These cheese balls are crispy on the outside and filled with melted cheese. They are super easy to make and only need 2 ingredients for the cheese ball dough. They are naturally gluten-free, low carb and keto-friendly. They make a quick and easy appetizer or side dish.
These crispy cheese balls are such an easy side dish or appetizer to make. You can serve them as is or dip them in your favorite dipping sauce. You only need 2 ingredients for the cheese dough.
Ingredients
- Shredded Cheese
- Egg Whites
Shredded cheese: I tested this with shredded mozzarella and shredded Italian five cheese blend. If you are using mozzarella, you wanted to use shredded mozzarella and not fresh mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella is too wet for the dough to work. This recipe should work with most shredded cheeses that melt well. If you are using parmesan, you don’t want to use pre-shredded parmesan because it is too dry. You want to use freshly grated/shredded parmesan.
Egg whites: Egg whites are used as a binder to keep the cheese together.
How to Make Crispy Cheese Balls
- The cheese and egg whites are mixed together until a loose cheese dough forms.
- Use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the dough and roll it between your palms to form a round ball.
- Place balls into hot oil to cook until crispy. While the cheese balls can be cooked in the air fryer or oven, we don’t recommend it because they won’t puff up into balls and will be flatter. They also don’t get as crispy when baked or air fried.
More Easy Side Dishes
- 4 Ingredient Crispy Parmesan Brussels Sprouts
- 2 Ingredient Pizza Chips
- 3 Ingredient Parmesan Zucchini Stacks
2 Ingredient Crispy Cheese Balls
Ingredients
- 2 cups (180 g) shredded cheese see note
- 2 large (70 g) egg whites
Instructions
- Add 2 inches of canola or vegetable oil to a medium saucepan. Bring to medium heat (350°F/177°C).
- While oil is heating, make your cheese dough. In a large mixing bowl, add shredded cheese and egg whites. Use a spatula or your hand to really incorporate the egg whites into the cheese until the shredded cheese turns into a soft loose dough.
- Use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the dough and release it into your palm. Lightly roll the cheese ball between your palms to form a round ball. Place onto a parchment lined surface and repeat with remaining cheese dough.
- Add a few of the balls to the hot oil and fry until golden brown and crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the hot oil and drain onto a paper-towel lined plate. Season with a little bit of kosher salt if desired and then repeat with remaining balls.
- Let cool slightly before enjoying. If desired, you can serve with your favorite dipping sauce. I served mine with marinara sauce. Cheese balls are best enjoyed soon after they are done cooking as they do lose their crispness when fully cooled.
Notes
- This recipe should work with most shredded cheeses that melt well. I tested it with shredded low moisture mozzarella and a shredded Italian five cheese blend. I don't recommend using fresh mozzarella because it is too wet.
- It should also work with parmesan cheese, but if you want to use parmesan make sure you freshly grate the parmesan, otherwise pre-shredded parmesan is too dry.
- While the balls can be cooked in the oven or air fryer, they won't stay be round balls and will be flatter. They also don't get as crispy as the fried version.
- Estimated nutrition is for the cheese dough only as it is difficult to determine how much oil is absorbed by the cheese balls during frying.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
