Provoleta -or Fried Cheese- is a delicious Argentinian cheese dish of pan-fried provolone cheese with crushed red pepper flakes and delicious garlic and herb chimichurri. An easier and more enticing appetizer simply doesn’t exist!
Picture yourself in front of a skillet filled with melted provolone cheese cooked on the grill. It has crispy edges , a little scattering of crushed red pepper flakes, and is drizzled with a little fresh homemade chimichurri.
Now imagine spreading some of that molten, slightly smoky cheese on some toast or fresh, crusty bread and accompanying it with a nice glass of Malbec. Does life get better than that combo? No way.
You can cook Provoleta Fried Cheese entirely on your grill. Not only does your kitchen stay cool, but you feel cool for having made this amazing dish.
Of course, if you lack a grill, you can still prepare this on your stovetop and in your oven. I’m including instructions for either method here today because I love you and want you to experience the joy that is Provoleta Fried Cheese.
Are you in? I thought you might be.
Fried Cheese
So what is, provoleta? You’re probably not accustomed to seeing this kind of fried cheese. It’s a bit like queso fundido or fondue, but not quite as dippy.
Instead of little nuggets or sticks of fried cheese, this begins with one thick slab of provolone cheese. If we were in Argentina, we’d use provoleta cheese. We achieve a similar and delicious result by using readily available provolone.
Argentina is famous for their grilled meats. Provoleta or fried cheese is served as an appetizer before the main meaty meal. In other words, you need to serve this with all your summer grilling.
The method is simple: grill the cheese until brown and bubbly, then serve with chimichurri and bread. And then die of happiness.
Provoleta
I’m too chicken to cook my Provoleta directly on the grill the way it’s done in Argentina. My method allows you to grab some of the smokey goodness of the grill without the hazard of losing your cheese. I prefer to prepare it in a cast-iron skillet that heats up along with the grill.
Alternately, if you don’t have a grill to use, you can prepare it under the broiler or bake it in the oven. The only difference is that you’ll miss out on the smokiness the grill provides. It will still be irresistible.
Ask for a 1-inch thick slab of provolone cheese at the deli counter. It is not crucial to be exact, but you do want something near that thickness.
If you’d like it to hold together a little better while it cooks, you can leave the unwrapped provolone cheese on a rack on the counter. This is not strictly necessary, but it does help it to retain its shape a bit.
To make provoleta, place the provolone cheese slab in a shallow dish. Drizzle the olive oil over it and flip to coat both sides. Place the dish in the freezer while you proceed.
Heat your grill to high temperature with a small cast-iron skillet. The skillet will preheat with the grill. If you do not have a grill, place a cast-iron skillet on a burner over medium-high heat or in an oven to preheat to 450°F.
When the grill or oven has reached full temperature or the pan on the stovetop is very hot, place the cheese into the hot pan. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the oregano and half each of the crushed red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and cracked black pepper.
Cook for 2 minutes, the bottom of the cheese should be beginning to brown. Carefully flip the cheese. Sprinkle with another teaspoon of the oregano and the remaining pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper.
Cook for 2-3 more minutes, or until the bottom of the second side is starting to brown and the cheese is clearly melting. Serve now or pop the pan under the broiler to brown the top half a bit more.
Garnish with the remaining fresh oregano and serve with chimichurri sauce and crusty bread or toast. It would also be great with a scoop of Salsa a la Criolla!
Provoleta
Rate RecipeEquipment
- cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1 inch slab provolone cheese see notes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano roughly chopped, divided
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes divided
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper divided
For serving:
- ½ cup chimichurri
- Crusty bread or toast
Optional but tasty:
- 1/4 cup Salsa Criolla
Instructions
- Place the provolone cheese slab in a shallow dish. Drizzle the olive oil over it and flip to coat both sides. Place the dish in the freezer while you proceed.
- Heat your grill to high temperature with a small cast-iron skillet. The skillet will preheat with the grill. If you do not have a grill, place a cast-iron skillet on a burner over medium-high heat or in an oven to preheat to 450°F.
- When the grill or oven has reached full temperature or the pan on the stovetop is very hot, place the cheese into the hot pan. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the oregano and half each of the crushed red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and cracked black pepper.
- Cook for 2 minutes, the bottom of the cheese should be beginning to brown. Carefully flip the cheese, sprinkle with another teaspoon of the oregano and the remaining pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Cook for 2-3 more minutes, or until the bottom of the second side is starting to brown and the cheese is clearly melting a bit. You can serve now or you can pop the pan under the broiler to brown the top half a bit more.
To Serve:
- Garnish with the remaining fresh oregano and serve with chimichurri and crusty bread or toast.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
did you make this recipe?
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Want more great grilling recipes?
Try Grilled Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs
Barbecue
Reader's Thoughts...
Muzo says
Hi again Rebecca.You can find the recipe of mihlama (the other name is “kuymak”) at “spruce eats” page under the title”Turkish melted cheese and cornmeal mihlama”.Just for your information.
Muzo says
So interesting.There is a similar dish in Northern Turkey, called “Mihlama” made by a regional chesse named “Çeçil ” and with a lot of butter and a little bit polenta.
Rebecca says
That sounds like a dish I’d love, Muzo! I’m going to have to look for a recipe to try out!