Homemade Mozzarella Sticks Recipe

My homemade mozzarella sticks couldn’t be easier to make and they’re so much better than the store-bought variety! They’re crispy and crunchy on the outside, with a melty cheesy filling on the inside.

This restaurant-style appetizer is traditionally served with marinara sauce or pizza sauce. But you can serve these delicious mozzarella sticks with ranch dressing, Yum Yum sauce, or your favorite dipping sauce.

Don’t be intimidated by the deep frying process. It’s not difficult and makes the best mozzarella sticks. And these deep-fried mozzarella sticks are definitely worth the effort.

*I suggest using a deep-fry thermometer (or instant-read thermometer) to ensure the oil is at the correct cooking temperature.

Ingredients to make Mozzarella Sticks

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients needed to make my homemade Mozzarella Sticks recipe. In Chef Speak, this is called the Mise en Place, which translates into Everything in its Place.

Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

What type of oil is best for deep frying?

You want to use cooking oils with a high smoke point. Soybean oil (usually labeled as vegetable oil), canola oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, avocado oil, or grapeseed oil are all good choices.
*Chefs generally choose soybean, or canola oil for frying.

How to make Mozzarella Sticks

• Add all-purpose flour to a shallow bowl and season it with salt and black pepper.
• Add the eggs to another bowl with 2 tablespoons of cold water and whisk it to create the egg wash.
• Add the seasoned breadcrumbs to a third bowl.
  *You can use regular or panko bread crumbs, according to your preference. You can also buy unseasoned bread crumbs and add your own Italian seasonings to them.

Slice the cheese into ¾-inch wide sticks (typically they are 6 inches in length and less than 1 inch wide).
*you can use either part-skim or whole-milk mozzarella.

• Place the mozzarella sticks in the flour mixture, getting a good coating on them.
• Shake off any excess flour and dip them into the egg mixture.
• Let any excess egg wash drip off, then place them into the seasoned bread crumb mixture, making sure to get a good coating of bread crumbs on them.
• Place the completed mozzarella sticks on a wire rack and repeat the steps again until all of them are prepared.
  *Then place them uncovered in the freezer for 1-2 hours to let them freeze solid
• Add the cooking oil to a deep skillet or Dutch oven over high heat until the oil temperature is 350 -365 degrees F.
• Carefully add the mozzarella sticks to the hot oil, and cook for 3-4 minutes until golden brown.
  *Make sure not to overcrowd the pan. This will cause the temperature of the oil to drop causing the sticks to be greasy.
• Carefully remove the fried mozzarella sticks from the hot oil and place them on a wire rack or a plate with a paper towel, to allow any excess grease to drain off.

I love serving my homemade mozzarella sticks with warm marinara sauce, but you can serve them with any of your favorite dipping sauces.

Store leftover sticks refrigerated in an airtight container for two days. They can be frozen after cooking. You can also freeze the mozzarella sticks uncooked and store them in a freezer-safe container for two months.

I have instructions for baked and air fryer mozzarella sticks in my recipe notes.

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