Mozzarella Sticks

By Naz Deravian

Updated Feb. 15, 2024

Total Time: 3 hours
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes, plus 2 hours’ freezing
Rating: 4(17)
Notes: Read community notes

Hot, crunchy, gooey and salty, mozzarella sticks check all the boxes. For a crisp crust that sticks to the gooey cheese, use low-moisture mozzarella, and double coat it in flour, egg and panko. (For a smart shortcut, use store-bought string cheese; it will be slightly thinner than hand-cut cheese.) Freezing the breaded sticks before frying ensures that the coating adheres and doesn’t fall off in the hot oil, so don’t skip that step. Serve the classic snack with pizza sauce, or homemade or jarred marinara.

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Ingredients

Yield:About 20 servings

1pound whole-milk low-moisture (not fresh) mozzarella
½cup all-purpose flour
4large eggs
2½cups plain panko
3teaspoons Italian seasoning
2teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
½teaspoon garlic powder
½teaspoon onion powder
½teaspoon black pepper
Warm marinara or pizza sauce, for serving
Vegetable oil, for frying (about 7 cups)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and place a wire rack on top. Slice the mozzarella into sticks, about 3 inches long and ½ inch wide. Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Beat the eggs in another shallow bowl. In a third bowl, combine the panko, Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper. Taste the panko mix for seasoning, keeping in mind that mozzarella may be salty.
Step 2
Coat all sides of a cheese stick in flour, shaking off excess. Next, dip it in the egg, allowing excess to drip back into the bowl. Finally, press the stick gently in the panko so all sides are completely coated. Repeat the process, coating a second time. Place the cheese stick on the prepared sheet pan fitted with the wire rack and repeat with the remaining mozzarella slices. Transfer the breaded cheese sticks to the freezer. Freeze until frozen, about 2 hours.
Step 3
Fill a deep, heavy-bottomed pot with 2 inches of oil. Heat over medium-high until the temperature reaches 350 degrees. Line a large plate with paper towels. Working in batches of 3 or 4 to avoid overcrowding, fry the breaded cheese sticks, turning a couple times, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the paper towel-lined plate and serve hot (see Tip 2) with pizza or marinara sauce for dipping. Maintain the oil temperature as needed; if it gets too hot, the cheese will seep out of the crust.

Tips

Tip 1: Mozzarella sticks can be breaded and frozen if not frying the same day. Once frozen in Step 2, transfer to a resealable plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Fry from frozen as directed, adding an extra 30 seconds to 1 minute, until golden brown.
Tip 2: To keep the mozzarella sticks warm while frying the whole batch, heat the oven to 200 degrees at the beginning of Step 3. Place another wire rack on a parchment-lined sheet pan, transfer the fried mozzarella sticks to the wire rack and place in the oven until serving.

Ratings

4 out of 5

17 user ratings

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RudisHuman4 months ago

Great recipe for my fave bar food back in the day! Thought pre-formed mozzarella sticks would be easier. Not. Might be my worn out hands but unwrapping all those sticks was seriously annoying. Used saltines, crushed in food processor, vs panko. Freezing is a must but 15-20 min worked fine. Hungry! Sauteed in 1/4"-1/2" oil, turning frequently. Thawed frozen marinara from another meal, worked great. Froze rest of premade sticks; so easy to saute some to nosch on when making dinner.

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