Make the Best Ever Culver’s Fried Cheese Curds at Home Today

Hands down Culver’s makes some of the best-fried cheese curds around. No matter if you enjoy them as a snack or as a side with a delicious butter burger. The flavor of these cheese curds when you make them fresh is nothing short out being out of this world!

a bowl of fried cheese curds.


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Culver’s Fried Cheese Curds

Culvers Fried cheese curds is another famous Culver’s dish. These golden brown, perfectly deep-fried cheese balls have a warm buttery crunch. They are made with only the freshest, un-aged, yellow and white Wisconsin cheddar cheeses.

If you live near a Culver’s restaurant, you can head over there and give them a try. But, you can also make them at home and, if you live in another state, bring a touch of Wisconsin to family dining – it’s not very difficult.

Hands down, Culvers Fried Cheese Curds are the best side for a butter burger. With this copycat recipe, you can make these famous cheese curds at home.

What makes this the copycat recipe you must try!

These fried cheese curds are breaded in the restaurant. If you notice many other online recipes for these fried curds are battered. The batter makes the difference in this recipe.

About Culver’s Restaurant

Culver’s is a real-deal family chain of eateries. George Culver is the grandson of a Wisconsin farmer and son of a cheesemaker. In 1961, George and his wife Ruth bought their first restaurant. They had no formal training but George had a natural command of the kitchen and Ruth provided warm and gracious hospitality.

George’s son Craig grew up serving guests and learning firsthand about delicious family-style food cooked to order. In 1984, the first Culver’s was opened in the family’s cherished hometown of Sauk City, Wisconsin. Craig wanted everyone to enjoy his mom’s homemade hamburgers and his favorite childhood vacation treat, Fresh Frozen Custard.

Culver’s Promise:
“Every Guest Who Chooses Culver’s Leaves Happy” — Craig Culver

About Cheese Curds

Cheese curds are young and pure pieces of baby cheddar that have never been aged or processed in any way. If you live in Wisconsin, you already know about cheese curds. Eaten uncooked or fried, cheese curds are not just another appetizer, they’re a unique Wisconsin delicacy.

Outside of Wisconsin, there may be people who’ve never even heard of eating cheese curds. But once eaten, cheese curds are never forgotten. Read more about the interesting history of cheese curds.

Recipe Ingredients

To make this easy fried cheese curds recipe, here’s what you’ll need:

  • All-purpose flour
  • Salt
  • Eggs
  • Whole milk – my preference is for whole milk, the batter adhere better with whole milk.
  • Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs
  • Cheese curds
  • Vegetable oil for frying – I like to use canola oil, but any type of vegetable oil will work well.
Culver's fried cheese curds ingredients on a baking sheet.

Where to Buy Cheese Curds

You probably won’t find cheese curds in your local grocery store unless you live in Wisconsin. But these fried cheese curds are so appetizing, you will want to order some cheese curds so you can make this dish. I found two sources of cheese curds that you can order online:

How to Make Fried Cheese Curds

  1. Place flour and salt in a shallow bowl and stir so the salt is evenly incorporated.
  2. Crack the eggs into a second shallow bowl with 1 tablespoon of milk. Beat the eggs until light and slightly foamy.
  3. Place the seasoned breadcrumbs in a third shallow bowl.
  4. Drop the battered cheese curds in the flour, then the egg, and finally the bread crumbs. Be sure to coat the cheese curds evenly and thoroughly with each layer of the breading. Shake off any excess breading.
  5. Place the coated curds on a wire rack resting on a rimmed baking sheet. Freeze them for about an hour.
  6. Pour enough oil into a large skillet or a pot to be at least 2 inches deep.
  7. Heat oil over medium-high heat to 375°F. Use a thermometer to verify the temperature. You don’t want the oil temperature too high or too low.
  8. Carefully place a few curds in the hot oil. Do not crowd the pot or the curds will not cook properly.
  9. Fry the curds for about 1 minute, turning them once. Cook until they are golden brown.
  10. Remove the fried cheese curds with a slotted spoon and place them on a clean wire rack over a baking sheet to drain.
  11. Repeat in batches with the remaining breaded curds.
  12. Enjoy immediately.
copycat culvers cheese curds in a bowl

Fried cheese curds are also awesome to make for a party and game day. They are great finger food and will disappear quickly.

bowl of homemade Culver's fried cheese curds.

Love cheesy side dishes? Try these recipes

More Party Food and Game Day Recipes

Be sure to check out more of my copycat side dish recipes and the best game day food.

Fried cheese curds in a bowl

Culver’s Fried Cheese Curds

You can make Culver's Fried Cheese Curds just like they do with this copycat recipe. 
5 from 33 votes
Print Pin Rate Add to Collection
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cheese Curds, Culvers Recipes, Fried Cheese Curds
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 961kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon whole milk
  • 2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 16 ounces cheese curds
  • vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

  • Combine flour and salt in a shallow bowl. Stir so the salt is incorporated evenly.
  • Break eggs into a second shallow bowl with 1 tablespoon of milk. Beat the eggs.
  • Place breadcrumbs into a third bowl.
  • Coat the curds first with flour, then the egg, and finally the bread crumbs. It is very important to coat the cheese curds evenly and thoroughly.
  • Place coated curds on a wire rack resting in a rimmed baking sheet. Freeze the cheese curds for 30 to 60 minutes.
  • Set up another wire rack on a baking sheet or line a plate with paper towels.
  • Pour enough oil into a large skillet or a pot to reach about 2 inches of oil.
  • Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Use a thermometer to make sure the temperature is 375 degrees.
  • Fry a few curds at a time, carefully drop a few in at a time. Do not crowd the skillet.
  • Fry for about 1 minute, turning them once. Cook until they are golden brown.
  • Remove the fried cheese curds with a slotted spoon and place them on a clean wire rack over a baking sheet to drain.
  • Enjoy immediately.

Video

Notes

Recommended equipment: T-Fal Deep Fryer and Thermometer

Nutrition

Calories: 961kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 57g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 285mg | Sodium: 1334mg | Potassium: 199mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 240IU | Calcium: 942mg | Iron: 4.8mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Greanbeens

    5 stars
    These turned out great! I didn’t have enough oil to completely cover them but I just flipped them half way through cooking. I used cheese bros garlic and dill curds and the flavor was amazing! Dipped them in homemade ranch!

  2. Mark Groessl

    I found this when I clicked on the Amazon link to purchase Cheese Curds: None available at this time. We don’t know when, or if, the will be in stock again.

  3. Lynne

    5 stars
    These are delicious! If I have extra can I leave them frozen before cooking. If so for how long? Thank you!

    • Airfry Geek

      Yes you can. Make sure they are put in the freezer for atleast an hour. I make giant batches and freeze them so i can slowly have a serving here and there.

      I cook mine on the crisper plate, oil free, one layer only, at 400° f for 6 minutes – shaking halfway.

      Some curds may ooze cheese but if you are using cheese curds it will be thick and not sticky. Let the cheese and curds solidify atleast 1 minute before eating. Super toasty! Again no need to spray with oil as the oil from the cheese will help toast them better.

      Double coating the cheese curd in the breadcrumbs makes a thicker casing and leads to less cheese oozing out of the shell

  4. Vera

    5 stars
    These were AMAZING! I have never had Fried Cheese Curds before but they are now a new addiction. I made the recipe exactly as posted and froze the curds for the full 60 minutes. They fried up nicely within 1-2 minutes. NO need for any kind of dipping sauce either. I live in Massachusetts and was able to purchase the curds at Wegman’s. $4.99 for 16 oz – very reasonable for me. I can’t wait to try some of your other copycat recipes.

  5. ZoomingAround

    5 stars
    Thanks for this recipe, I saw one online, and they were battered. That isn’t how they are in the restaurant. This recipe seems more authentic.

5 from 33 votes (22 ratings without comment)

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