Over the last decade the popularity of cheese curds has risen outside of North America. Delicious, fresh and squeaky curds have now become an essential part of restaurant menus.
Made from curdled milk, cheese curds have a rubbery texture with a mild and salty taste. The best thing about cheese curds is they actually have some nutritional benefits. You can get lots of protein, vitamins and minerals from cheese curds.
You can eat them raw or use them as an ingredient in a dish. They are so versatile that you can pretty much have them for every meal of the day. Although we don’t recommend that, moderation is key.
Whenever we talk about cheese curds, the first dish that always comes to mind is Poutine – a famous Canadian dish. Poutine is definitely one of the main reasons behind the popularity of cheese curds, but many other dishes taste delicious with cheese curds. Let me share with you some of my favourite cheese curds dishes for your next menu item:
Cheese Curd Salad
Raw cheese curds are a great source of healthy vitamins and minerals like protein and calcium. They are a healthy option for a snack or even for breakfast. To make this healthy ingredient more filling, you can add it to a salad.
Grab any seasonal fruit or fruits that you like. I generally prefer using apples, the rubbery texture of cheese curds and crunchiness of the apple make the perfect combination. You can also add celery, grapes and walnuts to play with the texture and flavour. Mix all the fruits together, add cheese curds and squeeze a few drops of lemon on top. A delicious cheese curd salad is now ready to serve.
Cheese Curd Burgers
Yes, cheese curd burgers – I’m pretty sure many people have never had or even heard about a cheese curd burger. Chicken, pork, beef and veg are the most common burgers, but if you want to make your burger a bit different then add cheese curds.
Cheese curd burgers are pretty similar to a regular burger; the only difference is in the patty. Instead of a regular patty you will need to cut the cheese curds in a patty shape, coat or batter them deep-fry and use it as a patty. To enhance the flavour, you can use add some crispy ham on top of the cheese curd patty. Try it and thank me later.
Cheese Curd Tortilla Roll
This one is my favourite dishes, and it is surprisingly delicious. You need to start by preparing your filling.
Start with scrambling your cheese curds and seasoning them with salt and pepper. Now heat a pan, add garlic paste, tomatoes, and some cashews. Add the scrambled cheese curds and mix them all together cook on low heat for 5-10 mins.
Once your filling is ready, let it cool down for few minutes and then prepare it by putting your fillings on a tortilla and rolling it up.
Cheese Curd Bread Pudding
Bread pudding is a popular dessert in many countries. Everyone usually makes their own variation and adds dates, bananas, strawberries and many more. Cheese curds are also one of the ingredients that you can use in a bread pudding.
To make a cheese curd bread pudding, cut your bread in cubes and place in a baking dish. Now spread some cheese curds on top of the bread and pour your milk, sugar and egg mixture on the top and bake your pudding as usual.
Bacon-Wrapped Cheese Curds
If you want to make a quick and delicious appetizer to add to your menu, bacon-wrapped cheese curds are the perfect choice. Everyone loves crispy bacon and when you wrap a cheese curd in with it and deep-fry it. They will be flying out of the kitchen! You can also serve them as a side dish to a meal, or just as an appetizer, make sure you have enough for everyone!