Deep-Fried Queso Frito with Guava Sauce

This mouth-watering queso frito is perfectly crispy on the outside and ooey-gooey melty on the inside. Made with just 2 ingredients, they’re an easy, finger-licking treat. These deep fried cheese bites have a deliciously salty flavor, and are even better paired with a super simple homemade guava dipping sauce.

Who doesn’t love fried cheese?! Mozzarella sticks, cheese curds, grilled halloumi, it’s all delicious.

But this queso frito takes things to another level.

Queso de freir is the perfect frying cheese, that’s incredibly easy to deep fry and enjoy. Without any breading necessary, you achieve that crispy golden brown exterior and a creamy, melty interior.

• Enjoy as an easy appetizer or snack
• Serve with your favorite dipping sauce – it’s especially good with a simple sweet & tangy guava sauce (see recipe card for instructions) or a simple mayoketchup
• Chop the queso frito into smaller cubes and use as a (dangerously good) crouton substitute in salads

Ingredients

• queso de freir
• oil (vegetable or canola)

For the optional guava dipping sauce:

• guava paste
• water
• lemon juice

Find the full ingredient list with exact quantities in the recipe card below.

How to Make Queso Frito, Step by Step

Important Note

I have to stress again how important it is to pat the cheese cubes dry with a towel (either paper or cloth) before frying.

I found that if you skip this step the moisture from the cheese results in quite a bit of splatter from the hot oil, which can be dangerous. Don’t skip this step!

Queso de Freir

The type of cheese you use is key to making queso frito. Without the signature queso de freir, it’s difficult to achieve that crispy exterior and melty interior.

While this cheese is often compared to halloumi because of it’s ability to cook without melting, it’s made with cow’s milk instead of sheep or goat’s milk. This gives it a less tangy flavor profile that’s more mild and creamy.

If you can’t find queso de freir, halloumi is the next best thing.

More Sauce Options

Serve this deep fried cheese on it’s own or with a super simple 3 ingredient guava sauce that’s sweet and tangy, perfectly complimenting the salty fried cheese.

If you’re not into making the homemade guava sauce, no worries! This deep fried cheese is great on its own, or with a variety of different sauces.

Here are some ideas:

3 Tips for Success

• The bigger the cheese cubes, the more melty goodness on the inside; chop accordingly!
• Be sure to dry the cheese before frying – queso de frier can be quite wet which can cause splatter when frying
• Fry just until crispy on the outside – we’re looking for that golden brown color to tell us the cheese is done.
• Make sure to let the queso frito cool for a few minutes before taking a bite; the melty insides are like molten lava fresh out of the fryer!

Special Equipment

As mentioned in the step by step instructions, if you own a deep fryer, now is the time to pull it out!

Otherwise, a heavy bottomed pot will do the trick. I like using a small pot that’s deep enough to fit several cheese cubes submerged in oil – this way I don’t have to waste a ton of oil filling a giant pot. Remember you can always fry in batches.

If you’re deep frying in a pot on the stovetop, I also recommend using a thermometer to help ensure you’re keep the temperature of the oil around 350°F.

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Buen provecho,

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