Tequeños Cheese Sticks with Avocado-Herb Guasacaca

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-10-07 · Updated 2026-10-07

Sticks of salty white cheese wrapped in a buttery spiral of dough and fried until crisp, served with tangy Venezuelan guasacaca for dipping. This Venezuelan-inspired quick recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 37 minutes, pairs all-purpose flour, cold unsalted butter, cubed, egg for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 690 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup cold water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces queso blanco or firm halloumi, cut into 3-inch sticks
• 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 1/4 white onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil

The food processor we’d make this in → Best Food Processors in 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Pulse flour, sugar, salt and butter in a food processor until crumbly. Add egg and cold water and pulse until a dough forms. Rest 10 minutes.
2. Step 2: Meanwhile, make the guasacaca: blend avocado, bell pepper, cilantro, parsley, onion, garlic, vinegar and olive oil with a pinch of salt until smooth. Refrigerate.
3. Step 3: Roll the dough very thin on a floured surface and cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips.
4. Step 4: Wrap each cheese stick in a dough strip in an overlapping spiral, covering the ends completely and pinching to seal.
5. Step 5: Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry tequeños in batches for 3-4 minutes, turning, until deep golden. Drain on a rack.
6. Step 6: Serve hot with guasacaca for dipping.