Gluten-Free Cheese Curds
Gluten-free fried cheese curds with a light, crispy batter that shatters when you bite through it. White cheddar curds get a cornstarch coating, a dip in club soda batter, and a quick fry until golden. Melty and stretchy on the inside, crunchy on the outside. We like them with ranch or marinara for dipping.
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Ingredients
- 1 lb (453 g) white cheddar cheese curds
- ¼ cup (32 g) cornstarch
- 1 cup (140 g) gluten-free flour blend - Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (in the blue bag)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup (237 g) club soda - 8 oz
- 2 quarts (1.89 kg) canola oil or peanut oil - or other neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point
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Instructions
- Pour 2 quarts (1.89 kg) canola oil or peanut oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven. Attach a deep fry thermometer to the side. Heat over medium until the oil reaches 365°F.
- While the oil heats, toss 1 lb (453 g) white cheddar cheese curds with ¼ cup (32 g) cornstarch in a bowl until evenly coated. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup (140 g) gluten-free flour blend, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Pour in the cold 1 cup (237 g) club soda and stir until smooth. Use the batter right away while it's still carbonated.
- Add 5-6 cornstarch-coated curds to the batter. Lift out with a slotted spoon, tapping off excess.
- Carefully lower into the 365°F oil. Fry 1-2 minutes until golden brown.
- Transfer to a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Repeat with remaining curds, checking oil temperature between batches.
- Serve immediately with ranch or marinara for dipping.
Notes
- Nutrition: Nutritional information is only meant to be used as a guide. I assumed 10% oil absorption for the nutritional calculation which can vary.
- Pot: Use a heavy-bottomed pot, such as a dutch oven, that has high sides. The oil will bubble up a bit. I used 2 quarts of oil, which was about 3 inches deep in my dutch oven.
- Oil Temperature: Be sure that the oil temperature stays at 365F. If you find that’s not quite hot enough for your cheese curds to cook in 1-2 minutes, you can increase the temperature up to 375F, but I’ve found that 365F is perfect for this recipe.
- CAUTION: The oil will be very hot! Use a spider spatula or wood tongs or chopsticks to place the cheese curds in the oil and remove them from the oil after frying to minimize any splashing of hot oil.
Nutrition
Calories: 674kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 1035mg | Potassium: 219mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 246IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 921mg | Iron: 1mg
