The Best Fried Goat Cheese Balls

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These delectably delicious Fried Goat Cheese Balls are an ooey, gooey, melt in your mouth appetizer that’s surprisingly easy to make. With just a few ingredients, they make the perfect party bite, holiday appetizer or just a fun snack for movie night!

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Fried Goat Cheese Balls

I’m all about the appetizers! In fact, they may just be my favorite food group. I’ve made everything from sausage stuffed mushrooms to jalapeno poppers with cream cheese and bacon. But, if you’re looking for an easy appetizer that wows a crowd, you’ve definitely come to the right place!

While I’ve always been a fan of creamy goat cheese, these crispy fried goat cheese balls are just over the top amazing! Not only are they easy to make but they are the perfect party appetizer when you want to serve something just a little extra special.

Creamy goat cheese slices are formed into perfect bite-sized balls, coated in panko breadcrumbs and fried until they’re gloriously golden brown. Is your mouth watering yet? Oh, it should be! You’ve got to give these a try! 

💖 Why We Love This Recipe

• Quick and easy recipe to make using pantry staples.
• Super fun finger food that’s great at parties, tailgating, or just for snacking.
• Great make ahead recipe. Coat the cheese and freeze until ready to fry.

Readers agree it’s a must-try recipe:

“I’m definitely going to have to try this! Goat cheese is so good, I can only imagine how delicious it would be FRIED. Brilliant!”- Cristina

🥄 Recommended Tools:

• Cast iron skillet (or other small frying pan)
• Sheet pan
• Small bowls
• Slotted spoon

🛒 Ingredients

• Goat cheese
• Panko crumbs
• All purpose flour
• Egg-beaten
• Salt and black pepper
• Olive oil
• Marinara sauce or honey for dipping

📄 How to Make Fried Goat Cheese

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 1. Use a sharp knife to cut a 6 ounce log of goat cheese into 12 pieces.

TIP: To get clean slices from the goat cheese log, you may want to pop it in the freezer for about 10 minutes to firm up. Slice it using a non-serrated knife, wiped clean after each slice. Or you can use a thin stainless-steel wire like they do in the fancy cheese shops (unflavored dental floss will work too 😉). 

Step 2. Use the palms of your hands to shape the slices of goat cheese into a ball. Place on the baking sheet and freeze for about 10 minutes (this will keep them firm while you coat them).

Step 3. Place flour into a shallow bowl and beaten egg into a second bowl. These will be for your egg wash. Then fill a separate bowl with panko bread crumbs. You should have three small separate bowls at your breading station.

Step 4. Dredge the goat cheese balls in flour, dip into the egg, then roll in the Panko breadcrumbs until covered.

Step 5. Heat oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat (or use your deep fryer). I prefer to use a little olive oil, but you can also use vegetable oil or canola oil. Add 3-4 balls at a time into the hot oil.

Tip: To get evenly fried goat cheese, don’t over crowd the pan. Cooking them in small batches is more manageable and allows room for you to flip them over.

Step 6. Be sure to turn them frequently so that they are evenly cooked on all sides. Once they reach golden brown perfection, remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.

Step 7. Place your hot crispy goat cheese balls on a serving platter, garnish with a little kosher salt or flaky sea salt, fresh herbs or parsley and serve hot.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a couple of days.

Variations of Fried Goat Cheese

• Goat cheese: Have fun and experiment with all the different flavors of goat cheese you see at the grocery store. Herb garlic is one of my favorites.

• Sauce: Marinara is a classic sauce served with fried goat cheese and used to be my favorite. But honey gives this appetizer a completely different taste and the sweetness really brings out the flavor of the goat cheese!  You could even make a dipping station and experiment with other sauces…maybe a little balsamic vinegar?

• Breadcrumbs: Panko gives these little goat cheese poppers an amazing crispy coating, but you can also use Italian breadcrumbs or even just the plain kind. Sometimes I’ll even add a spoonful or two of parmesan cheese to the breadcrumbs for a little extra flavor.

• Add seasonings: Add additional flavor to the fried cheese by mixing a pinch of garlic powder or onion powder into the flour. Try a pinch of cayenne pepper for a little kick of heat.

• Air fryer: If you have wondered if you can make fried goat cheese in an air fryer, the answer is absolutely! Personally, I love the flavor the olive oil gives the crust. But if you don’t want to fry them, just preheat your air fryer to 390F and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serving Suggestions:

While they’re perfect just as they are with a nice glass of red wine, these fried goat cheese balls are fantastic served in a simple salad with peppery arugula and fresh fruits like sliced apples or pears.

They’re also a delicious way to take your cheese board or charcuterie board to a whole other level!

Can You Reheat Fried Goat Cheese?

Once the coating has cooled, the crust will lose some of its crispiness. When you reheat them, they won’t have the same texture, but all the yummy flavors will be there.

You can reheat them on a sheet pan in the oven, pop them in the microwave on medium heat or place them in an air fryer.

Can You Freeze Goat Cheese Balls to Fry Later?

Yes, instead of freezing them for 10 minutes, store them in a freezer bag and save them until you’re ready to make the recipe.

Want More Delicious Appetizer Recipes?

• Ground Beef Taco Dip
• Jalapeno Popper Pinwheels
• Jalapeno Popper Flatbread
• Easy Pizza Pinwheels
• Bacon Wrapped Meatballs
• Sour Cream Veggie Dip
• Pretzel Bites
• Seven-Layer Dip Cups
• Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Print Recipe

4.69 from 32 votes

Fried Goat Cheese Balls

This Fried Goat Cheese, with a soft, gooey center and a crispy outside, makes for a mouthwatering appetizer that goat cheese lovers won't be able to get enough of!

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time5 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Course: Appetizers/Party Foods

Cuisine: American

Keyword: fried goat cheese, goat cheese appetizer

Servings: 12

Calories: 142kcal

Equipment

• wax paper
• skillet

Ingredients

• 6 oz. Goat Cheese
• 1/2 cup Panko crumbs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 egg beaten
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• marinara and/or honey for dipping

Instructions

• Slice goat cheese into 12 pieces
  6 oz. Goat Cheese
• Use the palms of your hands to roll cheese into balls. Place on wax paper and put in freezer for approx. 5 minutes. This will make it stay firm for the next steps.
• Mix Panko crumbs, salt and pepper in a bowl.
  1/2 cup Panko crumbs, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper
• Dredge goat cheese balls in flour, dip in egg then roll in Panko crumbs
  1/4 cup flour, 1 egg
• Heat oil on medium high and gently drop in the goat cheese
  1/2 cup olive oil
• Turn as they cook so they’ll cook evenly. Remove from oil when they are a golden brown.
• Take out of the oil and place on a paper towel for a minute or two to absorb any extra oil.
• Serve hot with honey and/or marinara sauce.

Notes

If you want to freeze these for later, just store the prepared goat cheese balls in a freezer bag until you’re ready to cook them.  

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 142kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 270mg | Potassium: 19mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 167IU | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg