Homemade Mozzarella Sticks

Name: Homemade Mozzarella Sticks
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: ⅓ cup flour; 3 whole eggs; 2 Tablespoon water; 1 cup bread crumbs; 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs; 1 teaspoon italian seasoning; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; ¼ teaspoon pepper; 16 pieces mozzarella sticks (cut in half - string cheese); 1 cup canola oil

Melty, stretchy cheese encased in a spiced, crunchy breadcrumb coating, deep-fried to gooey golden perfection! These Homemade Mozzarella Sticks served with marinara dipping sauce are the perfect appetizers or snacks for your next house party, game day, or movie night.

The Best Homemade Mozzarella Sticks Recipe

If you have been continually disappointed with store-bought, unappetizing mozzarella sticks, then this homestyle recipe is precisely what you need! You will know what I am talking about once you bite into a deliciously seasoned crispy breading followed closely by soft, stringy mozzarella cheese inside. You will never ever go back to buying pre-made ones after this!

I used a couple of techniques to make these Mozzarella sticks as amazing as they can be that I will be sharing with you. Do not worry; there are no fancy steps required at all! It includes double coating the cheese and freezing the breaded sticks before frying. It is a fuss-free recipe that is guaranteed to give you excellent results all the time!

Why this Recipe Works

It is so easy! All you need to do is to make your breading stations, dredge the mozzarella sticks twice, then freeze and fry!
Make a batch of these cheesy snacks and freeze them for another time. Then you can just deep fry a batch straight from the freezer any time you want to enjoy them. Perfect for those mid-day or late-night cheese cravings!
These fried Mozzarella Sticks are one of our favorite appetizers and finger foods for any occasion! You can serve it with a classic marinara sauce on the side or go with other dipping sauce like Tzatziki sauce, BBQ sauce, pizza sauce, or ranch dressing.

Ingredients Needed

Flour
Eggs
Water
Bread crumbs
Italian seasoning
Salt
Garlic powder
Pepper
Mozzarella sticks
Canola oil (vegetable oil)

Kitchen Supplies You will Need

Mixing bowls
Whisk
Parchment paper
Baking tray
Tongs
Heavy skillet, dutch oven, deep fryer

How to Make Homemade Mozzarella Sticks

Preparations:

Line the baking tray with parchment paper for the breading station.
Line a plate with paper towels for the frying station

STEP 1: Prepare your Breading Stations. Place flour in the first bowl then set aside. In the second bowl, whisk eggs with water. Lastly, combine the bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder, and pepper in the third bowl. Arrange them next to each other and place your prepared tray next to the breadcrumb mixture

STEP 2: Breading the Mozzarella Sticks. Using a tong, roll each mozzarella stick into the flour, then dip into the egg mixture before tossing it into the breaded mix. Set into the prepared tray.

STEP 3: Second Coating. When all mozzarella sticks have one coat of breading, give them a second coating. But this time, skip the flour. Dip it into the egg mixture and coat thoroughly with the bread crumbs.

STEP 4: Freeze the Sticks. Place the tray with the sticks in the freezer for at least an hour.

STEP 5: Prepare the Frying Station. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven to a temperature of 325 to 350 degrees. Place your prepared plate next to your frying station.

STEP 6: Fry Mozzarella Sticks. Fry each stick on the hot oil for a minute or two per side, or until golden brown. Transfer into the lined plate when done.

STEP 7: Serve and Enjoy. Serve with marinara sauce on the side if you’d like. Enjoy!

Tips When Making Mozzarella Sticks

Double coating the mozzarella sticks is highly recommended. It gives a thicker coating and a better casing for the mozzarella cheese. Thickly breaded mozzarella sticks prevent the cheese from oozing out while cooking.
If the bread crumb/panko mixture gets too clumpy from dipping the mozzarella sticks with the egg mixture in, just toss together a second batch.
Freezing them is also another vital step that should not be missed. This will ensure that the cheese will not immediately melt inside and leak before the breading has a chance to brown.
Do not overcrowd the pan when frying, or else it will lower the temperature of the oil. This will result in them being soggy instead of crunchy.
When frying the homemade cheese sticks, pay attention to how quickly they are browning and adjust your temperature. Make the adjustment as necessary but make sure that the oil temperature remains hot.
Do not stack the fried sticks on top of each other after frying them. Arrange them in a single layer on top of the paper towels to drain any excess oil.
If you want fewer bowls to wash and a quicker breading method, put your flour and bread crumb mixture into plastic bags instead.

Ingredient Substitutions and Variations

If you don’t have Italian seasoning, just mix some dried parsley, paprika, and oregano. You can also use other herbs and spices that you prefer, like onion, cumin, mustard, thyme, and basil powder.
If you want your Mozzarella Sticks with a punch of spiciness, add some chili powder into the breading mix.
You can beat the eggs with milk instead of water for better flavor.
You can also cut the mozzarella sticks into bite-size pieces to make yummy mozzarella bites. Perfect for kids to enjoy without creating so much mess.
The mozzarella sticks can be baked instead of fried if you don’t like too much oil in your food.

Storing Homemade Mozzarella Sticks

Place the mozzarella sticks in an airtight container (or sandwich bag) and keep them refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these ahead?

Yes! After you’ve frozen them on a tray, just move them into freezer bags. Then you can just fry up the amount you want at one time.

Do I need to thaw the frozen Mozzarella Sticks before frying them?

No need; you can deep fry the frozen cheese sticks directly from the freezer.

I don’t have any cheese sticks, can I make these with a block of cheese?

Yes! That actually works really well. Just be sure to cut the cheese into uniformly sized bricks.

How would you recommend reheating these?

If you have an air fryer, this is the best way. Set the air fryer for 375 degrees, cook the mozzarella sticks for 4 minutes, turn them, and cook for another 4 minutes. If you don’t have an air fryer, bake them in a 350 degrees F oven for 10 minutes or until hot and crispy.

Can I bake them instead of frying them?

You can technically bake them but always remember that the texture will be different. They will not have the same crunch that you get when deep-frying them.

Can I use this recipe with other types of cheese?

ell, you’d have to call it differently, but other breaded cheese sticks use provolone, Edam, and cheddar instead. You will not get the stringy, stretchy cheese, but they will still be delicious nonetheless.

If you’ve tried these MOZZARELLA STICKS or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how they turned out. We love hearing from you! You can also follow along with me on FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM to see more colorful recipes!