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Everyone is obsessed with these gooey homemade mozzarella sticks, breaded with a flavorful coating and fried to golden perfection.
If you love ordering mozzarella sticks and Marinara, you will be blown away by this homemade recipe. For something more bite-sized try Mozzarella Bites!
Who loves mozzarella 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
- cheese sticks – I use string cheese for ease, but you can also cut a block of mozzarella cheese into sticks.
- all-purpose flour
- paprika
- seasoned salt
- panko breadcrumbs – Panko crumbs stay nice and crisp, but you can also use regular bread crumbs.
- dried parsley
- dried oregano
- large eggs
- 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 cheese sticks and cut them in half.
- Prepare breading stations. In bag #1, toss the flour, paprika, and salt. In bag #2, mix the panko, parsley, and oregano. And in a bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together.
- COAT. Now coat your cheese sticks.
- Toss 5 or 6 in your milk bowl for a good soaking.
- Throw them in the flour bag and shake, shake, shake.
- Put them back in the milk bowl, making sure to coat every side.
- Finally, toss them around in the panko bag for your second coating.
- FREEZE. Place them on a cookie sheet and freeze for 20-30 min.
- FRY. Heat a few inches of your canola or vegetable oil in a large frying pan. Place sticks, in batches, in the oil and fry until golden brown on all sides (about 30-60 seconds).
- SERVE. Drain on a plate lined with a paper towel.
Air fryer directions
PREP. Prepare the Mozzarella Sticks as directed in the recipe.
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.
Recipe 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.
- Fry basket. 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.
Storing info
- Make ahead of time. Bread your 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!
- Serve immediately. This best mozzarella sticks recipe tastes the best served fresh.
- STORE. 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:
Mozzarella Sticks Recipe
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 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 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 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.
- Drain on a paper towel–lined plate. Serve immediately with marinara sauce or ranch dressing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe adapted from: Noshing with the Nolands
We like mozzarella sticks as much as fried zucchini. We like the cheesy gooiness in these little sticks. Not hard to make.
This was so great! So much easier to make then I thought!
these are so good! I love how easy they were to make, and they were loved by all at our tailgate.
Made these and I had to come back and leave a review because THEY WERE AWESOME! my family ate them all AND THEY WERE PRETTY EASY MAKE. EXCITED TO MAKE THEM AGAIN!
Aren’t they so addicting?! I am happy you tried them!!
This recipe is a family favorite for sure! No need to go out for a good appetizer.
These are so addicting!! They are crispy & crunchy, which I love & super cheesy!! They are seriously so good!!
Love your site. Thank you so much for sharing!
Awe, thank you!! I am happy you do 🙂 You’ve made my day!
Really simple and the flavor is wonderful!
I could totally live on these – YUM!
Same, Gina! They’re a favorite for sure!! Hope you guys have a great New Year!!
These look so good, Kristyn! Mozzarella sticks are a total weakness for me. I can’t wait to make these at home!
SAME!! Not sure how you CAN’T like cheese being deep fried! 😉
Do you coat them in flour twice or once in flour once in panko?
Once in the flour, but twice in the milk. Once in the panko. Hope you like them!