Fried Mozzarella Sticks
Make your own homemade Fried Mozzarella Sticks and serve ’em with warm marinara sauce. These make a great appetizer for game nights with friends!
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There are some really great memes out there in the interwebs about cheesesticks. My favorite:
Who wants to come over and eat 6 cheesesticks?
*crickets chirping*
Who wants to come over and eat a dozen fried mozzarella sticks?
*everyone raises their hand*
It’s true! I love me a good string cheese, but I’m satisfied with 1 – ok, maybe 2. Bread those cheesesticks and fry ’em up? I’ll eat at least 6…and that’s if I’m not very hungry!
Fried Mozzarella Sticks
Fried mozzarella sticks are a staple at nearly every bar and casual restaurant, and for good reason! There’s something magical about melty cheese coated in crispy breadcrumbs. Add in some marinara sauce for dipping, and you’ve got a crowd favorite!
You can buy frozen fried mozzarella sticks at the store. Bake ’em up at home, and you’ve got a tasty appetizer. But here’s the thing – making fried mozzarella at home really isn’t that difficult!
To make Fried Mozzarella Sticks at home, you just need a few simple ingredients. (And chances are you probably have everything you need aside from the mozzarella sticks. But if you’re like me, then you keep a constant supply of mozz sticks in the fridge!)
- Mozzarella cheese sticks: aka string cheese. That’s right. String cheese is mozzarella…and it’s already in the perfect stick shape!
- Flour and Cornstarch: This combination coats the cheesesticks so that the egg mixture will stick better. The cornstarch helps produce a light, yet crispy crust. (All flour can sometimes clump together.)
- Eggs and Milk: This combination coats the cheesesticks so that the breadcrumbs will stick better. The eggs create a delicate crispness in fried foods, but all eggs can make a batter heavy. The milk thins the batter out a bit.
- Italian-Seasoned Breadcrumbs and Parmesan Cheese: This combination creates a flavorful and crunchy coating around the cheesesticks. The breadcrumbs are handy because they are already seasoned with Italian seasoning. You can use plain breadcrumbs (try ’em with panko!) and add your own seasonings, though.
- Vegetable or Peanut Oil: For frying. Avoid using olive oil or oils with lower smokepoints when deep frying – they can catch fire.
- Marinara Sauce: Optional, for dipping. Is it really optional, though? Ranch dressing is another option for dipping sauce.
How to Reheat Mozzarella Sticks
Homemade Mozzarella Sticks taste best when they are fresh, however these can be reheated with decent success. Microwaving leftover cheesesticks is not the best option. Sure, it’s quick, but the coating on the outside of the cheesesticks doesn’t get very crispy again.
Instead, we put the leftover mozzarella sticks on a piece of foil and bake them in our toaster oven for 5-7 minutes, or until hot and crispy. The microwave is fine for reheating the marinara sauce, though!
To store leftover fried cheesesticks, place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. We typically line the bottom of the container with a paper towel to help absorb any excess oil.
And, yes, you can freeze mozzarella sticks! Just let them cool completely and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Freeze overnight, and then transfer frozen cheesesticks into an airtight bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Of course, this assumes you have leftover cheesesticks to begin with…that’s not usually a problem in our house!
If you’re looking for a great snack or appetizer for game nights with friends, then put these cheesesticks on the list. Whenever we make a batch of these, they just seem to magically disappear. Enjoy!
Did you make a batch of these Fried Mozzarella Sticks at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Fried Mozzarella Sticks
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- 1½ cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups vegetable oil, peanut oil or canola oil for frying
- 16 oz. mozzarella cheese sticks see note
- {optional} chopped fresh parsley for garnish
- marinara sauce for serving
Instructions
- Using a medium bowl, whisk together flour and cornstarch.
- Using a separate large shallow dish, whisk together the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.
- Using a third bowl, whisk together eggs and milk.
- Working with one cheese stick at a time, dredge the cheese stick in the flour mixture.
- Dip the cheese stick into the egg mixture. (Tip: Hold the cheese stick above the egg mixture to let excess egg drip back into bowl.)
- Roll the cheese stick in the breadcrumb mixture until well coated.
- Place cheese stick on a plate or wire rack and repeat with remaining cheese sticks.
- Using a large skillet or Dutch oven, add enough oil so that it is ~2” deep. Place over medium heat until oil reaches 350°F. (Tip: To test oil, drop a tiny pinch of breadcrumbs into the hot oil. If it bubbles up immediately, the oil is ready.)
- Working in batches of 3-4 cheese sticks, carefully place each cheese stick into the hot oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes, or until cheese sticks are golden brown. (Tip: Using a wooden spoon, rotate the cheese sticks occasionally to ensure they are golden brown on all sides.)
- Place fried cheese sticks on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat process with remaining cheese sticks.
- Serve cheese sticks hot with a bowl of warm marinara sauce. (Tip: To keep cheese sticks hot, place them on a plate in a 250°F oven while you fry the remaining cheese sticks.)
Notes
Looking for more tasty appetizer recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
Cant wait to make this soon for me i never had fried mozzarella sticks before perfect for my after office snacks love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
Fried mozzarella sticks are delicious, Ramya! It’s hard to beat melty cheese. 🙂
Those look so good. I’m very tempted!
You and me both, Mimi!
I never thought that it is actually a breeze to make cheesesticks, and needless to say they look terrific! And I bet they taste better than any (even good quality) store bought mozzarella sticks. What can I say? I’ll easily eat 6 or 15 🙂
Sure, it takes longer to make homemade cheesesticks than say baking frozen ones from the store. But these are SO much better! Thanks, Ben!
I think the closest I’ve come to these is deep fried camembert with cranberry sauce! Very delicious and very retro. It was a big thing in the 80s!:=)
Woah. Fried camembert? And served with cranberry sauce? I need this in my life, Sherry!!
Lol-there most definitely is something magical about breaded and fried cheese! And, am usually guilty of grabbing those store bought ones mostly cos i had no idea it was so easy to make! Thanks for this recipe, David! We have a wine tasting at home this weekend and i just might have to whip up a batch of fried cheese with YOUR recipe!
You know, cheese + wine is a thing, Shashi! I’m thinking mozzarella sticks with a nice glass of wine would be a pretty good weekend night. 🙂
Those memes about cheese sticks are spot on! There’s something irresistible about fried mozzarella sticks that just brings people together. Whether it’s for a game night with friends or just a cozy evening at home, they always hit the spot.
I hear ya, Raymund – cheese sticks are a popular bar menu item for a reason! They’re pretty irresistible…especially when they’re homemade.
These look perfect for a fun night with friends.
You can say that again, Pauline! The only trick is whether they’ll last until the friends arrive. 🙂