Smažený Sýr
Czech fried cheese — a thick slab of Edam, breaded and fried until molten inside.
Budget Friendly
Comfort Food
Quick & Easy
Ingredients
- 4 thick slices Edam cheese (about 1.5cm thick, 150g each)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1.5 cups fine breadcrumbs
- Salt
- Oil for deep frying
- Tartar sauce, for serving
- French fries or boiled potatoes, for serving
- Lemon wedge (optional)
Instructions
- 1 Cut cheese into thick slabs about 1.5cm thick. If using a round Edam, slice into half-moons.
- 2 Set up breading station: flour, beaten eggs (with a pinch of salt), and breadcrumbs in three separate shallow dishes.
- 3 Coat each cheese slice in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg. Press into breadcrumbs, coating all sides including edges. For extra security against leaking, repeat the egg and breadcrumb step.
- 4 Refrigerate breaded cheese for 15 minutes — this helps the coating stay sealed during frying.
- 5 Heat oil to 170°C (340°F) — slightly lower than usual so the cheese melts before the coating burns.
- 6 Fry 1-2 slices at a time for 2-3 minutes until deep golden all over. The cheese inside should be fully melted.
- 7 Drain briefly on a wire rack.
- 8 Serve immediately with tartar sauce and fries. Add a lemon wedge if you like.
About This Recipe
Smažený sýr is the Czech Republic's most popular pub and fast-food dish. A thick slice of Edam cheese is coated in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, then deep-fried until the outside is golden and crunchy and the inside is completely melted and gooey.
Served with tartar sauce and fries, it's the ultimate comfort food. Every Czech person has eaten hundreds of these. It's on every pub menu, every school cafeteria menu, and every street food stand. Simple, fast, and deeply satisfying.