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    Home » Recipes » Appetizer Recipes

    Homemade Mozzarella Sticks with String Cheese

    Published: Sep 15, 2022 · Modified: Sep 30, 2022 by Fox Valley Foodie · This post may contain affiliate links

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    Homemade mozzarella sticks with string cheese

    If you are looking to learn how to make homemade mozzarella sticks, you've come to the right place. Although traditional mozzarella cheese can be used, it is easiest to make with perfectly portioned sticks of string cheese and is ready to be enjoyed in 10 minutes.

    Deep fried mozzarella sticks being stretched.

    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.

    Beer Battered Deep Fried Cheese Curds

    Heck, Wisconsin's deep fried cheese curds look like over-sized vitamins, and they sure make me feel a lot better! If you like making your own homemade 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 or ranch dressing for dipping.

    Can I make Mozzarella Sticks with String Cheese?

    Yes, 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 coat them in a breadcrumb mixture and dunk them in oil! You can even make Doritos Mozzarella Sticks if you are feeling crazy!

    I use Italian breadcrumbs to make this an easy recipe, since they already contain seasoning. However, you can substitute regular bread crumbs if needed, and just add Italian seasoning to taste. You could even add black pepper and garlic powder to the bread crumb mixture.

    Can I bake 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. Just make sure you use a rimmed baking sheet so the melting string cheese sticks don't drip to the bottom of the oven.

    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.

    Use your digital thermometer to monitor the frying oil temperature. The oil temperature will drop after adding the initial batch of breaded 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.

    For best results, it is 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 gooey cheese oozing out, they are overcooking and should be removed immediately with a slotted spoon.

    Once your delicious fried cheese sticks are done bathing in hot oil, place them on a paper towel-lined baking sheet to soak up the grease. Then serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

    How to Make Homemade Mozzarella Sticks with string cheese.

    More classic bar appetizers

    • Chicken wings - can be baked in the oven!
    • Homemade French fries - as good as your favorite restaurant!
    • Fried green tomatoes - A southern classic!
    • Burger Sliders - Perfect for a crowd!
    Deep fried mozzarella sticks being stretched

    Homemade Mozzarella Sticks with String Cheese

    Making homemade mozzarella sticks with string cheese is easy because the cheese is already perfect portioned! Just bread and deep fry to perfection!
    4.56 from 36 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 minute
    Total Time: 11 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 533kcal
    Author: Fox Valley Foodie

    Equipment

    • 1 Tall sided skillet

    Ingredients

    • 16 ounces string cheese
    • 1 ½ cups Italian breadcrumbs
    • 2 eggs
    • 2 tablespoons milk
    • Oil for frying
    • Marinara for dipping

    Instructions

    • Fill a tall-sided heavy skillet with a couple of inches of oil and heat to 365 degrees.
    • Whisk together milk and egg in a bowl.
    • Add breadcrumbs to a separate bowl.
    • Dip mozzarella string cheese in the beaten eggs, then breadcrumbs, then add a second coating by dipping the cheese sticks in the egg mixture again and breadcrumbs again.
    • Deep fry the coated mozzarella sticks in batches until the crust is golden brown, about 1 minute.
    • Remove from fryer and let drain on paper towels, then serve with marinara sauce.

    Notes

    The cheese will melt fast so don't worry about the short fry time. If you over fry it the cheese will be too melted and unruly.
    Tip: To prevent the breadcrumbs from getting clumpy in the bowl I don't add the full amount right away. I keep adding fresh crumbs as I'm breading the sticks.
    It is best to use a vegetable oil with a high smoke point for frying. I use canola oil. 
    Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container. They are best reheated slowly in a 350 degree oven until the cheese is melted. 
    IF YOU LIKED THIS RECIPE you will love my Easy Cheese-Stuffed Breadsticks too!

    Nutritional Information

    Calories: 533kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 144mg | Sodium: 1527mg | Potassium: 146mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 234IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 184mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it Today!Mention @FoxValleyFoodie or tag #foxvalleyfoodie!

    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.

    This recipe was originally published on FoxValleyFoodie.com July 15, 2015.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Czon D. Chicken-becky

      January 24, 2023 at 3:18 pm

      4 stars
      Good recipe. I recommend freezing the sticks, coat in egg wash, flour, egg wash again and THENNNN your breading (shake and bake works great or seasoned slightly smashed panko works as well) Its the exact same process as anything else, chicken especially (minus the freezing)

      Also...damn this comment section needs to be cleaned up.

      Reply
    2. Toots F. Artstaine

      July 19, 2022 at 7:37 pm

      I farted so much from this recipe

      Reply
    3. Laurie

      March 16, 2022 at 2:03 pm

      The lady that said the bread crumbs washed off,it happened to me also,I wiped the cheese with a dry paper towel and it didn't happen again. Good luck. This recipe was awesome and cheaper than buying the ready made mozzarella sticks.

      Reply
      • Brie

        March 21, 2022 at 7:01 pm

        Hey yall so the only way I found to actually use cheese sticks is to have flour added as well then frozen for 15 to 20 mins

        Take cheese sticks place in flour then egg wash then crumbs the flour puts a coat on the cheese to it adheres to something. Then you must freeze them for a little bit to have the coating settle before frying. All cheesesticks are frozen preferred then frozen again for sale I work at a restaurant and this is how we make our hope this helps

        Reply
        • Kali

          April 14, 2022 at 4:30 pm

          This really helped me learn how to make them

          Reply
        • jacob wodz

          July 17, 2022 at 4:04 pm

          thank you so much for your insightful comment i appreciate it greatly, have a good day.

          Reply
        • Arlene Cole

          January 20, 2023 at 12:30 pm

          If you want folks to understand what you're saying, use proper punctuation.

          Reply
    4. Haywood Jablowme

      February 12, 2022 at 8:30 pm

      1 star
      This recipe sucks. The breadcrumbs wash off the cheese when you put them in the egg was a 2nd time. It’s really difficult to get any of the bread crumbs to stick to the cheese at all.

      Reply
    5. bob

      February 02, 2022 at 5:50 pm

      5 stars
      mmmmmm yaaasss kweeen mmmmmm oh yeah daddy

      Reply
    6. Jesse

      July 31, 2021 at 5:13 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe now I'm going to eat your ass 💪😎

      Reply
      • Nutflix69

        September 16, 2021 at 6:42 pm

        5 stars
        😩🤤🥵 yes please daddy! LOL

        Reply
      • Renee

        July 08, 2022 at 1:08 pm

        5 stars
        Honestly this was great. I literally just lightly coated the cheese sticks with a bit of corn starch before doing the egg wash and bread crumb process and I had no issues at all. I did not need to freeze them or anything.

        Reply
      • Robert

        November 24, 2022 at 5:12 pm

        Ohhh my~

        Reply
    7. Cloudii Missii

      April 08, 2021 at 11:31 am

      5 stars
      This was my first time frying something and OMG it taste so good {I sound like a child} anyways have a nice day!

      Reply
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