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    Home » Recipes » Appetizers & Snacks

    Gluten-Free Cheese Curds - Culver's Copycat - Air Fried or Deep Fried

    Published: Feb 4, 2022 · Updated: Feb 4, 2022 by Katie | Wheat by the Wayside · This post may contain affiliate links, through which I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Plate full of gluten free cheese curds, one is dunked in ranch dip.
    A plate full of gluten free cheese curds with a bowl of marinara. An open curd with melted cheese pouring out.
    Melty cheese pull of broken open cheese curd.

    Homemade gluten-free cheese curds are chunks of cheese battered and fried until golden and crunchy, just like Culver's! This easy to make appetizer can be deep fried or air fried. A fun Super Bowl appetizer or for anytime the greasy food craving hits!

    Plate full of gluten free cheese curds, one is dunked in ranch dip.
    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • What are Cheese Curds?
    • Ingredients
    • The Method
    • How to Make Cheese Curds
    • Deep Fry vs. Air Fry
    • Storage
    • Top Tips
    • Recipe
    • Comments and Ratings

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    I've yet to meet anyone who doesn't love these fried gluten-free cheese curds! Hunks of gooey cheese coated in a crunchy seasoned batter?! Sign me up!

    Whether you want a fun appetizer to serve at your next Super Bowl party or you're just craving some greasy food, this recipe is sure to hit the spot!

    They are pretty easy to make and can even be frozen to cook later! You can deep fry them or pop them in the air fryer to avoid using all the oil.

    Serve them with your favorite dipping sauces, like ranch or marinara!

    If you're looking for more easy appetizers, be sure to check out gluten-free cheez-its, easy pretzel bites, and this 5-minute French onion dip!

    Melty cheese is stretched from torn open gluten free cheese curd.

    What are Cheese Curds?

    While cheese curds are found in many places, the version we're making today tends to be synonymous with the midwest, especially Wisconsin and Minnesota. While you may be familiar with fried mozzarella sticks, fried cheese curds are not made from mozzarella cheese. The type of cheese is actually pre-cheddar cheese! Let me explain...

    Cheese curds are bits of fresh cheese that are part of the cheese making process. During this process, milk is curdled, which separates the whey from the curds. The curds are then either packaged and sold as cheese curds or the curds continue on in the process to be molded and aged into the cheddar cheese that you would buy at the grocery store. The only difference between white and orange cheese curds is the addition of annatto which is what gives cheddar cheese its orange color.

    Cheese curds themselves are naturally gluten-free. They can be eaten plain and are often referred to as squeaky cheese, which is a sign of freshness! In Canada, you'll often see cheese curds in poutine.

    In the midwest, you'll see cheese curds battered, fried, and served as an appetizer. Typically they are coated with breadcrumbs or a wet batter like these cheese curds. My recipe is meant to be a copycat of Culver's cheese curds, which is kind of a cross between the two.

    Ingredients

    Ingredients for cheese curds measured out in bowls, labeled.

    Not many ingredients are needed for this recipe, many of which you probably already have on hand! So grab yourself some curds and make them anytime the craving hits!

    • Cheese curds: Fresh cheese curds can be found at the grocery store, online, or even in a castle.
    • Gluten-free breadcrumbs: I used 4C gluten-free plain breadcrumbs. Any plain gluten-free breadcrumbs or panko should work fine in this recipe.
    • Gluten-free flour: I tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure and Namaste Perfect Blend. Pretty much any 1:1 flour blend should work in this recipe. I might avoid Cup4Cup though as it tends to get pretty gloopy when combined with milk, which will be tricky to work with.
    • Cornmeal: Adds a nice crunch to the batter.
    • Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder: add a ton of great flavor!

    The Method

    Making these cheese curds just like Culver's involves a three-step process of a pre-dust with flour, dipping in a batter, and then coating in breadcrumbs. It's quite simple, but it is the secret to making cheese curds with that thick layer of breading that doesn't ooze out all of the cheese while they cook!

    Sometimes, like with my gluten-free chicken tenders, you'll see a breading process of flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, which also works, but trust me, this method makes a next level cheese curd!

    How to Make Cheese Curds

    Collage: stirring batter with whisk, cheese curds coated in flour in bowl, cheese curds dunked in batter, cheese curd in breadcrumbs.
    1. First, prep the pre-dust, batter, and breadcrumbs. Each is seasoned to perfection!
    2. Toss the cheese curds in the flour (pre-dust).
    3. Dip the flour coated cheese curds in the batter. Make sure the cheese curds are evenly coated and there is no flour or cheese showing.
    4. Roll the batter dipped cheeseacurds in the breadcrumb mixture.
    5. The cheese curd should be evenly coated without any bits of cheese showing. If there is cheese showing through, gently dip that part back into the batter and breadcrumbs.
    6. Let the cheese curds rest for 30 minutes to allow the coating to adhere. You can also freeze the cheese curds at this stage.
    7. Fry the cheese curds in batches, either in a deep fryer or air fryer, until golden and the cheese is melty. This only takes a few minutes.
    8. Remove the cheese curds and allow to cool slightly before taking a bite! Continue to fry as many cheese curds as needed! Serve with your favorite dipping sauces.
    Collage: cheese curd coated in breadcrumbs, tray full of breaded cheese curds, cheese curds frying in bubbling oil, slotted spoon holding fried cheese curds.

    Deep Fry vs. Air Fry

    This recipe works wonderfully with either method of frying, deep fried or air fried! WIth each method the curds cook in about the same amount of time. They also get equally as crunchy!

    Using the air fryer is a healthier option because it doesn't require any oil to get the crunchy exterior. You can also cook from frozen using either method.

    The desired oil temperature for deep frying is around 375°F. The desired temperature for the air fryer is 400°F.

    The cheese curds cook in about 3-4 minutes for deep fried and 5-7 minutes for air fried.

    Storage

    • Cheese curds can be made up to one day in advance and refrigerated.
    • Cheese curds can also be frozen for up to 3 months after the breading process. Cook directly from frozen, adding a minute or two to the cook time.
    • Leftover cheese curds can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. They can be reheated in the air fryer or popped back into the deep fryer.
    A plate full of gluten free cheese curds with a bowl of marinara. An open curd with melted cheese pouring out.

    Top Tips

    • Any bits of cheese showing after the curds are breaded, are an opportunity for cheese to ooze out when cooking. If you have exposed cheese, dip that part back into the batter and breadcrumbs.
    • Keep an eye on them while they cook. They will tend to ooze cheese if you cook them for too long. Pull them out when they are nice and golden brown and before cheese starts to ooze out too much.
    • If you have a hard to clean air fryer, you may wish to line the basket with a piece of foil before cooking in case some cheese oozes out.

    Thank you for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Find even more great gluten-free recipes here!

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    If you made this recipe, leave a comment and add a star-rating below!
    Thank you for your support! ♡

    Recipe

    Melty cheese pull of broken open cheese curd.

    Gluten-Free Cheese Curds - Culver's Copycat

    Katie | Wheat by the Wayside
    Homemade gluten-free cheese curds are chunks of cheese battered and fried until golden and crunchy, just like Culver's! This easy to make appetizer can be deep fried or air fried.
    5 from 2 votes
    Pin Recipe Print Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 1 hr
    Course Appetizer
    Diet Gluten Free
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 408 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark.

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 pound cheese curds, white or orange
    • oil, for frying

    Pre-dust

    • ¼ cup gluten-free flour blend

    Batter

    • ½ cup gluten-free flour blend
    • ¼ cup cornmeal
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 cup milk

    Breading

    • 2 cups gluten-free plain breadcrumbs
    • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
    • ½ teaspoon italian seasoning
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder

    Instructions
     

    Prepare the Pre-dust, Batter, and Breadcrumbs

    • Gather three bowls. Add ¼ cup gluten-free flour to one.
    • In the second bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, cornmeal, baking powder, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper for the batter. Then whisk in the milk.
    • In the third bowl, stir together the gluten-free breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder.

    Make the Cheese Curds

    • Toss the cheese curds in the plain flour.
    • Then dip one by one in the batter. Ensure the entire curd is coated in batter.
    • Roll the battered curd in the breadcrumbs.
    • Dip any parts that have visible cheese showing again in the batter and then the breadcrumbs. Set aside on a cookie sheet.
    • Continue until all breadcrumbs are coated. Let the curds rest for 30 minutes to allow the batter to set. Freeze at this stage or continue on to frying.

    Frying

    • Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375°F or set an air fryer to 400°F.
    • Deep fry in batches for 3-4 minutes or air fry in a single layer for 5-7 minutes, flipping once, just until golden brown and before cheese starts to ooze out.
    • Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauces.

    Notes

    • Cheese curds can be frozen after breading.  No need to thaw before cooking. 
    • Store leftover cheese curds in the refrigerator. Reheat in air fryer.
    • Any bits of cheese showing after the curds are breaded, are an opportunity for cheese to ooze out when cooking. If you have exposed cheese, dip that part back into the batter and breadcrumbs.
    • Keep an eye on them while they cook. They will tend to ooze cheese if you cook them for too long. Pull them out when they are nice and golden brown and before cheese starts to ooze out too much.
    • If you have a hard to clean air fryer, you may wish to line the basket with a piece of foil before cooking in case some cheese oozes out.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 408kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 21gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 578mgPotassium: 73mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 103IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 542mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and star rating below!

    More Gluten-free Appetizer and Snack Recipes

    • Gluten-Free Garlic Bread: Quick & Easy Recipe
    • Candy Corn Trail Mix
    • Best Homemade Gluten-free Cheez-It Crackers Copycat
    • Easy Gluten-free Soft Pretzel Bites

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    1. Kathy

      August 17, 2022 at 9:31 am

      5 stars
      I didn’t know that about cheese curds. Will have to try these!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Katie! I'm the blogger behind Wheat by the Wayside. I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2018 and have been following a strict gluten-free diet ever since. The goal of WBTW is to share tried and tested, easy, and delicious gluten-free recipes to give you confidence in the kitchen! 

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