Homemade Fried Mozzarella Sticks

Ah, fried mozzarella sticks. The toddler silencer. The fairgoers’ midway snack. The fuel of the currently drunk, or the consolation prize for the recently drunk, these little nuggets of crispy, melty, gooey heaven are a sure-fire crowd-pleaser. But why make your own, when the frozen food isles are chock-full of sacks of hundreds of mozzarella sticks, and there’s a TGI Fridays sludge-station on every street corner? Because ours are better. That’s right.

Be sure to taste-test the string cheese before making these; it can be really salty. If it isn’t, add some salt to your breadcrumb mixture.

We use Progresso “Italian Style” seasoned Panko breadcrumbs, double-dipped for extra crunchiness. The key here is to make sure that there are no un-battered parts of the cheese peeking out through the breading, or that will become a faucet for melted cheese during the frying, and the whole thing will come apart. Dip these in homemade (or hell, store-bought, you’ve done enough) marinara sauce, or, if you’re raunchy, some buttermilk ranch dressing.

Homemade Fried Mozzarella Sticks

Ingredients:

• 4 sticks mozzarella string cheese, cut in half.
• 3/4 cup Progresso “Italian Style” Panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Canola oil, for frying

Method:

Dredge cut mozzarella sticks in flour. Shake off excess, and dip in egg mixture. Roll in breadcrumbs. Dip in egg again, and roll in breadcrumbs a second time. Place finished cheese sticks on clean plate, and place plate in freezer for about two hours, or until coating hardens. Fry in 350 degree canola oil until a medium golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately with dipping sauce of your choice.

Tagged as: cheese, mozzarella, party food

About the Author: Malcolm Bedell

My first memories of cooking start in Maine at six years old, when I wore a yellow rainslicker to avoid getting spattered by the bacon I was frying in a skillet. My interest in both Mexican cooking and recreating classic New England dishes from scratch developed while living in Mexico, on a steady diet of pork and habanero peppers. You can see more of my writing and photography online on Serious Eats, the Huffington Post, BlogHer, and Foodista, as well as in print for Downeast, Indulge, and Cigar Snob magazines.