Fried Cheese Balls

cheese balls served in a tin bucket with marinara dip blurred in the front

5 from 6 votes

Fried Cheese Balls are the perfect party snack. Using mozzarella or bocconcini balls, these easy cheesy balls of joy couldn't be easier to make!

Prep Time15

Cook Time5

Total Time20

Course: Appetizer, Finger Food

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: Chris Collins

Cost: £1 / $1

Equipment

Large Deep Pot or Pan (for deep frying)
Slotted Spoon
3 Medium Bowls
Paper Towels
Wire Rack
Kitchen Thermometer

Ingredients

7oz / 200g Cherry Mozzarella Balls (see notes)
3-4cups / 750ml-1litre Vegetable/Canola/Sunflower Oil/Rapeseed Oil
1 cup / 100g Italian Breadcrumbs (see notes)
2 tbsp Plain Flour, or as needed
2 large Eggs, beaten
splash of Milk
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Instructions

Pat your mozzarella dry with paper towels.
Set up your stations: 1 bowl of flour with a pinch of salt and pepper, followed by 1 bowl of eggs with a splash of milk, followed by a bowl of your breadcrumbs with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Dip the mozzarella into the flour, then into the egg, then into the breadcrumbs, back into the egg and finally back into the breadcrumbs again. Repeat for all mozzarella balls.
Heat up your oil in a suitably sized pot/pan to 180C/356F. Test one of your mozzarella balls to see if it rapidly sizzles, then enter the rest in batches of 2 or 3. Fry for no longer than a couple of minutes or until you see the cheese start to leak. Make sure the oil returns to temp before each batch.
Rest each batch on a wire rack with paper towels underneath to catch excess oil. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

a) Cherry Mozzarella Sub - bocconcini is usually more accessible and usually larger, so feel free to sub that. You can also just cut a large ball of mozzarella into smaller chunks (they just obviously won't be as spherical).

b) Italian Breadcrumbs Sub - If you can't get your hands on any Italian Breadcrumbs then simply mix into 1 cup of regular dried breadcrumbs the following: 1/2 tsp dried basil & parsley and 1/4 tsp garlic powder, onion powder and oregano. If you don't have the individual herbs, mix in 2 tsp of Italian Seasoning instead.

Failing all the above you can just use regular breadcrumbs and season well with a pinch of salt and pepper.

c) Pre Freezing - Honestly I don't find a huge difference in popping them in the freezer before you deep fry, but if you are conscious of them bursting then pop them in the freezer for 10/15mins before you fry them. Either way, a very short burst of deep frying is all you'll need and the moment you see cheese begin to seep through, remove them for the oil.

d) Thick Coating - Be sure to double dip the mozzarella balls and ensure that no white is showing before you pop them in the oil.

e) Marinara Dipping Sauce - Check out my homemade Marinara Dipping Sauce!

f) Serving - Based on 30 balls, so 6 balls per person.

g) Calories - This is an OVERESTIMATE as it assumes all the flour, egg (+1tbsp milk) and breadcrumbs is used. Based on each ball soaking 1/2tsp canola oil. Based on one serving (6 balls).

Nutrition