Best Deep Fried Sourdough Cheese Curds Recipe
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Deep Fried Sourdough Cheese Curds are crispy, golden brown, and impossibly melty on the inside, made with fresh cheese curds dipped in a simple batter of sourdough starter discard, a room temperature egg, and garlic salt. This cheese curds recipe is a great appetizer or side dish for game day, and it is one of the easiest sourdough recipes to make with simple ingredients you already have on hand.
Fry the battered squeaky cheese curds in hot oil for just 1-2 minutes until the crispy coating turns deep golden brown, drain on a wire rack lined with paper towels, and serve while hot with my homemade ranch dressing for the ultimate Midwest state fairs experience right at home. If you love crispy sourdough discard recipes, my Sourdough Chicken Tenders are next on your list!
Quick Look: Sourdough Cheese Curds
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Servings: 16 servings
- Calories: ~274 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- Cook Method: Deep fried
- Flavor Profile: Crispy, golden, and savory on the outside with a gooey, squeaky cheese center. Best served hot with homemade ranch dipping sauce!
- Difficulty: Easy — Simple batter, quick to fry, and ready in just 20 minutes!
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Why You’ll Love This Deep Fried Sourdough Cheese Curds Recipe
- Perfectly Crispy With a Melty Center: The sourdough discard batter creates a light, crispy coating that fries up beautifully in just 1-2 minutes while keeping the fresh curds perfectly melty inside. The sourdough tang adds a depth of flavor you will not get from a regular beer batter or bread crumbs coating. If you love fried sourdough snacks, try my Sourdough Onion Rings next.
- A Great Recipe for Using Up Sourdough Discard: This is one of the quickest and most satisfying ways to put your sourdough discard to work. The batter ingredients come together in seconds, and you do not need to plan ahead or wait for any rise time. It is a fantastic no-waste option that transforms a few simple ingredients into a crowd-pleasing snack.
- Ready in Minutes With Minimal Effort: From mixing the batter to pulling the last golden brown curd from the hot oil, this entire recipe takes about 15 minutes. Work in small batches to keep the oil temperature steady, and you will have a great appetizer on the table before your guests even sit down. For another quick fried treat, check out my Sourdough Mini Corn Dogs.
Ingredients & Substitutions
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
- Fresh Cheese Curds – The best fried cheese curds are made with fresh cheddar cheese cheese curds. I used white cheddar cheese curds, but orange is just as tasty!
Batter Ingredients
- Sourdough Discard – Unfed sourdough starter that creates a light, tangy batter that fries up perfectly crispy.
- Egg – Use a room temperature egg for the smoothest batter and best adhesion to the cheese curds.
Homemade Ranch Dressing
- Mayo – The creamy base of the ranch. Full-fat mayonnaise gives the richest result.
- Sour Cream – Adds a subtle tang and extra creaminess to balance out the mayo.
- Milk – Thins the dressing to a pourable consistency. Add a little at a time until you reach your desired thickness.
- Seasonings – A classic blend of ranch herbs and spices like dill, parsley, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- White Vinegar – Just a splash brightens the dressing and enhances the tangy flavor.
How to Make Deep Fried Sourdough Cheese Curds
- Pour oil to a large pot, like a Dutch Oven, until you have about 2 inches of oil or enough to cover the curds completely. Heat the oil to 375 degrees F.
Temperature is very important when frying these Sourdough Cheese Curds. If the oil is too hot – the cheese will melt and ooz out before the coating is done frying. If they oil is too cool – the coating will soak up too much grease, leaving you with greasy cheese curds.
To help you easily regulate the oil temperature, I used this frying thermometer! This way I can keep an eye on the temperature throughout the frying process.
- While the oil is heating up, prepare the cheese curd batter. In a large bowl, add the sourdough discard, room temperature egg and garlic salt and whisk until smooth.
- Place cheese curds into the batter and stir until they are all coated. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the cheese curds and allow excess batter to fall off before add 6-8 cheese curds to the hot oil.
Be careful not to over crowd the pot, as this can lower the temperature of the oil. It’s best to work in small batches.
- Fry the Sourdough Cheese Curds for 1-2 minutes or until the coating is lightly golden brown. Remove the fried curds with a steel strainer and place on top of paper towels on top of a wire rack to drain off any excess oil.
- Repeat the process with the remaining cheese curds.
- Serve them while hot with homemade ranch dressing and enjoy!
Homemade Ranch Dressing
I may be bias, but the only true way to enjoy Sourdough Fried Cheese Curds is the Midwest way – with ranch of course! The creaminess of this homemade ranch dressing paired with the melty cheese is unmatched! Sorry marinara and ketchup.
To make this homemade ranch dressing, add the mayo, sour cream, milk, seasonings, and vinegar to a seperate bowl and stir until smooth.
Chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.
McKenna’s Helpful Tips
- Keep the oil temperature at 375 degrees F for the best results: Oil temperature is everything when frying these cheese curds. If the oil is too hot, the cheese will melt and ooze out before the coating is done. If it is too cool, the coating soaks up grease and turns soggy. I recommend using a frying thermometer so you can monitor the temperature throughout the process. This same principle applies to my Sourdough Fried Pickles recipe as well.
- Always use fresh cheese curds from a local grocery store or cheese store: Fresh cheddar cheese curds that still have that signature squeak make all the difference. They hold up better during frying and give you that satisfying melty pull. Aged cheddar or pre-packaged curds that have been sitting too long will not deliver the same texture.
- Fry in small batches to avoid overcrowding the pot: Adding too many curds at once will drop the oil temperature quickly, which leads to greasy, unevenly cooked results. I add only 6 to 8 cheese curds at a time to a large pot or dutch oven to keep things consistent. For another fried sourdough recipe that uses the same technique, try my Homemade Fried Sourdough Chicken Tenders.
How to Store
Sourdough Cheese Curds are best served fresh, however, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. To crisp them up again, reheat them at a low temperature in the oven.
Sourdough Fried Cheese Curds FAQs
There are a few reasons your cheese curds may be leaking. First, if the oil temperature is too low, the curds take longer to cook, giving the cheese more time to melt and leak out. If the oil is too hot, the outside cooks too quickly while the inside remains too soft. Second, if the batter is too thin or is not covering the cheese curds completely, the cheese will melt and escape through any gaps in the coating. Make sure each curd is fully coated before placing it in the hot oil.
I have not tested this recipe in an air fryer. The sourdough batter is quite thin and liquid, which means it may drip off or not set properly without being submerged in hot oil. For the crispiest coating and the best results, I recommend deep frying in a large pot or dutch oven as written.
Fresh cheddar cheese curds work best. I used white cheddar cheese curds, but orange cheddar curds are just as tasty. The key is freshness. Look for curds that still squeak when you bite into them, which means they are fresh and will hold up well during frying. You can usually find them at your local grocery store or a cheese store.
Absolutely. I kept the batter ingredients simple with just garlic salt to let the sourdough tang and melty cheese shine, but you can customize it to your liking. Try adding garlic powder, cayenne pepper for some heat, or even a pinch of paprika. Just be careful not to over-season since the cheese itself has plenty of flavor.
If you tried this Sourdough Fried Cheese Curds recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Sourdough Fried Cheese Curds Recipe
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Ingredients
Sourdough Fried Cheese Curds
- 2 pounds fresh cheese curds white or orange cheddar
- 240 grams sourdough discard 1 cup
- 1 large egg
- 4 grams garlic salt 3/4 teaspoon
- oil for frying
Homemade Ranch
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
- 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- pinch of black pepper
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
Instructions
- Pour oil to a large pot, like a Dutch oven, until you have about 2 inches of oil or enough to cover the curds completely. Heat the oil to 375 degrees F.oil for frying
- To help you easily regulate the oil temperature, I used this frying thermometer! This way I can keep an eye on the temperature throughout the frying process.
- While the oil is heating up, prepare the cheese curd batter.
- In a large bowl, add the sourdough discard, room temperature egg and garlic salt. Whisk until smooth.240 grams sourdough discard, 1 large egg, 4 grams garlic salt
- Place 2 lbs cheese curds into the batter and stir until they are all coated.2 pounds fresh cheese curds
- Using a slotted spoon, scoop the cheese curds and allow excess batter to fall off before adding 6-8 cheese curds to the hot oil. Be careful not to over crowd the pot, as this can lower the temperature of the oil. It's best to work in small batches.
- Fry the Sourdough Cheese Curds for 1-2 minutes or until the coating is lightly golden brown. Remove the fried curds with a steel strainer and place on top of paper towels on top of a wire rack to drain off any excess oil.
- Repeat the process with the remaining cheese curds.
- Serve them while hot with homemade ranch dressing and enjoy!
Homemade Ranch
- Add the mayo, sour cream, milk, dill weed, dried parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, a pinch of black pepper, and white vinegar to a separate bowl. Stir until smooth.1/4 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup mayo, 1/4 cup milk, 1/2 teaspoon dill weed, 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon onion powder, 1/8 teaspoon salt, pinch of black pepper, 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- Chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.
