Easy Fried Goat Cheese Balls (Sur Copycat!)

There’s something unforgettable about fried goat cheese balls. Ever since I saw the cast of Vanderpump Rules eat them at the iconic LA restaurant Sur, I’ve been dreaming of these little appetizer bites. While I’ve never tried the original, I’ve ordered versions at a few different restaurants over the years, and every single time I find myself wishing the plate came with twice as many. Once I realized how easy they are to make at home with just a handful of ingredients, I couldn’t believe I’d waited this long.

Prep Time15

Cook Time8

Total Time23

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: fried goat cheese balls

Servings: servings

Author: Jean Choi

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

Video

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