If you are looking to learn how to make homemade mozzarella sticks, you’ve come to the right place. Though traditional mozzarella cheese can be used, it is easiest to make with perfectly portioned sticks of string cheese.
This piping hot appetizer can be ready to enjoy in just 10 minutes!
You know what I absolutely crave when it is hot and muggy outside, and my house feels like a sauna? Deep fried food! Well, not typically, but Tuesday I was absolutely ravenous for some good ol’ deep fried Wisconsin cheese!
Cheese is to Wisconsin what corruption is to Illinois… we couldn’t function without it. It’s practically our state vitamin.
Heck, Wisconsin’s deep fried cheese curds look like over-sized vitamins, and they sure make me feel a lot better! If you like Mozzarella sticks, you HAVE to check out my Beer Battered Deep Fried Cheese Curds recipe too!
What Are Mozzarella Sticks
Mozzarella sticks are a popular deep fried appetizer consisting of long slices of mozzarella cheese which are coated in seasoned breadcrumbs and fried until golden brown and melted inside. Mozzarella sticks are most commonly served with marinara sauce for dipping.
Mozzarella Sticks with String Cheese
Making homemade mozzarella sticks with string cheese is not a difficult proposition, particularly if you take advantage of the fact that string cheese is already in perfectly portioned sticks ready to fry! All you need to do is bread them and dunk them in oil! You can even make Doritos Mozzarella Sticks if you are feeling crazy!
Baked Mozzarella Sticks
Yes, you can make homemade mozzarella sticks without frying, by baking them in the oven. However, I find baked mozzarella sticks have a higher risk of error since you can’t monitor their cooking as closely. You are more likely to end up with melted white blobs than stretchy homemade cheese sticks!
Not to mention, baked mozzarella sticks aren’t all that healthy either. You are still chowing down on big sticks of breaded cheese. Might as well fry them in oil, get better flavor, and have a better chance of them cooking to perfection.
If you still wish to attempt baked mozzarella sticks I recommend freezing the cheese prior to breading and baking them in a 450-degree oven until golden brown and the cheese threatens to ooze out. Freezing the cheese buys you a little more time before you have a melted disaster.
How to Make Homemade Mozzarella Sticks
If you don’t have a deep fryer, and I don’t, I recommend using a cast iron fryer. It has deep walls which is perfect for containing and oil threatening to splatter over, and the heavy nature of cast iron is perfect for maintaining a steady temperature. All of my deep frying is done exclusively in this.
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Use your digital thermometer to monitor the frying oil temperature. The oil temperature will drop after adding the initial batch of mozzarella sticks, so I typically increase the heat of my burner after I start frying, or raise my initial frying temperature a little over 365 to compensate for the impending drop.
It is also a good idea to do a test batch with a single stick to get an idea of how quickly your mozzarella sticks will cook. If you see the cheese oozing out, they are overcooking and should be removed immediately.
What Goes Well With Mozzarella Sticks
Mozzarella sticks are a classic bar appetizer, making them well suited to pair with other bar food and game-day fare. When creating your own menu, think of an appetizer sampler you would order at a sports bar. Items such as chicken wings, homemade French fries, and fried green tomatoes would all go together nicely. You could even serve your mozzarella sticks as an appetizer for a nice juicy homemade burger!
Homemade Mozzarella Sticks with String Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 oz String Cheese
- 1 1/2 cups Italian breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp Milk
- Oil for frying
- Marinara for dipping
Instructions
- Fill skillet with a couple inches of oil and heat to 365 degrees.
- Whisk together milk and egg in a bowl.
- Add breadcrumbs to a separate bowl.
- Dip string cheese in egg, then breadcrumbs, then egg again and breadcrumbs again.
- Deep fry in batches until crust is golden brown, about 1 minute.
- Remove from fryer and let drain on a paper towel, then serve with marinara sauce.
Notes
If you cooked this up at home and enjoyed it, please let me know in the comments below! It is a nice reminder of why I write these recipes.
If you enjoyed reading my homemade mozzarella sticks recipe then you should probably like me on Facebook and follow me on Pinterest too. That’s what I would do at least, because if you don’t get to know me but you still use my recipe it is kind of like taking candy from a stranger, and your mom taught you not to do that. Don’t disobey your mom, subscribe to Fox Valley Foodie today.
theartinpartyplanning says
What a great appetizer idea! I feel like I’ve been in an appetizer rut this summer! This will help change it up! Thanks!
Fox Valley Foodie says
Fantastic! I hope you enjoy it!
Kevin Furlong says
“Not to mention, baked mozzarella sticks aren’t all that healthy either. You are still chowing down on big sticks of breaded cheese. Might as well fry them in oil, get better flavor, and have a better chance of them cooking to perfection.”
Amen. I’m gonna be deep frying this recipe later on. Thanks for the recipe and tips!
Kylie C says
This sounds perfect,.. But I wonder if I could bake them to make it a little healthier?
Fox Valley Foodie says
Yes, there are recipes for baked mozzarella sticks. Bake at 350 degrees for 5-6 minutes. Though, if I am eating a big stick of cheese I figure in for a penny, in for a pound! 🙂
dad says
why would you bake them. it kills the flavor!
Pepper Dasnee says
Looks perfect!!! I want to make this 🙂
Ashleigh says
These turned out perfect!simple and delicious!
Fox Valley Foodie says
Fantastic! Thanks for the feedback!
Nancy says
Made these tonight as an appetizer to an Italian dinner. Wow, they’re amazing. I cut the string cheese sticks in half before breading them. Didn’t change the recipe at all, but it made it easier to dip without double dipping in some marinara sauce. My family loved this recipe! Will make again for sure!
Fox Valley Foodie says
Fantastic! I am glad it worked out for you! Cutting the sticks in half was a great idea too 🙂
April says
Can you just dip the cheese in the egg and bread crumb once?
Fox Valley Foodie says
Probably, but the coating will be thinner and may not stay on as well.
Danielle says
Can you premake these and freeze them for later?
Fox Valley Foodie says
Yes, that would work well. Freezing would also help prevent the cheese from overcooking too quickly.
diane gardiner says
can you freeze for later and how long will they freeze, the cheese sticks
Fox Valley Foodie says
Yes, you can freeze them. I suspect they would last quite a while in the freezer if stored properly.
Melody says
Yum these look simply delicious!! Thank you for this! ?
Megan says
I made these the exact way it says and it’s **** terrible. The bread crumbs won’t even stick to the cheese stick even if we manage by some miracle to get it to stay it cooks the crumbs off! And we end up with a melted cheese blob!
Fox Valley Foodie says
I’m sorry it didn’t turn out for you. Breading and deep frying can certainly be a challenge for many people. Dipping deep fried food in an egg wash then breadcrumbs is a tried and true practice that has been around forever. I recommend giving it a little practice and you’ll get it. It sounds like your breadcrumbs may have gotten soggy, I’ve found they don’t coat as well if they aren’t dry. Also be sure you are letting the egg wash drip off so globs of it don’t come off in the breadcrumbs.
Tabitha L Cook says
Thanks for the tips! I suck at this frying thing
Jessica @ Citrus Blossom Bliss says
I was looking for a fun and homemade appetizer for NYE and I think I’ve found just the thing! 🙂
Juan cena says
A delectable sensation for my tastebuds!
kate b says
I used buttermilk instead of regular milk. And I added a little extra seasoning to the breadcrumbs. I think cheese is messy no matter how you fry it. Just keep your eye on it. Mine took less than a minute in the fryer. They tasted great
Strawberry-wine- says
Fantastic idea thank you ever so much for sharing.
Nate says
Made this but instead of breadcrumbs I use Doritos crushed up, 900% better
Fox Valley Foodie says
You sir are a genious.
Matt Hut says
Great Recipe! I used the link in my most recent blog post. Hope you don’t mind!
http://cateringforacrowd.com/food-ideas-for-a-graduation-party/
BarcaBakes says
Love Mozzarella sticks, but any other cheese you’d recommend. I love the texture of Mozzarella, but I find the flavor a little boring. Like something strong and punchy!
Fox Valley Foodie says
Any of your favorite cheeses will work just fine. Provolone or brick cheese would be two mild alternatives that have a bit more flavor. They also melt nicely.
Natlaie says
Does it only severe 4 mozzarella sticks or does it severe more?
Fox Valley Foodie says
It depends on how much string cheese is in your 16 oz package. If your package has 12 sticks of cheese, it will make 12 mozzarella sticks.
Arianne says
I dipped my cheese sticks in egg and then bread crumbs 2x and the crust came out perfect. Love how easy this is! Once you freeze them, are you supposed to fry them again to reheat or bake them?
Mary says
The Illinois joke is in bad taste, just like this recipe. Shame on you.
Fox Valley Foodie says
I bet you’re a hoot at parties.
Jeff says
Lady, you are crazy. The joke is hilarious and the recipe is spot on!
Deborah Case says
I agree!!
Willow says
My daughter Jaycie and I made this. It was terrible. IDK what happend. THIS WAS GROSS! Do you know why? Plz answer. Thx.
Fox Valley Foodie says
You’ll have to give us more information before we can tell you what you did wrong. Can you please clarify exactly what issues you experienced?
Willow says
There was cheese all over the place after frying!
Fox Valley Foodie says
Ok that is an easy one. It just needed to be cooked less. If the oil temperature is too high, or it is left in the oil too long, it will become too melty and fall apart. Basically, like the recipe notes explained, if you over fry it the cheese will be too melted and unruly.
Samantha Parrott says
My names is Samantha,I just wanted to right to your company and make a suggestion. I was wondering what u would think about doing a deep fried pepperjack cheese stick. I was at home making homemade onion rings, and then I had some pepperjack cheese in my fridge so I grabbed it out of fridge and thought I wonder what this would taste like if I do poured in batter and deep fried it. I did it and it was so good, had that kick to it. So if I were u I’d give it a try.
Fox Valley Foodie says
Thanks Samantha, I love pepperjack cheese, I have no doubt that would be fantastic!
Christina says
I would season the batter (eggs & milk) .Maybe some garlic powder, onion powder, italian seasoning etc.
Sana says
I tried trying so far at low to med temp, but they basically melted in the frying pan. I didn’t have any issue with soggy bread crumbs and have experience with egg washing several dishes.
I’m now going to try baking at the recommended 350*F and will report back.
It’ll be nice to have an easy peasy way to make delicious mozzarella sticks.
Judy says
How would these do cooked in an air fryer??
Mark says
Can you make these with an air fryer.
Fox Valley Foodie says
I don’t use an air fryer and have never used one, so I am not sure. I am sure there are probably air fryer recipes for mozzarella sticks if you google them.
Matt says
Simple and delish !!! Family gobbled them up in a hurry! Great recipe!
Kelly says
I’m trying this now but I’m freezing them before frying I’ll let you know what happens lol
Tiffany says
Did that work better? And wer they frozen when deep frying
PatriotsFan says
I just tried this recipe as a last minute Superbowl recipe, It was Great! I dredged in flour first and then chilled outside in the snow for an hour before frying. The breading stayed on and they fried to a golden brown quickly. Everyone loved them!
Sheila says
Anyone tried in their air fryer yet, thoughts.
Shawn Felty says
Just freeze for 30 minutes after breading. Cook in 1/2 inch preheated oil on medium in a frying pan and they can be turned 3 times till done on each side. Much more control over temp and appearance
Allan Robbins says
I played a riff off of your recipe. I crushed up the Flaming Hot Cheeto Puffs instead of bread crumbs.
Mylinda says
Tried these tonight and the breading would fall off and the ones I tried cooking just disintegrated..
andy says
great recipie
Heather McKinley says
I froze the cheese sticks before coating then frying them. They were a huge hit. We loved the flavor these brought. I’m going to take a batch next time, prep then freeze them so we can just fry what we want later. Thank you.