Parmigiano Balls Recipe (Italian Quick and Easy Appetizer)

Parmigiano Balls are a real treat for cheese lovers. Super easy to make and irresistible, they are a tasty appetizer that you can make in no time with just two ingredients!

Parmigiano Reggiano, the king of Italian cheeses, with its rich and complex flavor, makes these cheese balls very special. Their spherical shape and crunchy, crumbly texture are really appetizing.

They are delicious on their own, but if you like, you can add spices or seeds to make them more flavorful and personalize the recipe. Or serve them with a delicious marinara sauce!

As they cook, they puff up and give off a cheesy aroma that no one will be able to resist. These crunchy and tasty Parmigiano Balls are also a great recycling idea, perfect for using leftover egg whites from other recipes where only the yolks were needed.

Tasty and flavorful Parmigiano Reggiano balls are perfect to share with family or friends, as an appetizer or as a crunchy finger food to accompany an aperitivo.

Try making these quick and easy Italian appetizer Parmesan balls, you will be amazed!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Kitchen Tools and Equipment
• Instructions
• Storage
• How to Serve
• Variations
• Recipe Card

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Ingredients

Prep Time: 10 Min | Cook Time: 10 Min | Servings: 6-8 people (about 18 balls)

• About 60 g (~2 oz) of egg whites (2 eggs, depending on the size)
• 150 g (1 ⅔ cups) of grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese. Try this authentic Italian Parmigiano Reggiano DOP aged 36 months
• ½ liter (~2 cups) of vegetable oil for frying such as canola oil or peanut oil

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Kitchen Tools and Equipment

This recipe is really very simple and you do not need any special tools to make it.
However, you will find the following kitchen tools very useful:

• a good hand or electric Parmesan grater
• a tall, narrow frying pot. 
• kitchen thermometer to check the temperature of the oil.
• Also obviously essential is a skimmer to remove the Parmigiano balls from the oil
• and some fried food paper are also essential to remove excess oil.
• There are also very convenient special frying pots with a tool for draining the oil and a thermometer built in. This could be an original gift idea!

Instructions

Step 1) - Start making the Parmigiano balls by separating the egg yolks (which will be used for other recipes) from the egg whites. Put the egg whites in a bowl.

Then grate the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and weigh out the recommended amount.

PLEASE NOTE: There are, of course, bags of ready-grated Parmigiano cheese on the market. Since Parmigiano is the main ingredient in this recipe, it must be of the highest quality. Also, the whole cheese, freshly grated, is definitely the best choice.

Step 2) - Combine the two ingredients and mix well with a fork or whisk. When they are well blended and there are no lumps, use your hands to form small balls about 2 cm (¾ inch) in diameter.

PLEASE NOTE: The amounts of Parmigiano cheese and egg whites are approximate, depending on the size of the eggs. If the dough is very soft and you cannot form well-structured balls, add a little more cheese.

Step 3) - Pour vegetable oil into a high-sided skillet and heat to 180°C (~350°F). If you do not have a kitchen thermometer, dip a toothpick into the oil and if bubbles form immediately, the oil is ready.

When the oil is hot, dip the Parmesan balls and fry a few at a time. Fry them for about 3-4 minutes until they are nicely browned.

PLEASE NOTE: If you are preparing these Parmigiano Reggiano balls in summer or in any other very hot environment, I suggest you place them on a tray and put them in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to firm up before frying.

Step 4) - As they cook, the balls will swell and increase in volume. When the balls are golden brown and have a nice crispy crust, drain them with a slotted spoon on paper towels to remove excess oil.

Serve the Parmigiano balls immediately while hot.

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Storage

Parmigiano Reggiano balls are best eaten freshly cooked and still warm. They are crisp on the outside and very soft on the inside.

As they cool, they lose some of their crunch and roundness. But they remain delicious even when cold.

Parmesan balls can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 1 day.

Freezing is not recommended.

How to Serve

Parmigiano Reggiano balls are an innovative and creative way to enjoy this famous Italian cheese.

You can use them in many different ways. For example, as a delicious appetizer with cured meats, grilled vegetables or with the delicious giardiniera.

They can also be used as an elegant garnish for salads and main courses. Parmesan balls add a touch of class and originality to your dishes!

You can also combine them with fresh fruit to end a dinner with an original twist.

Of course, they are perfect on their own for a gourmet snack, to whet the appetite during an aperitif or to enhance a party buffet.

Variations

I have shown you the simplest recipe I know for Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese balls. They are very tasty, crispy on the outside and so soft on the inside that many people call them Parmesan Clouds or Parmesan Nuggets.

Let's look at some variations:

SEEDS: You can add sesame seeds or poppy seeds to add flavor and personalize the recipe. Dip them in sesame seeds before frying to make them crispier.

SPICES: Or add thyme, paprika, nutmeg or black pepper to the egg white and Parmigiano mixture.

BREADCRUMBS: To make the Parmesan balls crispier and more flavorful on the outside, you can dip them in breadcrumbs before frying.

OTHER CHEESES: If you want a different taste, you can use other cheeses or a mixture of them. For example, Pecorino Romano, Provolone or any other type of cheese, as long as it is tasty and very aged to grate finely.

Recipe Card