Description
Crispy homemade mozzarella sticks showcase golden breaded cheese with irresistible marinara dipping sauce. Cheese lovers will savor these classic Italian-American appetizers that promise a delightful crunch and melty interior.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) whole milk mozzarella block or 15 whole milk string cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups plain panko
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp table salt
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Marinara sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Crumb Preparation: Crush panko breadcrumbs in a sealed bag using a rolling pin until finely textured, then mix with Italian seasoning, parsley, garlic powder, black pepper, and kosher salt in a shallow container.
- Egg Wash Setup: Whisk eggs in a separate shallow bowl until completely blended and uniform in color.
- Flour Station: Prepare an all-purpose flour dish for initial coating process.
- Cheese Preparation: Slice full-fat mozzarella block into 15 uniform rectangular sticks, ensuring consistent sizing.
- Coating Technique: Systematically dredge each cheese stick through flour, shaking off excess, then thoroughly coat in egg mixture, allowing surplus liquid to drip away before rolling completely in seasoned breadcrumb mixture.
- Chilling Phase: Arrange breaded mozzarella sticks on a wire cooling rack over baking sheets, then refrigerate for 60 minutes to stabilize breading and prevent cheese leakage during frying.
- Oil Heating: Fill a medium saucepan with vegetable oil to 7.5 centimeters depth, using a cooking thermometer to monitor temperature until it precisely reaches 175°C (350°F).
- Frying Process: Carefully lower chilled mozzarella sticks into hot oil in small batches, frying until exterior transforms to a golden-brown, crispy texture (approximately 60-90 seconds per batch).
- Final Presentation: Drain fried mozzarella sticks on paper towel-lined plates to remove excess oil, allowing brief cooling before serving with warm marinara sauce for optimal taste and texture.
Notes
- Chill Before Frying: Refrigerate breaded mozzarella sticks for at least 1 hour to prevent cheese from melting too quickly and leaking during frying.
- Temperature Matters: Use a cooking thermometer to maintain oil at exactly 350°F for perfect golden-brown exterior and properly melted cheese inside.
- Coating Technique: Apply a triple-layer coating (flour, egg, breadcrumbs) to create a crispy, sturdy shell that seals in melted cheese.
- Batch Cooking: Fry only 2-3 sticks at a time to maintain consistent oil temperature and ensure even, crispy browning.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 16
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg