Fried Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
Anytime I am looking for an appetizer that would be a hit with adults and kids, I know I can rely on these fried cheese sticks. Coated in a seasoned panko bread batter and deep fried to golden perfection, these are crispy on the outside and ooey gooey on the inside.
I rely a lot on quick and easy appetizers when I host parties or need to feed a larger crowd. Finger foods are usually easy to make and fun to eat, I prefer to offer a variety of choices to keep things intestesting, among my favorites are Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Green Beans, Crispy Sweet Potatoes, or these moutwatering Avocado Egg Rolls.
Table of contents
I love snacking on string cheese all the time and they are a favorite when it comes to lunch boxes. This time, I have transformed our favorite snack into one of the easiest and most delicious appetizers ever! The panko crumbs topping and the flour mixture cover them in an irresistible and crispy coating. When you dip them into homemade marinara sauce, you know you have a winner! Every bite is pure heaven, which both kids and adults love! We enjoy them as snack, during game days, or the Super Bowl.
Why you will love this recipe
- They’re always crispy: Never worry about soggy cheese sticks. With my recipe, they are always crispy.
- It is so fast: In less than 20 minutes, these crunchy mozzarella sticks are ready for serving. The fried cheese sticks are delicious and can be easily made in advance and stored for later.
- So easy to make: The simple, step-by-step instructions make it foolproof to create the perfect gooey, cheesy appetizers or snacks with no prior expertise required.
- Just a few ingredients: All I need are a few ingredients to make these, and they are simpler than you think.
What you will need
- Cheese: The trick to making these so simple is using string cheese. I use mozzarella and cheddar for a delicious variety of ooey-gooey cheeses.
- Coating: For the coating, I mix my homemade Italian seasoning with Panko breadcrumbs. The panko absorbs less oil, resulting in a crispier and lighter coating. I also mix in some smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper for seasoning.
- Wet ingredients: To coat the cheese before dipping it into the dry coating, I mix in buttermilk with egg, salt, and pepper. The buttermilk not only adds tanginess, but it also helps the coating stick to the cheese. The egg also creates a stickiness and crispy texture to provide adhesion and seal in the cheese.
How to make
Prepare: First, I pour two inches of oil into a skillet and heat it on high until sizzling while I whisk the buttermilk, egg, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
Panko coating: In another bowl, I mix the Italian seasoning with the panko, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
Prep the cheese sticks: Now, I unwrap the cheese sticks and dip each one in the buttermilk before tossing them in the panko before repeating the process one more time.
Fry the sticks: Once they are all coated, I deep-fry them for one minute each (30 seconds on each side), just until the crust is golden. As they finish, I remove them and place them on paper towels to dry.
Serve with sauce: When they are all finished, I serve them hot with my favorite sauce.
Oven-baked cheese sticks
- First, spray the mozzarella sticks with cooking spray.
- Then, lay them into a single layer on a rack on top of a baking sheet and cook them at 400 degrees for about 10-12 minutes, or until crispy, and the cheese is melted.
Air frying cheese sticks
- Simply, preheat the Air Fryer to 400 degrees F.
- Then, lay the sick in a single layer in the air fryer basket (ensure not to overcrowd them), and cook for about 5-7 minutes.
- Serve with marinara sauce or your favorite dipping sauce.
Expert tip
Don’t let the cheese dry up
The most common reason this happens is because of overcooking. It is essential to keep the oil temperature at around 350 degrees F. That is why I highly recommend getting a high-quality deep-frying or candy thermometer. Not just a meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer, because they are not made for reading high temperatures. Get a good one that clips onto the pan so it will read the temperature while the food is cooking. The cheese only needs a minute to cook. Also, make sure the cheese stick is completely breaded with no leaks.
More tips to consider:
- Making extra? For extra crispy cheese sticks, place them in the warm (200 degrees F) oven on a baking pan with a rack to keep them warm while you finish cooking the rest.
- Freeze the cheese sticks for one hour before using them to keep them from getting too soft.
- Allow the coating (both wet and dry) to drip off before dipping it in the next one.
- Be sure to give the cheese sticks plenty of room in the pan to cook. If they are crowded, they will be soggy.
- Keep the oil between 350 degrees F and 360 degrees F for the best results.
- Instead of using a bowl for dipping in panko, I often use a freezer bag.
- I don’t use a baggie for the buttermilk mixture because it gets too messy.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- Other cheese: I love cheese, so I like to experiment with different flavors like pepper jack, colby, camembert, provolone, and gruyere.
- Different coating: Another way to change these up is to use different coatings, such as ground cracker crumbs, potato chips, Doritos, or corn flakes.
- Spicy cheese sticks: Adding red pepper flakes to the panko mixture will give spicy food lovers something to be happy about. I like to do this when I use pepper jack cheese.
- Ranch style: When I add my ranch seasoning to the panko mixture, I also like to sprinkle in some ground bacon for crack cheese sticks.
- BBQ cheese sticks: For barbecue-flavored cheese sticks, add some of my homemade BBQ rub to the panko coating. It is the perfect accompaniment to grilled burgers or steaks.
Serving suggestions:
These mozzarella sticks make an excellent appetizer, snack, or light lunch for kids, paired with a salad like my taco salad, which features ground beef, tomatoes, kidney beans, olives, corn, and avocados. They can even be a nice side dish with grilled pork chops or steaks on the grill, as well as air-fried hot dogs or Italian sausages. The cheesy sticks go well with any barbecued dish.
I also like to serve them as appetizers on game day alongside my other fan favorites like nachos, chicken wings, and this tantalizing, tangy dill pickle dip that is so simple to make in just a few minutes. With just a few basic ingredients that are found in most kitchens, I can whip this up when the guys show up to watch a game, and they can use it to dip corn chips, veggie chips, and even chicken wings.
Best dipping sauces for cheese sticks:
The classic way, and probably the best way to serve them, is by dipping the fried homemade mozzarella sticks into marinara sauce or ranch dressing. But you can also try these sauces:
How to store leftovers:
- Refrigerate: Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to five days in a sealed container.
- Freezing: To freeze, I wrap them in plastic and then place them in a freezer bag. They can stay frozen for up to two months.
- Defrost: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for the best texture and taste.
- Reheating: Put them in a 350-degree F oven until crispy and hot. This takes about five to seven minutes. An air fryer can do it in one to two minutes at 340 degrees F.
Frequently asked questions
This usually happens if the oil is not hot enough or the pan is overcrowded. The oil has to be at least 350 degrees F. It is essential to invest in a good thermometer for frying food. If the mozzarella sticks go in before the oil is hot enough, they will absorb the oil instead of cooking. Also, if the pan is overcrowded, the sticks will not fry properly because they do not have enough circulation. They have to have enough space on each side, or they will steam instead of frying.
Be sure to choose high-quality cheese. It is nice to save money, but if the end product is food that cannot be enjoyed, why bother? Also, ensure the cheese is a type that melts nicely if you choose something other than mozzarella. Some cheeses are not suitable for this recipe. Those that have a higher moisture content can be chewy even if they are mozzarella. The higher the moisture content, the chewier they are.
If the cheese has melted or escaped during the cooking process, the cheese sticks will be empty. This occurs when the oil temperature is too high or if the food is cooked for too long. Use an oil thermometer and only cook the cheese sticks at 350 degrees F for one minute. Also, make sure the cheese is thoroughly coated all the way around. My recipe calls for a double coating. However, if, after the second coating, there are still spots that are not coated, use your fingers to apply the wet and dry coatings to them, and then let them set before cooking.
I do not freeze mine after breading. However, I do freeze the cheese sticks before I bread them to keep them from becoming sticky. I have heard many people say that freezing the cheese sticks before frying them helps keep the cheese from being chewy or melting away. I would recommend freezing them for only 30 minutes and not turning on the oil in the fryer until the time is almost up, so it does not sit there overheating.
More party-favorites to try:
Cheesy appetizers are usually the first to disappear at a party, so here are more to try:
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Fried Cheese Sticks
Ingredients
- 16 oz string cheese sticks I used mozzarella and cheddar
- 2 cups Panko bread crumbs plain or regular Italian bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon Italian Herbs seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or regular
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Fill a deep frying pan or skillet with about 2 inches of oil and heat over high heat until sizzling.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- In a separate shallow bowl, mix bread crumbs with Italian Herbs seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Unwrap the string cheese sticks. Dip each one into the buttermilk mixture, let excess liquid drip, then toss in the breadcrumbs mixture, then quickly again in the buttermilk mixture, and lastly again in breadcrumbs.
- Add to the pan with hot oil. Deep fry for ONLY about 1 minute total, cooking 20-30 seconds on one side and 20-30 seconds on the other side, just until the crust is golden brown.
- Place fried cheese sticks on paper towels briefly to drain excess oil, then serve immediately with a homemade marinara sauce for dipping.
Notes
Don’t let the cheese dry up
The most common reason this happens is because of overcooking. It is essential to keep the oil temperature at around 350 degrees F. That is why I highly recommend getting a high-quality deep-frying or candy thermometer. Not just a meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer, because they are not made for reading high temperatures. Get a good one that clips onto the pan so it will read the temperature while the food is cooking. The cheese only needs a minute to cook. Also, make sure the cheese stick is completely breaded with no leaks.More tips to consider:
- Making extra? For extra crispy cheese sticks, place them in the warm (200 degrees F) oven on a baking pan with a rack to keep them warm while you finish cooking the rest.
- Freeze the cheese sticks for one hour before using them to keep them from getting too soft.
- Allow the coating (both wet and dry) to drip off before dipping it in the next one.
- Be sure to give the cheese sticks plenty of room in the pan to cook. If they are crowded, they will be soggy.
- Keep the oil between 350 degrees F and 360 degrees F for the best results.
- Instead of using a bowl for dipping in panko, I often use a freezer bag.
- I don’t use a baggie for the buttermilk mixture because it gets too messy.