Fried Goat Cheese Bites Recipe

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Fried goat cheese bites are a decadently delicious dish you may have enjoyed at the pub. Crispy on the outside with a cheesy, creamy interior, these rich treats are delicious as an appetizer or snack. Goat cheese doesn't melt when heated — it warms and softens for a lovely bite without the pulled, stringy effect of fried bites filled with mozzarella. Goat cheese has a distinctively tangy flavor, one that pairs well with a variety of herbs and other ingredients, making it easy to customize the flavor to your preferences when making the bites at home.

Recipe developer Michelle Bottalico has created a recipe for fried goat cheese bites flavored with fresh chives and mint. Both herbs are mixed into the cheese before the balls are formed, and more fresh chives are used to garnish the final dish. As a result, the cheese is enhanced with color and a herby brightness from both within and without. Deep-frying is what gives these bites their satisfying crunch, and it's surprisingly easy to do at home. If you haven't deep-fried before, all you'll need is a small saucepan, and you don't even need a thermometer (though a deep-fry thermometer is a useful tool). You can tell when the oil hits 375 F when a grain of rice sizzles enthusiastically and starts to float to the top when dropped in.

You don't have to visit the pub to enjoy this restaurant-quality dish. Pull out this fried goat cheese balls recipe the next time you want a satisfying savory snack or an impressive addition to your appetizer buffet.

For this recipe, you will first need a log of goat cheese. Have fresh chives and fresh mint on hand as well as all-purpose flour, an egg, breadcrumbs, and salt. Finally, you'll need oil for frying. We recommend canola oil, but other oils with a high smoke point, like peanut oil or vegetable oil, will work.

Place the goat cheese, 2 teaspoons chives, and the mint in a bowl and mash with a fork until the herbs are evenly incorporated.

Roll the mixture into 12 balls.

Place the balls on a freezer-safe dish lined with parchment paper and freeze for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the flour and beaten egg in two separate bowls

Place the breadcrumbs and salt in a third bowl and stir well to mix.

Roll the cheese balls in the flour to coat, shaking off any excess flour.

Dip one cheese ball into the egg until the whole ball is moistened, and then roll it in breadcrumbs until evenly coated. Repeat with the remaining cheese balls and set aside.

Heat about 1 inch of the oil in a small saucepan until it reaches 375 F.

Place 4 of the breaded cheese balls in the oil with tongs or a spider strainer and fry for about 1 minute until golden brown and crispy.

Once fried, set cheese bites aside on a wire rack lined with paper-towels. Repeat the process to fry all cheese bites.

Serve warm, sprinkled with the rest of the chopped chives as garnish.

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There are several ways these fried goat cheese bites can be customized. For an extra crispy version, use panko breadcrumbs instead of regular ones when breading the rolled goat cheese pieces. The difference between panko and regular breadcrumbs is that panko breadcrumbs are crispier and more textured, and each flake is larger. They provide a noticeably crunchier bite. If you'd rather not use plain goat cheese, you can choose one of the flavored varieties, for example those mixed with herbs or honey.

This recipe calls for fresh chives and mint to flavor the cheese, but many kinds of fresh herbs would go well. Thyme, rosemary, tarragon, sage, and basil are just some of your choices. We recommend fresh herbs, but if you use dried herbs, cut the quantity in half because they are stronger. For a different flavor profile, flavor the cheese with spices like garlic powder, paprika, and cumin.

It's possible to customize these goat cheese bites further by adding extra flavor after they are fried. Try drizzling the hot bites with honey, or mix honey with lemon juice for a more complex flavor that balances the sweetness. Finally, sprinkle finely chopped fresh herbs or flaky salt on top of the honey for a finishing touch.

Deep-fried goat cheese bites are rich and delicious, but the actual process of deep-frying can be a hassle. If you'd rather skip the deep-frying, there are other ways you can cook these bites. The first method is shallow frying. Fill a small pan with enough oil to cover half of the goat cheese balls. Cook them for roughly the same amount of time, but flip them halfway so both sides cook. This method will still yield that deeply-rich fried flavor profile, but without using quite as much oil.

Pan-frying uses much less oil. Heat a thin layer of oil in a frying pan on medium, and cook the balls until golden brown and crispy. Shake the pan frequently so all sides cook. You can also flatten the goat cheese balls before breading. The flatter, shorter shape will be easier to pan fry. Just flip them halfway.

Another option is to skip frying altogether and bake the bites instead. To do so, spray a baking pan with cooking spray, place the bites on the pan in a single layer, and spray the tops too. Bake on 400 F for about 20 minutes or until browned, flipping halfway. Finally, you can make crispy and delicious goat cheese bites in an air fryer. Cook them in an air fryer preheated to 400 F for about 5 minutes. Don't use cooking spray in your air fryer — just wipe the rack or basket with oil first.

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