Main Course Recipes

Fried Cheese with Ham

4 servings

Fried Cheese with Ham is the definition of comfort food, offering a perfect blend of textures and flavors. In this recipe, I combine melted and creamy cheese with savory ham, all encased in a delicious crispy breading. Whether you prefer deep frying, shallow frying, or using an air fryer, the result is a golden, crunchy exterior with a gooey, satisfying center. This versatile dish is excellent served as a main course with sides like tartar sauce and roasted potatoes, or enjoyed as a hearty sandwich. It is a meal that will truly change your perception of comfort food. Read More

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Tom the ChefPublished: 1.11.2026

Main Course Recipes

25 min.

1/5

929 calories Per Serving (of 4) Read More

Before You Start

Let’s talk about important parts of the recipe before you start…

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Introduction to Fried Cheese with Ham

Fried cheese will change your perception of comfort food. Melted and creamy cheese in a delicious crispy breading, filled with delicious ham is the best description of this meal. Fried Cheese with Ham is great as a sandwich or with a side of your choice as a main course! I am excited to show you how to prepare this versatile dish using simple tools like a French whisk and a cooling rack.

Selecting the Perfect Cheese

For my Fried Cheese with Ham recipe, the choice of cheese is fundamental to achieving that melted and creamy texture we all love. I recommend using 1 LB of cheese, preferably a whole brick. While Edam Cheese is the most often used variety for this dish, I know it can sometimes be hard to get in the USA. Therefore, you can confidently choose between Monterey Jack or Swiss Cheese as excellent alternatives. If you cannot find a brick, you can also use deli slices, but you must make sure that the slices hold together well. If the slices are not perfectly even, I suggest cutting the sides to make them even to ensure a uniform shape for breading.

Preparing the Cheese Sandwich Filling

The “sandwich” element is what makes this Fried Cheese with Ham stand out from standard breaded cheese recipes. To prepare this, I cut the cheese brick into 8 slices, about ¼” thick. The filling consists of 8 slices of ham. While any kind of ham will work, I personally prefer boiled ham for its texture and flavor profile. However, if you are feeling adventurous or want a different flavor, you can optionally substitute the ham with salami of any kind. To assemble, I simply place two slices of ham or salami between two slices of cheese to create a sturdy cheese sandwich ready for the breading station.

Mastering the Breading Station

A well-organized breading station is crucial for a successful Fried Cheese with Ham. I set up three distinct areas. First, I place ½ cup of all-purpose flour on a plate (adjusting if needed). Second, in a medium mixing bowl, I prepare the egg mixture by whisking together 2 eggs and 1 ½ cups of milk until combined, which takes about 1 minute. Third, I place 2 cups of regular breadcrumbs into a second mixing bowl. For the best crispy breading, I preferably use Panko or breadcrumbs from light bread. This setup ensures a smooth workflow before we start the actual coating process.

The Double Breading Technique

To ensure the cheese does not leak during frying, the breading process for Fried Cheese with Ham must be thorough. I bread each cheese sandwich one-by-one from both sides in a specific order: first into the flour, then the egg-milk mixture, and then the breadcrumbs. Crucially, I repeat the last two steps: dipping it again into the egg-milk mixture and again into the breadcrumbs. This double coating is an important step. You must make sure that every single side of the cheese is evenly breaded. It is important for the cheese to not start melting outside the breading during frying.

Frying Methods: Deep, Shallow, and Air Frying

I have designed this Fried Cheese with Ham recipe to be flexible with your equipment. If you choose to deep fry, preheat oil to 350°F and fry immersed until a nice golden color is reached (about 4 minutes with no turning). For shallow frying, preheat a pan on medium-high with ¼ to ½” of oil and fry for about 3 minutes per side, being careful as the cheese becomes fragile. If you prefer air frying, preheat your air fryer to 350°F, drizzle the top of the cheese with oil, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, drizzling with more oil if needed. Regardless of the method, always ensure the schnitzels are not touching during preparation.

Plating and Serving Suggestions

Once the Fried Cheese with Ham creates that nice golden color, I let the excessive oil drip off on a cooling rack or paper towels for about one minute. For the final touch, I sprinkle it with salt and pepper, ideally freshly ground. This dish is best served with Oven-Roasted Potato Wedges, a side salad, or my Czech Tartar Sauce Tatarka Recipe. Alternatively, you can serve it as a sandwich in a bun with mayo, lettuce, and tomato. It is a truly versatile meal that fits any craving for comfort food.

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Fried Cheese with Ham

4 servingsTom the ChefPublished: 1.11.2026 ☆☆☆☆☆0x(write a review)👁308x

25 min.

1/5

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Ingredients:

Click any ingredient to learn more

Cheese:

1 LB of cheese - preferably a whole brick (*)

Filling

8 slices of ham (Any kind of ham will work. I prefer boiled ham. Optionally substitute with salami of any kind.)

Breading station:

½ cup of all-purpose flour (adjust if needed)

2 eggs (adjust if needed)

1 ½ cups of milk (adjust if needed)

2 cups of breadcrumbs (regular) (adjust if needed, preferably Panko preferably breadcrumbs from light bread)

Final touch:

salt

pepper - ideally freshly ground

*Choose between Monterey Jack, Swiss Cheese, or Edam Cheese (most often used but hard to get in the USA). You can also use deli slices instead of a brick, but make sure that slices hold together well (and if slices are not perfectly even, cut the sides to make them even).

Tools:

Click any tool to learn more

2x Plate

1x Medium Mixing Bowl (3 – 4 QT)

1x French Whisk

1x Deep Fryer or Pot and Thermometer or Air Fryer

1x Turner

1x Cooling Rack or Paper Towels

Nutrition per 1 Serving:(recipe split into 4 servings)

Estimated

Calories 929 Protein 48.8 g Fat 57.7 g Saturated fat 28.6 g Carbohydrate 52.2 g Sugars 8.8 g Fiber 2.1 g Sodium 1868 mg Cholesterol 256 mg

Estimated. Worked out from the ingredients above using the United States Department of Agriculture’s FoodData Central reference data. An estimate, not a measurement — brands, sizes and how much of a marinade actually ends up on the plate all move it.

Directions:

1.Cheese Preparation:

1.1.

Cut cheese brick into 8 slices (about ¼” thick).

1.2.

Create a “cheese sandwich”: Place two slices of ham or salami between two slices of cheese.

2.Breading Station:

2.1.

Place ½ cup of all-purpose flour on a plate.

2.2.

Prepare the egg mixture– place into a medium mixing bowl:

2 eggs

1 ½ cup of milk

Whisk together until combined (about 1 minute).

2.3.

Place 2 cups of breadcrumbs into a second mixing bowl.

3.Bread the Cheese:

3.1.

One-by-one, bread each cheese from both sides in this order:

Flour

Egg-milk mixture

Breadcrumbs

Again: Egg-milk mixture

Again: Breadcrumbs and place on a plate for frying.

Put aside on a plate for the following frying.

Important:

Make sure that every single side of the cheese is evenly breaded. It is important for the cheese to not start melting outside the breading during frying.

Tip:

Combine all the leftover breading ingredients, add about ¼ TSP of baking powder, and pan-fry on both sides until golden brown. This creates a perfect, crispy addition to many soups and helps prevent food waste. These fried breading pieces can also be frozen after cooking for later use.

4.Deep Fry or Shallow Fry or Air Fry:

Note:

Work in batches based on the size of your equipment – make sure that schnitzels are not touching during preparation.

4.1.

Deep fry:

Important:

Before you start, please read about the deep frying here.

4.1.1.

Preheat oil to 350°F.

4.1.2.

Carefully place cheese into the fryer one by one.

4.1.3.

Fry immersed in oil until a nice golden color is reached (about 4 minutes with no turning).

4.1.4.

When done, carefully remove to a cooling rack and let the excessive oil drip off (about one minute).e, remove to a cooling rack and let the excessive oil drip off (about one minute).

4.2.

Shallow fry:

4.2.1.

Preheat the fry pan on medium-high heat with a layer of frying oil (between ¼ to ½”).

4.2.2.

Shallow fry until a nice golden color is reached (about 3 minutes from each side). Cheese will become really fragile so be careful while turning.

4.2.3.

When done, carefully remove to a cooling rack and let the excessive oil drip off (about one minute).

4.3.

Air fry:

4.3.1.

Preheat your air fryer to 350°F.