How to Make Perfect Tequeños (Venezuelan Cheese Sticks) Delicious
Description
tequeños
Tequeños (Venezuelan Cheese Sticks) Recipe
After sharing my recipe for guasacaca, a Venezuelan avocado salsa, it became clear that the real stars in the photo were the tequeños—the perfect dippers for the sauce. Due to popular demand, I revisited my tequeño recipe, fixing some of the earlier issues, and now I'm excited to share my perfected version of this oozy, cheesy treat.
What Are Tequeños?
Not everyone may know what a tequeño is, but once you try one, you won’t forget. Tequeños are Venezuelan fried cheese sticks, similar to mozzarella sticks but made with salty queso blanco and wrapped in a flaky pastry-like shell. They originated in the town of Los Teques, and after tasting one, it’s hard to live without them.
Crafting the Perfect Crust
The key to great tequeños is in the dough. My favorite version has a slightly flaky, buttery, and chewy exterior. Inspired by pie dough, I used flour, salt, and cold butter cubes to create the base. By gently combining the ingredients and keeping the butter intact, the dough developed the desired flaky texture once fried. After a rest in the fridge, the dough was ready to roll.
Choosing the Cheese: Queso Blanco vs. Queso de Freir
For the filling, queso blanco worked well for its salty, semi-soft texture, but I also experimented with queso de freir, a firmer cheese made for frying. Both cheeses performed beautifully, though I preferred the squeaky texture of queso blanco. You can’t go wrong with either choice.
Wrapping the Cheese
To assemble, I rolled the dough into thin strips and wrapped them diagonally around the cheese slices, overlapping enough to seal in the filling. This ensured a perfectly wrapped tequeño ready for frying.
Frying to Perfection
A key change from my first attempt was adjusting the frying temperature. Instead of 350°F, I fried these at 400°F, which browned the crust while preventing the cheese from melting too quickly and escaping. This led to perfectly cooked tequeños without any cheesy explosions.
Serving Tequeños: The Ultimate Snack
The result? A golden, blistered crust with a slight chew, encasing creamy, salty cheese that will make mozzarella sticks tremble. Pair these tequeños with guasacaca or salsa rosada (a mix of mayo and ketchup) for the ultimate dipping experience.
Tequeños are not just a snack—they're an experience. Once you taste the combination of flaky dough and molten cheese, you'll see why they’re a beloved treat in Venezuela and beyond.
Ingredients
Instructions
In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine the flour and salt by pulsing a few times. Add the cold butter cubes and pulse until the butter is broken into pieces slightly smaller than peas (about 8 quick pulses). Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
Add the beaten egg and cold water to the flour mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently press the dough against the sides of the bowl until it forms a cohesive ball. If the dough appears too dry, add water gradually, one tablespoon at a time, until it fully combines and reaches the desired consistency. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
After resting, unwrap the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into a square about 1/8-inch thick. Trim the edges to form a perfect 12-inch square, then cut the dough into 14 strips, each 3/4-inch wide.
To assemble, take one strip of dough and drape one end over the top of a cheese slice. Wrap the dough diagonally around the cheese, overlapping as you go, until the entire slice is covered. Pinch the edges to fully seal the cheese inside. Repeat with the remaining cheese slices and dough strips.
In a cast-iron skillet, heat about 3/4-inch of peanut oil over high heat until it reaches 400°F (204°C). Carefully place the tequeños in the oil and fry until the crust is golden brown and blistered, about 3 to 5 minutes, turning halfway through for even cooking.
Servings 14
- Amount Per Serving
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 16g25%
- Saturated Fat 7g35%
- Cholesterol 43mg15%
- Sodium 306mg13%
- Potassium 59mg2%
- Total Carbohydrate 16g6%
- Dietary Fiber 1g4%
- Protein 8g16%
- Calcium 174 mg
- Iron 1 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
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