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Everyone is obsessed with these gooey homemade mozzarella sticks fried to golden perfection.
Who loves mozz sticks?!
This next appetizer happens to be a family favorite. Whether we’re making them at home, or ordering them at a restaurant, the kids especially love mozzarella sticks!
I finally learned how to make fried mozzarella sticks homemade. I’m so glad I did because they’re pretty quick and easy!
Why we love them:
- Quick. Only takes about 35-40 minutes from start to finish, with freeze time!
- Tasty. This little snack tastes WAY better than frozen! They’re crispy and golden.
- For sharing. Serve them up with Marinara Sauce or some Homemade Ranch Dressing.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 30 minutes
COOK TIME: 10 minutes
- 12 string cheese sticks – I use string cheese for ease, but you can also cut a block of mozzarella cheese into sticks.
- ½ cup all-purpose flour – helps the breadcrumb coating stick to the cheese sticks
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika – or chili powder for extra spice
- ⅛ teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs – Panko crumbs stay nice and crisp, but you can also use regular breadcrumbs.
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley – or replace with an equal amount of Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- vegetable oil – The ideal oil temperature for frying is about 350-375°F so choose an oil with a high smoking point such as vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil.
How to make mozzarella sticks
- PREP. Unwrap 12 cheese sticks and cut them in half crosswise.
- Combine ½ cup flour, ⅛ teaspoon paprika, and ⅛ teaspoon salt in a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag.
- In a second bag, mix 1½ cups panko, 1 tablespoon parsley, and 1 teaspoon oregano.
- In a bowl, beat 2 eggs and ¼ cup milk.
- DIP. Add 5 or 6 cheese sticks to the bowl with eggs and milk and toss around to coat.
- Transfer sticks to the flour bag and shake around, then return them to the milk bowl, making sure to coat every side.
- Finally, add sticks to the panko bag and toss to coat. Place panko-coated sticks on a baking sheet. Repeat to coat all the remaining cheese sticks.
- FREEZE. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 20–30 minutes. This will ensure that the cheese does not ooze out of the coating while frying.
- FRY. Heat a few inches of vegetable oil in a large frying pan to 350–375°F.
- Working in batches, fry sticks in the oil until golden brown on all sides, 30–60 seconds.
- SERVE. Drain on a paper towel–lined plate. Serve immediately with Marinara Sauce or Ranch Dressing.
Air fryer directions
PREP. Prepare the Mozzarella Sticks as directed in the recipe.
AIR FRY. Once they are frozen, fry them up in the air fryer. Place the mozzarella sticks in the basket and spray with cooking spray. Set the temperature to 390°F. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until the exterior is golden and crispy.
Complete the Meal
- MAIN DISHES: Sun Dried Tomato Pasta, Bruschetta Chicken, Chicken Penne Pasta, Fettuccine Alfredo, Spaghetti
- DESSERTS: Italian Cookies, Panna Cotta, Cream Puffs
- More EASY APPETIZERS: Easy Bruschetta Recipe, Burrata Board, Caprese Kabobs, Fried Zucchini, Mozzarella Bites
More collections: Super Bowl Appetizers, Finger Food Appetizers, Italian Appetizers
Mozzarella Sticks
Everyone is obsessed with these gooey homemade mozzarella sticks, breaded with a flavorful coating and fried to golden perfection.
Ingredients
- 12 string cheese sticks
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- Unwrap 12 cheese sticks and cut them in half crosswise.
- Combine flour, paprika, and salt in a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag. In a second bag, mix panko, parsley and oregano. In a bowl, beat eggs and milk together.
- Add 5 or 6 cheese sticks to the bowl with eggs and milk and toss around to coat. Transfer sticks to the flour bag and shake around, then return them to the milk bowl, making sure to coat every side. Finally, add the sticks to the panko bag and toss to coat. Place panko-coated sticks on a baking sheet. Repeat to coat all the remaining cheese sticks.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 20-30 minutes. This will ensure that the cheese does not ooze out of the coating while frying.
- Heat a few inches of the vegetable oil in a large frying pan to 350-375 degrees F.
- Working in batches, fry sticks in the oil until golden brown on all sides, 30-60 seconds.
- Serve immediately with Marinara Sauce or Ranch Dressing.
Video
Notes
Make ahead of time. Bread your cheese sticks ahead of time and pop them in the freezer. Once they are frozen, transfer them to an airtight container or resealable plastic freezer bag. Store for up to 1 month before frying as instructed above.
Nutrition
Serving: 1stick, Calories: 72kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Trans Fat: 0.001g, Cholesterol: 22mg, Sodium: 156mg, Potassium: 23mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 0.4g, Vitamin A: 34IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 25mg, Iron: 0.4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
BEST Mozzarella Stick Tips?
- Cheese. Unwrap your cheese sticks while still connected and the wrappers will all come off at once.
- A double coating helps the cheese stay inside and not melt out while frying.
- Freeze! It’s super important that they are frozen before frying, or the cheese will ooze out of the coating.
- A fry basket is handy to cook up several at a time. If you don’t have a fry basket, be cautious about adding too many cheese sticks to the oil. If you’re too slow to take them out of the oil, the cheese will ooze out.
- Seasoning. Flavor the panko mixture with garlic powder, pepper, paprika, or Italian seasoning.
- Serve immediately. This best mozzarella sticks recipe tastes the best served fresh.
Make Ahead of Time?
- Bread cheese sticks ahead of time and pop them in the freezer.
- Once they’re frozen, transfer them to an airtight container or Ziploc bag. Then you have a whole batch on hand ready to fry up whenever you like!
How to Store Mozzarella Sticks?
- Keep leftover fried cheese sticks in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days or in the freezer for a couple of months.
For More Favorite Appetizers:
Recipe adapted from: Noshing with the Nolands
Video does not load for cheese sticks instead you get a potato salad recipe. 😳
Thanks for letting us know. We’ll try to fix that!
Delicious
Want to try these. Could they be done in the air fryer?
You could definitely try them in the air fryer!
Love these!!!!! I made these and minis definitely a fam fav
Could these be put in the air fryer? I would love a temperature and time for that. These look amazing!
I haven’t tried them in the air fryer, but they should be able to!! I’d guess maybe 390 or so for about 5 minutes?
I would like to try these. Can they be adapted for the air fryer? Thanks, Wendy
They sure can! You can set your air fryer to 390°F. Spray the air fryer basket and the mozzarella sticks with a nonstick cooking spray. Then you can air fry the mozzarella sticks for 6 to 8 minutes until the exterior is crispy. You can do this in batches if needed. Hope this helps!
Can we bake these instead? If so, how long at ehat temp?
Can you put THese in the air fryer like your cream cheese stuffed JALAPENOS? Just made those and they are awesome!
I haven’t tried, but I don’t see why not! That’s a great idea!
Using cheese sticks is a great idea! The recipe was easy and delicious.