Description
Golden, crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside, these fried mozzarella cheese sticks are the ultimate comfort snack for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8–10 mozzarella string cheese sticks or block mozzarella cut into sticks
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten with a splash of milk
- 1½ cups breadcrumbs (panko, Italian-style, or both)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- Cooking oil (for deep frying or spraying for air frying)
Instructions
- Chill the string cheese or cut block mozzarella into 3–4 inch uniform sticks.
- Set up breading station: one bowl flour, one bowl eggs with milk, one bowl seasoned breadcrumbs.
- Roll each stick in flour, then dip in egg, then coat in breadcrumbs.
- For a thicker crust, repeat egg and breadcrumb coating.
- Place coated sticks on parchment and freeze for 1–2 hours.
- To deep fry: Heat oil to 350°F (175°C), fry 4–5 sticks at a time for 60–90 seconds, flipping once. Drain on paper towels.
- To air fry: Preheat air fryer to 390°F (200°C), spray sticks with oil, cook 6–8 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Serve hot with your choice of dipping sauce: marinara, ranch, garlic aioli, or hot honey.
Notes
Freeze breaded cheese sticks thoroughly to prevent cheese from melting out during cooking. Double coating helps lock in the cheese for maximum crunch and minimal mess.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Deep Fry or Air Fry
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 sticks
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
Keywords: fried mozzarella cheese sticks, appetizer, snack, air fryer, deep fried cheese