Crave-Worthy Homemade Mozzarella Sticks
These mozzarella sticks are a cheesy, crispy delight that can be fried, baked, or air-fried. Perfect for appetizers or snacks, they are best served with a side of marinara sauce.
Recipe Details
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 28 minutes
- Servings: 15 mozzarella sticks
Full Ingredient List
- 1 ½ cups (106 g) plain Panko
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 lb whole milk mozzarella block or 15 whole milk string cheese
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Marinara sauce for dipping
Mozzarella Sticks
Tools and Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Medium-sized saucepan
- Thermometer
Ingredients
| Quantity | Name | Preparation Notes | Substitutions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 ½ cups (106 g) | plain Panko | Crush into fine crumbs using a rolling pin or mallet. | breadcrumbs |
| ½ teaspoon | Italian seasoning | basil, oregano | |
| ½ teaspoon | dried parsley | ||
| ¼ teaspoon | garlic powder | minced garlic | |
| ½ teaspoon | ground black pepper | ||
| ¼ teaspoon | table salt | ||
| 2 | large eggs | Beat eggs until scrambled. | egg substitutes |
| ½ cup (63 g) | all-purpose flour | gluten-free flour | |
| 1 lb or 15 sticks | whole milk mozzarella block or string cheese | Cut mozzarella block into sticks if not using string cheese. | |
| as needed for frying | Vegetable oil | canola oil, peanut oil | |
| as desired for dipping | Marinara sauce | ranch dressing |
Instructions
- Step 1: Crush panko crumbs in a Ziploc bag to fine crumbs using a rolling pin or mallet.
- Step 2: Combine crushed panko, Italian seasoning, dried parsley, garlic powder, pepper, and salt in a shallow dish.
- Step 3: Beat eggs in a separate shallow bowl. (Tips: Use a whisk or fork to scramble the eggs.)
- Step 4: Place all-purpose flour in another shallow bowl.
- Step 5: Cut mozzarella block into sticks if not using string cheese.
- Step 6: Dip each cheese stick in flour, then egg, and finally the panko mixture ensuring an even coating. (Tips: Make sure there are no bare spots for the cheese to leak from.)
- Step 7: Place coated sticks on a wire rack and freeze for at least 1 hour. (Tips: Freezing is crucial to prevent cheese from oozing out during cooking.)
- Step 8: Fill a saucepan with 3” of vegetable oil and heat to 350F (175C). (Tips: Use a thermometer to maintain steady oil temperature.)
- Step 9: Fry sticks in batches until golden brown and serve warm with marinara sauce. (Tips: Let oil return to the correct temperature before starting a new batch.)
Additional Information
Notes: These tasty mozzarella sticks freeze well, making them a great make-ahead snack. Remember, for best results, don't skip the freezing step prior to frying, baking, or air-frying.