for 8 balls, but of course you can scale it to however you want (probably more than 8).
Goat Cheese is a soft cheese that is made a little differently than cheese from cows. It has a similar fat content to cow’s cheese, but the types of fat (Caproic, Caprylic and Capric Acid) in the goat milk are what contribute to the signature tang of this cheese.
Another interesting thing to note is that goat’s cheese does not melt like cow’s cheese. It does get softer when exposed to heat, but it tends to retain its shape, which makes it perfect for these Fried Goat Cheese Balls.
Goat Cheese Balls Ingredients:
- 150 grams Goat Cheese (can be a bit more or less, these are pretty freeform)
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp Flour
- Soda Water
- Bread Crumbs (Can be whatever you like. Panko, Italian, Crushed up Ritz)
- Sunflower Oil; for frying
- Salt and Pepper; to taste
- Parsley; garnish
Fried Goat Cheese Balls Instructions:
1. Begin by dividing the Goat Cheese into 8 equal pieces. While I have a measurement in the ingredients section, it really is up to you. I like to make them about ping pong ball sized, but you can go up to golf ball or lower to…some other ball, if you want. Roll the pieces between your palms until it makes a ball shape. If you apply more pressure the cheese with compact and the finished ball will be more dense. If this is what you like, go for it, it’ll all taste the same when cooked.
2. Place the balls on piece of parchment paper and put into the freezer for 30 minutes. This is not to prevent the cheese from melting. As I explained earlier Goat Cheese does not melt like cow’s cheese, but more to solidify the shape and make it easier to bread without smashing it. You can leave them in the freezer for longer than 30 minutes as well. Nothing bad will happen.
3. In a deep pan, begin boiling the oil. I do not necessarily deep fry these , but I do use enough oil to go half way up the ball.
4. Set up a breading station. In one bowl place your breadcrumbs and black pepper. In another mix the egg, flour, and soda water. You can mess with the ratio because the consistency depends on how large your eggs were, but I like to add the add and flour and mix it up. Then I thin it out with the soda water until it becomes a slurry. You want it to be thick enough to stick to the balls, but thin enough where the majority of it drips off before the breadcrumbs are applied.
5. Dip the ball in the slurry, then roll in breadcrumbs and fry. These fry extremely quickly so I do them one at a time. About 10 seconds per side if I’m shallow frying them, and about 10 seconds total if deep frying. Remember, when frying in oil, they will continue to cook a bit even after taking them out, so you do not want to burn the breading. Sprinkle with salt as soon as you remove them from the oil.
Notes:
This is a pretty rustic fried goat cheese balls recipe, so feel free to change the weights and ratios however you want. I find it hard to mess up when making this as long as I don’t over-fry the breading.
Fried Goat Cheese Balls
Ingredients
- 150 grams Goat Cheese
- 1 Egg
- 3 tbsp Flour
- Soda Water
- Bread Crumbs
- Sunflower Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Parsley garnish
Instructions
- Begin by dividing the Goat Cheese into 8 equal pieces. While I have a measurement in the ingredients section, it really is up to you. I like to make them about ping pong ball sized, but you can go up to golf ball or lower to…some other ball, if you want. Roll the pieces between your palms until it makes a ball shape. If you apply more pressure the cheese with compact and the finished ball will be more dense. If this is what you like, go for it, it’ll all taste the same when cooked.
- Place the balls on piece of parchment paper and put into the freezer for 30 minutes. This is not to prevent the cheese from melting. As I explained earlier Goat Cheese does not melt like cow’s cheese, but more to solidify the shape and make it easier to bread without smashing it. You can leave them in the freezer for longer than 30 minutes as well. Nothing bad will happen.
- In a deep pan, begin boiling the oil. I do not necessarily deep fry these , but I do use enough oil to go half way up the ball.
- Set up a breading station. In one bowl place your breadcrumbs and black pepper. In another mix the egg, flour, and soda water. You can mess with the ratio because the consistency depends on how large your eggs were, but I like to add the add and flour and mix it up. Then I thin it out with the soda water until it becomes a slurry. You want it to be thick enough to stick to the balls, but thin enough where the majority of it drips off before the breadcrumbs are applied.
- Dip the ball in the slurry, then roll in breadcrumbs and fry. These fry extremely quickly so I do them one at a time. About 10 seconds per side if I’m shallow frying them, and about 10 seconds total if deep frying. Remember, when frying in oil, they will continue to cook a bit even after taking them out, so you do not want to burn the breading. Sprinkle with salt as soon as you remove them from the oil.
