Mozzarella Sticks
Batons of low-moisture mozzarella double-breaded and frozen solid before frying, so the crust sets before the cheese escapes. Every failed mozzarella stick is a timing problem, and freezing solves it.
Photograph credit: Mozzarella sticks by sarahstierch · CC0 1.0 · Flickr
Build the Meal Around Mozzarella Sticks
- Warm marinara sauce
- Ranch dressing, if you prefer
- A cold beer
Photograph credit: Mozzarella sticks by sarahstierch · CC0 1.0 · Flickr
How to Make Mozzarella Sticks
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Combine the panko, dried breadcrumbs, herbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Put the flour in a second and the beaten egg in a third.
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Coat each cheese baton in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, pressing firmly.
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Now repeat the egg and breadcrumb stages a second time, making sure the ends are fully sealed.
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Lay the sticks on a lined tray and freeze for at least 2 hours, or overnight. They must be frozen solid.
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Heat the oil to 190°C / 375°F.
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Fry four at a time, straight from the freezer, for 60 to 90 seconds until deep golden.
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Watch them closely — the moment you see cheese starting to bulge, take them out.
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Drain on a rack for 1 minute, then serve immediately with warm marinara for dipping.
Related guide: Prep, cook and total time.
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Worth Knowing Before You Cook
Frozen solid, and fried hot and fast. Both halves of that are non-negotiable.
Low-moisture block mozzarella only. Fresh mozzarella in brine will explode.
Seal the ends thoroughly during breading. That is where leaks start.
Swaps and Variations
- Panko gives the crunchiest crust here, but ordinary dried breadcrumbs will still fry crisp if that's what's in the cupboard.
Keeping What's Left
Breaded sticks keep 3 months frozen and are fried from frozen. Fried ones must be eaten immediately.
Questions and Answers
How long does Mozzarella Sticks take to make?
25 minutes of preparation and 10 minutes of cooking, plus 2 hours of freezing, so allow 2 hours 35 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 6.
Mozzarella Sticks Nutrition Facts
No nutrition figures are given for this recipe: they cannot be worked out reliably from its ingredient list (some ingredient lines cannot be read). Why some recipes have none.
Your notes on this recipe
Cooked this? Keep a note for next time
Compiled by Turab
Checked by script for timings, diet labels and nutrition arithmetic. How the recipes are checked. Found a mistake? Tell us.
First published ; last changed .
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