Czech Fried Cheese (Syr Smazeny)

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 11/27/21
Czech Fried Cheese

 Pavel Ševela / Wikimedia Commons.

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Yield: 1/2 pound
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1024 Calories
73g Fat
52g Carbs
40g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 1024
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 73g 94%
Saturated Fat 24g 118%
Cholesterol 194mg 65%
Sodium 1222mg 53%
Total Carbohydrate 52g 19%
Dietary Fiber 2g 9%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 40g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 914mg 70%
Iron 4mg 23%
Potassium 352mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This Czech recipe for fried cheese or smažený sýr is popular street food and so easy to make. In Slovakia, it is known as vyprážaný syr.

It can be eaten as an appetizer with mayonnaise or tartar sauce for dipping or as a vegetarian main course, especially when tucked into a bun and accompanied by mashed potatoes and vegetables.

Traditionally, Edam, Hermelin or Niva cheese is used in the Czech Republic and Emmentaler in Slovakia. But Gouda or Swiss cheese also work well. In Bulgaria, it is made with kashkaval cheese.

 

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound Edam cheese, Gouda or Swiss, cut into 4 (1-inch-thick) slices

  • Kosher salt, to taste, optional

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 large egg, beaten

  • 2/3 cup breadcrumbs

  • Oil, or shortening, for frying

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Sprinkle cheese with optional salt, if desired.

  3. Dredge slices in flour, then in beaten egg, and finally in breadcrumbs, making sure cheese slices are completely covered.

  4. Pan fry quickly in hot oil or shortening until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Healthier Option

  • Gather the ingredients.

  • Heat oven to 425 F. Freeze cheese slices for 15 minutes. Bread as in the recipe but, instead of frying, place pieces in a single layer on a parchment-lined sheet pan that has been lightly coated with cooking spray.

  • Lightly coat breaded cheese with cooking spray. Bake 5 to 8 minutes, carefully flip over, and bake an additional 5 to 8 minutes. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

History of Fried Cheese

The popularity of fried cheese isn't a new fad. It goes way back. One of the first documented instances of its appearance dates to Medieval France when a recipe for it appeared in Le Ménagier de Paris, a guidebook for the housewife.

Fried cheese exists in nearly all cuisines but, as you might expect, the cheese changes with each country. In Hispanic cultures, it is known as queso frito, the Swiss call it malakoff, and the Greeks have their saganaki.

Mozzarella has become a popular candidate for fried cheese because it has a mild flavor and melts well producing that ooey-gooey goodness people love.