Cheese Soya Cutlet is a tasty and nutritious snack bar, prepared with chunks of soya, potatoes, vegetables and a gooey cheese filling. They are crispy on the outside, soft and delicious on the inside and make a great afternoon snack, party food or lunch box snack. It’s simple to make and can be fried, air fried, or baked with the choice of your preference.

Ingredients For Soya Cutlet

For the Soya cutlet mixture

• 1 cup soya chunks
• 2 medium potatoes
• ½ cup finely chopped onion
• ½ cup finely chopped carrot
• ¼ cup finely chopped capsicum
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
• ½ cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• ½ teaspoon chaat masala
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• 3–4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons corn flour or rice flour

For the cheese filling

• ½–1 cup grated mozzarella or processed cheese
• A pinch of chilli flakes
• A pinch of dried oregano, optional

For coating and frying

• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons corn flour
• ¼ cup water
• 2–3 tablespoons oil, or as required

Preparation For Soya Cutlet

1. Cook soya chunks

Add about 3–4 cups of water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Sprinkle in a small amount of salt and add the soya chunks. Simply boil them until they soften, about 5-7 minutes.

Turn off the heat and allow the soya chunks to rest in the hot water for another 2–3 minutes. Rinse and drain thoroughly. This helps to eliminate any pungent odor or flavor of the soya.

When cool enough to use, squeeze soya chunks in between the palms to get rid of the water as much as possible. This is necessary because if there is too much moisture, the cutlet mix can crumble and be difficult to form.

Place the squeezed soya chunks in a food processor or blender and finely chop/pulse. Refrain from making them a totally smooth paste. The cutlets have a much better bite with the slightly coarse texture.

2. Cook the potatoes

Cook potatoes until they are cooked through, but not overcooked. Remove skins and chill.

Thoroughly mash the potatoes, but do not make a completely smooth mixture. Potatoes are a glueing ingredient and also serve to shape the cutlets.

3. Cook the vegetables in the vegetable mixture

In a pan, heat a teaspoon of oil. Stir in chopped onion and cook until it softens a bit, 2-3 minutes.

Add the ginger garlic paste and green chillies. Bake for an additional minute until the raw odors are gone.

Now add the chopped carrot and capsicum. Heat on medium heat and cook for 2-3 minutes. Do not overcook the vegetables; they should be still a bit crunchy.

Mix turmeric powder, red chilli powder, roasted cumin powder, garam masala, chaat masala and salt. Stir and cook for 1 more minute.

Remove heat and let cool.

4. Prepare cutlet mixture

Place the minced soya chunks, mashed potatoes, cooked vegetables and chopped coriander in a large mixing bowl.

Add lemon juice and mix thoroughly.

Next, add breadcrumbs (3-4 tablespoons) and corn flour or rice flour (2 tablespoons). Toss to form a balling consistency.

Add more tablespoon or two of breadcrumbs if it is still too soft or sticky. If it is dry, add a little bit of water or a spoonful of mashed potato.

Try the mixture and add salt and spices to taste.

5. Pour in the Cheese Filling

Take a little bit of the soya mixture and form it into a ball. Gently press it together, between your hands, to make a little disc.

Top with about 1 tablespoon grated cheese. Add few chilli flakes and dried oregano on the cheese, if you want.

Bring mixture edges together and seal the cheese completely inwards with care. Gently roll between hands and press down to make a cutlet.

Be sure to avoid cracks or openings. When exposed, the cheese could melt when frying.

Continue this process until all of the mixture and cheese is used up.

6. Coat the Cutlets

Make a simple “slurry” by dissolving 2 tablespoons of corn flour in about ¼ cup of water. The consistency should be somewhat thin, but not too thin, to coat the cutlets.

Place breadcrumbs on a separate plate.

Dip each cutlet in the corn flour slurry, ensuring that the cutlet is covered lightly on all sides. Put in the breadcrumbs and lightly press to ensure a good adhesion.

The slurry and breadcrumbs are to be repeated once again to give an extra crispy cutlet.

Place the coated cutlets in a plate and refrigerate for approximately 15-20 minutes. Chilling makes them firmer, and will make them less likely to break when cooking.

7. Shallow-Fry the Cutlets

In a non-stick or heavy-bottomed pan, warm 2-3 tablespoons of oil over medium heat.

When the oil is hot, gently add the cutlets to the pan. Avoid overfilling the pan as they will be harder to turn and will not brown evenly.

On one side, cook for about 3-4 minutes or until the topping is golden and crisp. Use a spatula to gently turn them over.

Cook on the other side until it is golden brown and crisp as well.

Take out the cutlets and set them on a paper towel lined plate to drain off excess oil.

Air-Frying Method For Soya Cutlet

If you prefer a lighter flavor, preheat the Air Fryer to about 180°C.

Dip or mist the ready to go cutlets with a little oil. Arrange them so that they do not overlap in the basket of the air-fryer.

Bake in air-fryer for approximately 12-15 minutes, flipping midway through. Cooking times may vary from air fryer to air fryer, watch the cutlets towards the end.

Baking Method

Preheat oven to 200°C and place the coated cutlets on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Brush both sides with oil, and bake for about 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through baking. Bake until crispy and golden-brown.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the hot cheese soya cutlets as soon as made for optimum texture. The melted cheese is particularly flavorful when the cutlets are still hot.

They can be served over:

• Mint-coriander chutney
• Tamarind chutney
• Tomato ketchup
• Garlic or chilli sauce
• Mayonnaise
• A fresh salad

Smaller bite-size pieces can be created and served with toothpicks to make it a party. They are also great as burger patties or filling for sandwiches and wraps.

Ideal Cheese Soya Cutlets are made with the following tips

The most important step is to drain the boiled soya chunks completely of excess water. If the cutlet mixture is still watery, it could get really soft.

Make sure to let the cooked vegetables and potatoes cool down first before adding it to the soya. Hot ingredients will soften the mixture.

Please do not overuse cheese in the centre. A medium level will melt just beautifully and allow the cutlet to stay sealed.

Before coating, be sure to cover the cheese completely. Even a small opening will permit melted cheese to dribble out while frying.

Use a mild cheese and less chilli powder/green chillies for children. Adult can add jalapeño flakes, black pepper or finely chopped jalapeno to make the Soya cutlets spicier.

Conclusion

Cheese Soya Cutlets are a delicious mix of protein packed soya, creamy melted cheese, vegetables and crisp crunchy breadcrumbs. They’re simple enough for everyone to enjoy but pretty enough to serve at parties and special events. Shallow frying, air frying, or baking them are all cooking options that can be used to suit your taste.

Serve hot with mint chutney and tomato ketchup for a crunchy crust and cheesy goodness. With this basic recipe, you can try using a variety of vegetables, spices, herbs and cheeses to make your own version of this delicious homemade snack.