Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
Cheesy, crispy, and delicious mozzarella cheese sticks, perfect for snacking or as an appetizer, with gooey insides and crunchy exteriors.
Ingredients
Cheese and Coating
- 16 sticks string cheese sticks Slice each stick in half for 32 pieces.
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs Beaten.
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs For the coating.
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Cooking Ingredients
- 2½ cups peanut or vegetable oil For frying.
- 1 cup marinara sauce Warmed, for serving.
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley For garnishing (optional).
Instructions
Preparation
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Slice each string cheese stick in half crosswise so you have 32 pieces.
- Pour flour into a pie dish or shallow bowl.
- Add eggs to a second pie dish or shallow bowl and beat with a fork.
- Add bread crumbs, salt, pepper, oregano, and garlic powder to a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
- Pour the breadcrumb mixture into a third pie dish or shallow bowl.
- Coat each cheese piece in flour, dip in egg, and then coat thoroughly with breadcrumbs.
- Place the coated cheese sticks on the baking sheet and repeat until all are coated.
- Freeze the cheese sticks in a single layer for 2 hours or overnight.
Cooking - Frying
- Line another baking sheet with 3 layers of paper towels and set aside.
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until it reaches 400 degrees F.
- Fry a few cheese sticks in the hot oil for 2-3 minutes until golden brown.
- Transfer fried cheese sticks to the paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain excess oil.
- Repeat frying with remaining cheese sticks.
- Garnish with minced parsley and serve with warmed marinara sauce.
Cooking - Baking
- Move the oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack inside the pan, spraying with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place mozzarella cheese sticks on the wire rack and spray or brush the tops with oil.
- Bake for 7-8 minutes until golden brown and allow to cool for 3 minutes before garnishing.
- Serve with warmed marinara sauce.
Notes
Store leftover cheese sticks in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They can also be frozen before frying; wrap securely and freeze for up to 2 months. Fry or bake from frozen.