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Air Fryer Cheese Curds (Copycat Culver's) — Crispy in 8 Minutes

Air Fryer Cheese Curds (Copycat Culver's)

5 from 2 votes
Author: Laurie Fleming
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 23 minutes
Servings: 4 Servings

Description

Crispy, golden copycat Culver's cheese curds made in the air fryer in 8 minutes. Freezing the curds solid and double-dredging them in panko is what keeps the cheese inside the coating instead of leaking into your basket. Serve hot with marinara or ranch.

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound fresh cheese curds
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, optional
  • Cooking spray

Instructions

  • Freeze the cheese curds in a single layer on a parchment-lined plate for at least 1 hour.
  • Set up three bowls: flour; eggs whisked with milk; panko mixed with salt, pepper, and paprika.
  • Dredge each frozen curd in flour, then egg, then panko. Return to the egg and panko a second time, pressing to adhere. Check for bare spots.
  • Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (205°C) for 3–5 minutes. Mist the basket with cooking spray.
  • Arrange the curds in a single layer without touching. Spray the tops. Cook 6–8 minutes, flipping halfway, until deep golden.
  • Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and serve hot with dipping sauce.

Equipment

  • Air Fryer
  • Cooking Spray
  • Parchment Paper, optional

Notes

Freezing is not optional. Freeze the curds solid for at least 1 hour before breading — 2 is better. Under-frozen curds melt before the coating sets and leak into the basket.
Double dredge. Flour, egg, panko, then egg and panko again. Check each curd for bare spots before cooking; one gap is one leak.
Reheating: Air fry at 350°F (175°C) for 3–4 minutes, shaking once halfway. Do not microwave — the coating goes soft and the cheese turns rubbery.
Make ahead: Bread the curds, freeze on a tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Cook straight from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes.
Storage: Best eaten immediately. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 733kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 40gFat: 42gSaturated Fat: 22gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 218mgSodium: 1287mgPotassium: 180mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 308IUVitamin C: 0.003mgCalcium: 922mgIron: 3mg