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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These fried goat cheese balls taste like something you’d order at a restaurant, but better. They’re naturally gluten-free when you use gluten-free flour and gluten-free panko, and you can cook them in the air fryer or shallow fry them, depending on what kind of mood you’re in. The shallow-fried version gets that extra-deep crunch that makes you close your eyes for a second, but the air fryer version is great when you want something lighter.
I love drizzling them with hot honey because the sweet heat melts into the warm goat cheese in the most satisfying way. These also always end up being the appetizer people hover around first at gatherings. If I’m hosting, I set them out with something creamy like my Caramelized Onion Bacon Dip, and something crisp and salty like Easy Garlic Herb Crispy Stacked Potatoes, so there’s a little balance.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Plain goat cheese: The base of these bites and what gives them their tangy, creamy center. Use any soft goat cheese log.
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour: Helps the coating adhere to the cheese. Regular all-purpose flour works if you don’t need them gluten-free.
- Egg: Acts as the binder so the panko sticks well.
- Pork panko or gluten free panko: Creates that crisp, golden crust. Regular panko works too.
- Italian seasoning: Adds a subtle boost of flavor to the breadcrumb coating.
- Cooking spray or avocado oil: Cooking spray is ideal for air frying, while avocado oil (or another neutral oil) is perfect for shallow frying.
- Flaky sea salt: Finishes the bites with a light crunch and enhances flavor.
- Chopped parsley: This is optional but acts as a fresh garnish that adds color.
- Hot honey or regular honey: Drizzle for sweetness that pairs perfectly with the warm goat cheese.
How to Make Fried Goat Cheese Balls
Step 1: Cut the goat cheese log into 5 even pieces, then cut each piece into 4 smaller pieces to make 20 pieces total. Roll each one into a smooth ball. They don’t have to be perfect – slightly uneven ones brown beautifully.
Step 2: Add the goat cheese balls to a bowl, sprinkle with flour, and toss to coat evenly.
Step 3: Add the beaten egg to one shallow bowl and whisk the panko and Italian seasoning together in another.
Step 4: Dip each flour-coated ball into the egg, then roll it in the seasoned panko until fully coated. I usually do this assembly-line style so the coating sticks well.
Step 5: (Air Fryer Method): Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Spray the balls with cooking spray and air fry for 5-7 minutes until crisp and golden. (Shallow Frying Method): Heat ½ inch of avocado oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once the oil reaches 360°F, add 4-5 balls at a time. Cook for 1 minute, turn, then cook for another minute until golden on all sides. This is the method that gets the loudest crunch.
Step 6: Serve warm, garnish with flaky sea salt and parsley, and finish with hot honey or regular honey.
Recipe Tips
- Keep the goat cheese cold before rolling so it holds its shape while coating.
- Press the panko on gently to help it adhere and create an even crust.
- Avoid overcrowding the air fryer or skillet so the coating gets evenly crisp.
- If shallow frying, let the oil return to temperature between batches.
- Drizzle the honey right before serving so the coating stays crunchy.
- For an appetizer spread with contrasting textures, I like mixing crisp bites with softer ones – similar to the balance in these Air Fryer Brie Stuffed Dates.
Make Ahead, Storage & Reheating Tips
- These are best eaten right away while they’re still warm and crisp, but leftovers hold up surprisingly well. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 400°F for 3-4 minutes, or warm them in the oven at 350°F for 5-10 minutes. They crisp up again almost like new, which is why I often make a double batch when I know we’ll want extras the next day. They crisp up again almost like new, just as reliably as these Creamy Bacon Stuffed Peppers that I often prep ahead for gatherings or parties.
- You can assemble the goat cheese balls up to 24 hours ahead. Roll, coat, and place them on a parchment-lined tray, then keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to cook. They’ll firm up in the cold, which actually helps them fry more evenly. If you need longer storage, freeze the coated balls on a sheet pan, then transfer to a bag. Fry straight from frozen, just add an extra minute to the cook time.
Goat Cheese Balls Recipe FAQs
This usually happens when the oil isn’t hot enough or the coating isn’t fully sealed. Make sure the cheese is well-coated in flour, egg, and panko, and wait until the oil reaches 360°F before frying. Adding too many balls at once can also drop the temperature and cause them to break apart.
A full, even coating helps seal everything in. If you see bare spots, add a little extra panko.
No. The cheese holds its shape well as long as it’s coated evenly.
It usually means the flour, egg, and panko layers didn’t fully adhere. Make sure the goat cheese isn’t too warm and that each layer is pressed on gently.
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Easy Fried Goat Cheese Balls (Sur Copycat!)
Ingredients
- 8 oz goat cheese, plain
- 3 tbsp gluten free all purpose flour, or regular all purpose flour
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3/4 cup pork panko, or gluten free panko or regular panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- Cooking spray , or avocado oil (or another neutral flavored oil) for shallow frying
- Flakey sea salt and chopped parsley, for garnish
- Hot honey or regular honey, for drizzling
Instructions
- Cut the goat cheese log into 5 even pieces. Cut each piece into 4 even piece, so you have 20 pieces total. Roll each piece into a ball with your hands.8 oz goat cheese
- Add the goat cheese balls to a bowl and sprinkle flour over it. Toss to coat evenly.3 tbsp gluten free all purpose flour
- Add the beaten egg in a shallow bowl, and whisk together panko and Italian seasoning in another shallow bowl.1 egg, 3/4 cup pork panko, 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- One by one, add a flour coated cheese ball to the beaten egg to cover evenly, then coat in the seasoned panko. Repeat with all the goat cheese balls.
- To air fry: Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F. Spray the balls with cooking spray, and air fry for 5-7 minutes until golden brown and crispy.To shallow fry: Add 1/2 inch of avocado oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once the oil reaches 360 degrees, add 4-5 balls at a time, and cook for 1 minute. Turn and cook for another minute until golden brown on all sides. Remove, and repeat with the remaining goat cheese balls.Cooking spray
- Serve warm, garnished with flakey sea salt and chopped parsley. Drizzle or dip in hot honey or regular honey. Enjoy!Flakey sea salt and chopped parsley, Hot honey or regular honey
Notes
- Keep the goat cheese cold before rolling so it holds its shape while coating.
- Press the panko on gently to help it adhere and create an even crust.
- Avoid overcrowding the air fryer or skillet so the coating gets evenly crisp.
- If shallow frying, let the oil return to temperature between batches.
- Drizzle the honey right before serving so the coating stays crunchy.
- These are best eaten right away while they’re still warm and crisp, but leftovers hold up surprisingly well. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 400°F for 3-4 minutes, or warm them in the oven at 350°F for 5-10 minutes. They crisp up again almost like new, which is why I often make a double batch when I know we’ll want extras the next day.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
