This post originally appeared on The Confident Mom’s Blog, where How To: Simplify regularly contributes monthly guest posts filled with tips, tricks and recipes to simplify life in the kitchen.
One of my all-time favorite appetizers to enjoy is a very large order of piping hot mozzarella sticks with flavorful marinara sauce. There’s just something about the little gems of fried, cheesy deliciousness that make my mouth water in anticipation. Ever since I was young, I have always loved pulling and stretching the mozzarella sticks apart only to dunk them in marinara sauce.
Besides the whole pulling, stretching and dunking part, I also love that mozzarella sticks are easy-to-prepare in the comfort of your own kitchen. Homemade mozzarella sticks always seem to have the perfect amount of crunch paired with ooey, gooey cheese that seems to stretch for miles. I feel as though kids and adults alike have so much fun eating mozzarella sticks not only because they taste great, but also because in this case, it’s okay to play with your food.
With just a few ingredients and a couple steps, you can have a basket of warm mozzarella sticks that are perfect to serve the kids as an after school snack, to dinner guests before the main course or to set on the table while the football games are on the television. Just be sure to have some warm marinara suace nearby for the endless amount of dunking!
Homemade Mozzarella Sticks
Ingredients:
- 8 pieces of string cheese
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1-2 eggs
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
- 1 cup Italian-style Panko Bread Crumbs (I like to use Progresso)
- Oil for frying
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce (for dunking)
Directions:
- Cut the string cheese in half for a total of 16 pieces.
- Pour the flour in a bowl.
- Whisk together the egg(s) and milk in a separate bowl.
- Pour the bread crumbs in a bowl.
- Make an assembly line of the three bowls: flour, egg mixture and bread crumbs.
- Roll the string cheese, one at a time, in the flour, then in the egg mixture and then in the bread crumbs, making sure to completely coat each piece of string cheese. It helps to pat the bread crumbs onto the pieces of cheese to make sure that they stick.
- Place the finished cheese sticks on a plate and put them in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to allow the bread crumb topping to set and the cheese to chill.
- Heat oil in a large pot (or in a fryer if you have one) until it reaches approximately 375 degrees (Tip: If you don’t have a thermometer or a deep fryer, heat up oil and then toss in a tiny chunk of bread. If the bread sizzles at the top of the oil, then the oil is hot enough).
- Place the cheese sticks carefully into the hot oil and carefully roll the sticks around until the bread crumb topping turns a golden brown. This happens quickly so be sure to remove the sticks from the oil before the cheese completely melts through the bread crumbs.
- Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon or tongs and place on paper towel so that some of the grease gets absorbed into the towel.
- Serve warm with marinara sauce.
I am going to make these for game day!
My kids LOVE eating and making Mozz Sticks!
These are just perfect!
Your photos just wreck me!
Loving you now more than ever! Brings me back to my childhood. I LOVE Mozzarella Sticks! Thanks for the recipe.
I could sit and watch football all day with a plate of these in front of me!
I can't wait to make these! Thanks for the recipe.
This is exactly how I make them! Aren't they delicious! My husband and his friends LOVE them too. Makes me a popular wife, lol.
I love how easy these are to make. So why have I never made them? Well, I need to now. Yours look perfect!!!
Must make these, pronto! Great post.
Oh, I am so gonna make these! We love cheese sticks and I bet they taste better than the frozen ones.
These look great! I have never tried to make mozzarella sticks on my own but this do not seem too intimidating. Thanks for sharing. :)
Always wanted to try making these! They would be a perfect snack for Sunday Football!
We made these as a family the other night, they were AWESOME!
My husband would love it if I made these for him – they look delicious!
You are my hero. Mozzarella sticks are my all-time favorite appetizer. I can't wait to make these!
Wow, these look great! I have a weakness for mozzarella sticks :)
These will be lunch tomorrow, followed by a run (if I can make it off the couch)…
Love your blog!!
They sound delish, but I'm wondering if the oil heat should be 375 instead of 175?
I have always love mozzarella sticks too – I have a serious weakness for them! My mouth is watering just looking at your photo!
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mmm im excited to make these! i can never live without cheese, especially mozzarella!
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Oh yum, I could just sit and munch on some of these now.
Looks so good! This is only my all time favorite snack! I think some fried mozzarella sticks are in order this weekend!
Those look so good. I used to love mozzarella sticks but haven't eaten them in YEARS!
Quiet similar to how I make mine! Loved homemade Moz Sticks. Your photo is amazing!
Would love to try these!
They look delicious. Mmmmmm!
You just told me how to make my new favorite snack. I am forever in your debt … and consequently, you may be on my fiancee's bad side for awhile – she's on something called a 'wedding diet' :)
These look wonderful. My hubby absolutely loves mozzarella sticks. I will have to give these a try, even though I don't do much frying. I think these will be worth it!
Use fresh Mozzarella instead of string cheese. Lightly salt the cheese before you flour and bread them.
this looks great! I'd rather make this than buying the ones at the frozen section.
There's just something about the little gems of fried, cheesy deliciousness that make my mouth water in anticipation. Ever since I was young, I have always loved pulling and stretching the mozzarella sticks apart only to dunk them in marinara sauce.
Hi Jen
What brand of marinara sauce do you use.
Served these as an appetizer before lasagna (yum!) and I cheated… ;) I like mine with a good amount of breading – despite my desire to stay thin, I'm one of those that orders extra crispy fried chicken, extra crispys as Long John's (Fish – what? They serve fish there??? lol) – so the cheese sticks took a second dip in the egg wash and panko bread crumbs…They fried up terrific! Thanks for a fun addition to my lasagna dinner. Guests enjoyed them very much. :)
Amazing! I have a serious addiction to Mozzarella Sticks but always assumed they would be difficult to make. You proved me wrong (and to be completely honest these were my main course as a reward for a week of eating healthy!). Will absolutely make these again. I did try baking some which didn't turn out as well. The extra calories in the oil are well worth it. :-)
thank you very much!! this was very helpfull
Yummy! Thinking i should make extra & freeze them :)
THIS ROCKS! it was EZ,convenient, and fun.Me and my girlfriend did them. Thank you for posting this fun recipe!
Just made them and they were amazing! Really easy to make as well. Thanks for the recipe! Mike.
yea the recipe sounds easy so i guess i can use any type of string cheese?
These really were extremely simple to make and very delicious!! My boyfriend loved them,thanks!!
Is 30min enough time to freeze?
Luv it
OMG these were so delicious!!! Thanx sssoooo much!!!!
Fantastic! Thanks a bunch for making my aphrodisiac dream come true Lol
These were sooo good! Great post!
very tasty..and way cheaper then the store bought frozen junk…ty for this recipe ;D
Thank you!!! I was a bit worried about getting the oil temp correct,as I rarely fry *anything*, lol. However, they came out perfect!!! Thank you soo much! <3
Just got done making them they're so easy and good! Thanks so much for the recipe!
They are delicious!
looks yum! definitely want to try it, however, i don't fry. wondering if baking it would work and on what temp.?
Thanks
Your pictures look sooo good!
I'm so gonna make these!