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Queso Frito is another easy and tasty way of eating cheese. It is soft and chewy on the inside and very crispy on the outside. Serve it with a guava sauce to create the perfect balance between sweet and salty.
This Fried Cheese Recipe is one of those recipes that you’ll want to keep on making all the time to snack on or as a party food.
Queso Frito
The name Queso Frito is the Spanish translation for fried cheese. Every culture in the world has a fried cheese recipe. In Latin Cuisine, fried cheese is very popular. But in this recipe, I will show you the way that is eaten in the Caribbean.
In the Dominican Republic queso frito is cut into strips and pan-fried with a little bit of oil (like the image on the bottom left). Usually served for breakfast with their tres golpes which is when they serve mangu, fried eggs, fried salami, and fried cheese. It is truly delicious!
In Puerto Rico we like our queso frito cut into smaller pieces and deep fried until crunchy (like the image on the top right side). They are little cheese bites. Most of the time you will have this as an appetizer. But most of the time this will be just part of a platter of mini Puerto Rican fried foods.
Sometimes this platter brings carne frita (fried pork) or chicharron de pollo (fried crispy chicken) or both. It also can bring tostones, arañitas, sorrulitos de maiz, alcapurrias and pastelillos.
Ingredients
- 1. Queso de Freir- For this recipe, it is best to use queso de freir to get the best texture. It comes in many sizes and many brands like Tropical, Goya, or El Latino. The brand is not really important as long as it says cheese for frying. Don’t get confused with other white cheeses like queso fresco or queso blanco.
- 2. Oil- In this recipe, I use vegetable oil but you can use the oil you usually use for deep frying.
How To Make Queso Frito
- 1. The cheese will usually come with a small amount of water. So in the first steps, we must pat dry our cheese. What drying the cheese does is help it to get more crispy by removing the moisture. You will also avoid getting your oil to splatter out all over by adding that extra water to the hot oil.
- 2. Cut your cheese into small cubes that are about 1 inch thick. This is the perfect bite size so they can get nice and crispy.
- 3. Finally, all you have to do is deep fry the cheese for 2 minutes or until you see a nice golden color. The most important part is to constantly stir the cheese so it won’t stick together.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Best Type of Cheese for Frying?
The best type of cheese you can use for frying is one that has a high melting point. Which means that they need more heat to melt. But it also depends on how you are frying the cheese. If you are only pan frying then any high melt point cheese like halloumi or even mozzarella. But if you are deep frying, you better stick strictly to frying cheese only.
Do You Have to Freeze Cheese Before Frying?
You do not need to freeze cheese before frying if you use a high melting point cheese like frying cheese. A low melting point cheese or a cheese that melts fast then it must be frozen and most likely breaded too to help it keep its shape.
What to Serve With?
Great sauces to go with fried cheese a cilantro sauce, a mayoketchup sauce, or an aioli. A good co*cktail like a passion fruit mojito would be perfect too.
Storing and Reheating?
After you make the queso frito it’s suggested to serve it and enjoy it right away. If not possible, the best way to keep thequeso warm is in the oven. Preheat your oven for 10 minutes at 200° F and then turn it off. Any leftover cheese you can store in the warm oven with the light on. Keep only for 20 minutes maximum.
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Queso Frito
Queso Frito is super simple to make. It is chewy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. Great for a snack or as finger food.
By: Stephenie
5 from 4 votes
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Prep :6 minutes mins
Cook :2 minutes mins
Time :8 minutes mins
servings :16
Ingredients
- 16 ounces queso de freir (cheese for frying)
- 2 cups oil
Instructions
Pat dry the cheese. Cut the cheese into 1 inch cubes.
In a large pot over medium-high heat add your oil. Fry the cheese for 2 minutes or until they are golden brown. After the first minute has past, make sure to turn them over for a uniform color. Make sure to stir the cheese around to avoid it from sticking.
Remove the cheese from the oil onto a plate with a paper towel to absorb all the excess oil. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
1. Where to buy-
If in the USA you can usually find this cheese in Latin supermarkets or even at bodegas. Some big chains carry this cheese and is usually next to the shredded cheese. Most Walmarts tend to carry it.
2. Substitutions–
In my opinion, there is no other cheese that tastes like this one but there are similar ones. I find that any high-melting point cheese will do like halloumi, paneer, or mozzarella cheese. But keep in mind that is only if you are pan-frying the cheese Dominican Style.
3. Pan Frying-
If you want to pan fry queso frito you just have to cut the cheese into long pieces. In a pan add about 1 tablespoon of oil and over medium-high cook the cheese for 1 minute on each side.
4. Storing and Making Ahead–
This recipe is not meant for storing or making ahead of time. It is best to enjoy quickly while nice and hot. But if you want to prep this before or have any leftovers then the oven will do. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees F for 10 minutes and turn it off. Turn the light on and put your cheese in for no more than 20 minutes.
5. Yield-
The recipe can yield 16 servings which is 1 ounce per person.
Nutrition
Calories: 85kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 150mg | Potassium: -4mg | Sugar: 1g | Iron: 0.001mg
Course :Appetizer | Snack
Cuisine :Carribean | Latin Inspired | Puerto Rican
Tried this Recipe? Leave A Comment Below!
Did you like this Queso Frito Recipe? Looking for more finger foods? Here are a few!
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Reader Interactions
5 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)
