These quick and delicious Keto Cheese Curds make an excellent low-carb snack or appetizer to share. Learn how to make them two ways: pan-fry on the stovetop or by a no-fuss baking method in the oven. With only 4 ingredients, you can have a batch of these cheesy bites in under 20 minutes.
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Are Cheese Curds Keto?
Cheese curds are one of the best keto foods. They are naturally low in carbs and high in fat, making them an ideal keto snack or appetizer. They are full of fabulous textures with a plump and cheesy inside covered in a crispy exterior. The flavor is remarkably delicious, so if your keto diet plan has become monotonous, make a batch of these savory bites to jazz things up.
Cheese curds are fresh curds of cheese, often cheddar cheese. Traditional cheese is usually aged for months or years to reach that savory flavor and rich texture. Cheese curds are the opposite. They are valued by how fresh they are and, as a result, usually have a short shelf-life.
Testing this recipe started as my husband did the daily milking, and I prepared to make cheese curds from scratch. I’m impressed with cheese curds, it’s a relatively quick process (the cheese finishes in 5 hours rather than a number of days) and yields a developed flavor even without aging.
I noticed the recipe uses thermophilic culture, which seems to be the key factor in preventing them from melting in the oven. The term “thermophilic” indicates the culture thrives at high temperatures. Since this cheese is heat resistant, it is a prime candidate for cooking and frying.
Making curds from scratch is entirely optional. You can find cheese curds at your local grocery stores or order them directly from farms online. Remember that the fresher the curds, the tastier your fried or baked cheese curds will be.
How to Make Keto Cheese Curds
Gather 4 basic ingredients, and you’re halfway to making keto cheese curds in just 20 minutes.
These tasty morsels come together quickly. Toss cheese curds in whisked eggs, coat in Parmesan cheese, then cook to golden perfection for delicious and savory bite-sized pieces.
Learn how to fry cheese curds in a pan or easily bake them in an oven. Either way, these keto cheese curds don’t take much time or effort for an easy snack or appetizer you can’t resist.
Ingredients
- Cheese curds – two cups of the freshest cheese curds you can find
- Eggs – whisk a few large eggs to coat the curds. Buy farm-fresh eggs, if you can.
- Parmesan cheese – a three ounces of finely grated Parmesan cheese
- Garlic powder – for flavor. I buy herbs and spices from Mountain Rose Herbs.
- Cooking oil if using the frying method – lard, tallow, or another healthy fat with a high smoking point like avocado oil will work; avoid low-quality vegetable oils like canola oil.
Substitutions and Variations
This keto cheese curds recipe is already gluten-free, grain-free, and nut-free. As the name suggests, it is essential to have cheese in this recipe. Therefore, this cheesy appetizer cannot be modified to be dairy-free, Whole30, or true paleo. Some people on the paleo diet tolerate dairy and would therefore follow the recipe as written.
Additionally, if you are following a GAPS diet, it’s best to hold off on this cheesy snack. Certain aged cheeses are allowed on GAPS, but fresh cheeses like cheese curds should be avoided.
- Keto diet – This recipe is naturally low-carb and keto-friendly.
- Carnivore diet – As a zero-fiber recipe, this is a great carnivore snack option. Omit garlic powder and bake or fry in an animal fat like lard or tallow for a strict carnivore recipe.
- Low oxalate diet – All ingredients are low-oxalate ingredients.
Step-By-Step Directions
Follow these simple directions, and you can’t go wrong! This cheese curds recipe doesn’t require batter, so the directions are relatively simple and go quickly.
The best part is that we outline two different methods of preparing cheese curds: baked and fried. Choose the one that works best for you.
Whether baked or fried, cheese curds pair well with a dipping sauce like 3-ingredient onion dip, sugar-free ketchup, or spicy mayonnaise.
Baked Cheese Curds
Oven-baked cheese curds produce chunky, gooey, perfectly soft curds. This cooking method is my favorite to achieve a classic plump cheese curd texture.
Besides, the ease of preparation makes this method a breeze. Just toss and coat the cheese curds, then pop them in the oven to bake until perfectly golden brown. No need to stand over the stove babysitting the curds. The best part is cleaning up is significantly less than frying.
Step one: Toss
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 degrees Celsius).
Whisk the eggs and garlic powder together in a large bowl. Toss the cheese curds to coat all surfaces evenly.
Step two: Coat
Add the Parmesan cheese to a second bowl and lightly roll a curd, one at a time, until covered.
Alternatively, fill a large ziplock bag with the cheese and one-quarter of the curds, seal the bag with air in it, and shake gently a few times to coat the curds.
Work in batches until all the curds are coated. Remove each batch before adding more.
Do not mix so many curds at a time that the egg moistens the cheese and turns it clumpy.
Step three: Bake
Arrange cheese-covered curds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the tops turn golden brown and the cheese sizzles.
Remove from heat and cool slightly before serving.
Pan-Fried Cheese Curds
Keto fried cheese curds are perfectly crisp on the outside with a luscious soft interior. Fried cheese is a comfort food you’ll have a hard time resisting.
Step one: Toss
As with the baking method above, we’ll start with coating the cheese curds first. Whisk the eggs and garlic powder together in a large bowl. Toss the cheese curds to coat all surfaces evenly.
Step two: Coat
Add the Parmesan cheese to a second bowl and lightly roll a curd, one at a time, until covered.
Alternatively, fill a large ziplock bag with the cheese and one-quarter of the curds, seal the bag with air in it, and shake gently a few times to coat the curds.
Work in batches until all the curds are coated. Remove each batch before adding more.
Do not mix so many curds at a time that the egg moistens the cheese and turns it clumpy.
Step three: Fry
Heat the cooking oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat. I prefer lard for frying because it’s a traditional animal fat ideal for fried foods like cheese curds. You can also substitute with tallow or vegetable oil like avocado oil with a high smoke point.
Using a slotted spoon or spatula, arrange the cheese curds in a single layer and fry the first side until golden brown.
Flip and continue cooking the second side, also until golden brown. I spent approximately 2-3 minutes on each side.
The oil may bubble and froth, this is fine. Tip the pan to the side a little and spoon the pooled up oil over the curds while the second side cooks.
Remove cheese curds from heat and cool slightly before serving.
Nutritional Info
This recipe yields 6 (2-ounce) servings of fried or baked cheese curds.
Wondering how many carbs in cheese curds? Let’s take a look. Because it’s primarily cheese and eggs, it’s no surprise that cheese curds are very low in carbs. There are only 2 net carbs in cheese curds per serving size.
Check out more nutrition stats of these gluten-free cheese curds for a detailed view.
Each serving contains:
- 349 calories
- 21 g protein
- 28 g fat
- 2 g total carbs
- 2 g net carbs
Please note that the nutritional value will change if you substitute ingredients. Use a nutrition app to recalculate and reflect your changes.
More Animal-Based Carnivore Keto Snacks
- Sugar-Free Pickled Eggs – a tangy and delicious snack
- Chicken Liver Pate – ultra creamy and nutrient-dense
- Keto Pickle Chips – a quick to bake and cheesy treat
- Easy Crack Dip – the perfect dip for all occasions
- Chicken Feet Adobo – a low-carb nose-to-tail Asian dish
Fried or Baked Cheese Curds Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 12 ounces cheese curds
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
- ¼ cup lard tallow, or other cooking oil, for frying only
Instructions
Baked Cheese Curds:
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
- Whisk the eggs and garlic powder together in a large bowl. Toss the cheese curds in the egg and coat all sides evenly.2 large eggs, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 12 ounces cheese curds
- Add the Parmesan cheese to a bowl and lightly roll a curd, one at a time, until covered. Alternatively, fill a large ziplock bag with the cheese and one-quarter of the curds, seal the bag with air in it, and shake gently a few times to coat the curds. Work in batches until all are coated, removing each batch before adding more. Do not mix so much that the egg moistens the cheese and turns clumpy.1 cup Parmesan cheese
- Arrange cheese-covered curds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the tops turn golden brown and the cheese sizzles. Remove from heat and cool slightly before serving.
Fried Cheese Curds:
- Follow steps 2 and 3 and prep the curds in the same way as for the baking method above.
- Heat the cooking oil in a heavy bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat.¼ cup lard
- Using a slotted spoon or spatula, arrange the cheese curds in a single layer and fry until golden brown. Flip and continue cooking the second side also until golden brown. I spent approximately, 2-3 minutes on each side. The oil may bubble and froth, this is fine. Tip the pan to the side a little and spoon the pooled up oil over the curds while the second side cooks. Remove from heat and cool slightly before serving.
Nutrition & Macros
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, please calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients and amounts used, using your preferred nutrition calculator. Under no circumstances shall the this website and the author be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on the given nutritional information.
What is the best cheese to use for this?
Hi Amy, “Cheese curd,” like the recipe suggests, is the best type of cheese. This is a specific product you can by at a grocery store or direct from farmers online. There is more information about cheese curds in the beginning of the post. I suggest you read it and then let me know if you have any more questions. Thanks for stopping by!
I am a first timer to cheese curds. But I have got to say, it was super delicious. It was also a lot easier than I thought it would be. Will make this recipe again.
I’m honored that you enjoyed the recipe enough to leave a 5-star review. Thanks for your support!
This keto cheese curd is so delicious! I made some on our movie night with my kids and they actually loved it! I will be making this again!
Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe.
These keto cheese curds have been in my on-repeat recipes. I am used to baking them in the oven and they always turned out incredibly scrumptious and smell so good! Most of all, they are guilt-free!
It’s wonderful to know you loved the recipe! I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.
We baked our cheese curds, and they turned out so well! My daughter said I made them ALMOST as good as all of the ones she sampled during our trip to Milwaukee. Ha!
Your review brought a smile to my face. I’m delighted the recipe was a hit for you. Thanks for sharing!
I love these cheese curds! I’ve tried so many different low-carb snacks and appetizers to share with my family, and nothing has ever been quite right. These are the perfect combination of cheesy inside and crispy exterior.
I’m so pleased you enjoyed the recipe. Feel free to explore more on the blog!
How did you get the batter to stick? My husband made these and he got a pan of melted flat cheese.
Hi there, I would review the type of cheese you used. It sounds like there is a better choice for you. Traditional cheese curds are made specifically to withstand heat and not melt.
My family went absolutely bananas for these cheese curds. Will definitely be making them again soon.
Haha, same here! Had to set some aside for my husband before the kids took them all.