Smažený sýr: the Czech fried cheese that feeds every vegetarian

You are vegetarian, you are in a Czech pub, and the menu is a long list of pork. You hunt for the vegetarian section and find one line: smažený sýr. This is the dish that has fed generations of non-meat-eaters in Czechia, and plenty of meat-eaters love it just as much.

It has a reputation among foreigners as an emergency meal, and it deserves better. Done well, it is a perfectly good dish: a crisp shell, a molten middle and a sharp sauce that makes the richness work.

What it is

Smažený sýr means "fried cheese". A slice of firm cheese, traditionally Edam (eidam), is coated in flour, egg and breadcrumbs and fried in hot oil until golden and crisp outside and soft inside. Some places use hermelín, a soft Czech cheese in the style of Camembert, and then the middle is gooey.

It is simple, and it is cooked in kitchens all over the country, at home and in pubs.

How it is served

In a pub the standard plate is the cheese with a side and a sauce. The side is hranolky (chips) or vařené brambory (boiled potatoes). The sauce is tatarská omáčka (tartare), in a small pot or ladled onto the plate. Sometimes there is a slice of lemon and a small cabbage or cucumber salad.

As street food it is a smažák: a slice of fried cheese in a bread roll with tartare sauce, sometimes with ham added. You will see it at fast-food windows and kiosks in the city centre and near transport hubs.

How to order

In a restaurant, say: Smažený sýr s hranolkami a tatarkou, prosím. (Fried cheese with chips and tartare sauce, please.) Menus often list the cheese by weight, for example 100 g or 150 g, so choose to match your appetite.

At a street stand, ask for smažák or smažený sýr v housce (in a bun), hand over payment and you get a hot roll in a paper wrapper.

What it tastes like

Crisp, salty, mild and creamy, with sharpness from the tartare. A squeeze of lemon helps. The first bite crunches. The second often burns, so wait a minute.

Is it vegetarian?

The cheese itself is vegetarian in most cases, but the frying oil may also have been used for meat, and the sauce may contain other ingredients. Ask if you are strict. Cheese can also be made with animal rennet, which is not always visible on the label. Many restaurants will confirm what they can.

How big is a portion?

Menus list the cheese by weight, and the number is for the cheese alone, before the breading and the chips. A hungry adult usually wants 150 g or more, and a lighter eater might choose 100 g. When in doubt, order the smaller size and add a salad.

Is it healthy?

No. It is deep-fried cheese with chips. Treat it as comfort food.

Variations

• Smažený hermelín: soft Czech cheese in breadcrumbs, with cranberry sauce.
• Smažený květák: fried cauliflower, a lighter vegetable version.
• Smažené žampiony: fried mushrooms.

They usually share the same sauce and sides.

When Czechs eat it

It is a lunch special, a pub staple and a late-night snack after a few beers. It is also a nostalgic school-canteen meal, so for many Czechs it tastes like childhood.

A fair verdict

Not all fried cheese is equal. A good one has a shell that stays crisp for the first ten minutes, cheese that melts but does not leak, and a sauce that tastes of something. A poor one is oily, with a floury coating and a tartare from a tube. The difference is usually freshness and the quality of the oil, which is why a busy lunch place often wins over a quiet one.

Eating it as a traveller, you may find the whole thing richer than you expect. Share one portion between two if you want a lighter meal, and add a salad. Czechs often do the same on a long lunch.

Cooking it at home

Home cooks follow the same three-step coating as for a schnitzel: flour, beaten egg, breadcrumbs, and many repeat the egg and crumb step for a thicker shell. The slice is typically about a centimetre thick, and chilling it before frying helps it keep its shape. The oil needs to be hot enough to crisp the outside quickly, otherwise the cheese leaks out before the crust sets. Supermarkets also sell ready-breaded slices for a shortcut. Pairing it with a salad and a potato side makes it a decent weeknight dinner.

Where to find it

Almost any traditional pub or restaurant lists it. For street food, look around the main squares, tourist streets and near the main railway station, but do not expect gourmet quality. For better value, have it at lunch on the denní menu.

Frequently asked questions

What is smažený sýr?

Fried cheese: a slice of firm cheese, usually Edam, coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried.

What is a smažák?

A fried cheese sandwich: a slice of fried cheese in a bread roll with tartare sauce.

Is smažený sýr vegetarian?

Generally yes, but check the oil and the rennet if you are strict.

What sauce comes with fried cheese?

Tartare sauce (tatarská omáčka). Hermelín is often served with cranberry sauce.

Is it a main course?

Yes. It is the standard vegetarian main in Czech pubs.

Order smažený sýr with a Czech lager at lunch, eat it hot and dip it in the tartare. If you are not vegetarian, try the bun version at a kiosk later in the week and decide which one wins.