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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 Recipe
Everyone is obsessed with these gooey homemade mozzarella sticks, breaded with a flavorful coating and fried to golden perfection.
Video
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.
Notes
Recipe Tips.
- Do not skip freezing the coated sticks since this step helps keep the cheese from melting too quickly.
- Fry in small batches to keep the oil temperature steady for even cooking.
- Use a thermometer to maintain oil between 350 and 375 degrees for best results.
- A double coating helps the cheese stay inside and not melt out while frying.
- You can freeze the coated sticks long term and fry straight from frozen for an easy make ahead snack.
- Unwrap your cheese sticks while still connected, and the wrappers will all come off at once.
- 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.
- Flavor the panko mixture with garlic powder, pepper, paprika, or Italian seasoning.
- This recipe tastes best served fresh.
- Air fryer directions. Prepare the Mozzarella Sticks as directed in the recipe. 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.
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:
Crock Pot Meatballs
4 hrs 5 mins
Cheesy Zucchini Tots
25 mins
Crockpot Spinach Artichoke Dip
1 hr 10 mins
Recipe adapted from: Noshing with the Nolands
Yah no. I dont know what step all these recipes are missing to keep the egg and bread crumbs stuck to the cheese, but every recipe I’ve tried, it just all falls off the cheese stick
It can be frustrating when a recipe does not turn out as expected. For this recipe, they may need a little longer in the freezer, or the oil might not be quite hot enough.