Homemade Mozzarella Sticks
Learn how to make crispy mozzarella sticks at home with this easy-to-follow recipe! Homemade mozzarella sticks are a great make-ahead snack or appetizer that can be frozen and fried whenever you have a craving.
Why This Recipe Works
Double breading = extra crispy coating. Breading the mozzarella sticks twice creates a thicker, sturdier crust that crisps up beautifully and helps prevent the cheese from leaking while they fry.
Freezing keeps the cheese where it belongs. A short freeze before cooking firms up the mozzarella so it melts slowly and evenly instead of oozing out the moment it hits the hot oil.
The right oil temperature matters. Frying at the proper temperature means the coating turns golden and crisp quickly while the inside becomes perfectly melty – without absorbing excess oil.
Simple ingredients, consistent results: This recipe sticks to pantry staples and straightforward steps, so you get the same hot and crispy results every time you make them.
Ingredients
- Mozzarella cheese: Use a block of low-moisture mozzarella (not fresh mozzarella) for the best results. It melts smoothly without releasing excess liquid, which helps prevent the cheese from leaking during frying.
- Italian seasoning breadcrumbs: These add flavor and texture in one step. If you only have plain breadcrumbs, you can season them with dried Italian herbs, salt, and pepper.
- Parmesan cheese: Parm adds a salty, savory bite and helps the coating brown more evenly. Finely grated Parmesan blends best with the breadcrumbs.
- Garlic powder: Adds subtle flavor!
- Large eggs: Helps the breading stick and create a sturdy coating. Lightly whisk them until smooth for even coverage.
- Cooking oil: Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable or canola oil, for frying.
How to Make Them
- Slice the Cheese into Sticks: For the perfect mozzarella sticks, with the right ratio of cheese to breading, cut a 16-ounce block of low-moisture mozzarella cheese into 1/2″ thick sticks. This will yield 33 sticks that are ideal for frying. I slice the block of cheese into 11 slices and then cut each slice into three sticks.
- Bread the Cheese Sticks: Set up a breading station with whisked eggs in one bowl and a mix of Italian-style bread crumbs, garlic powder, and grated Parmesan cheese in another shallow dish. Bread the cheese sticks twice to ensure a thick enough coating to prevent cheese leakage during frying. Use one hand for the egg wash and the other for the breadcrumb mixture to minimize clumping.
- Freeze Them Before Frying: Place the breaded mozzarella cheese sticks on a baking sheet and freeze them for 15-20 minutes. This will help the breading adhere to the cheese, reducing the risk of it falling off during frying.
- Fry the Mozzarella Sticks: Use a thermometer to maintain an oil temperature between 350°F and 375°F when frying your mozzarella sticks. Make sure to fry in small batches to avoid overcrowding, and remember that the oil temperature will drop as you add more sticks. If the temperature drops, wait until it increases before adding more sticks. They only need 30 seconds to a minute of cooking time.
Important Tips
- Don’t skip the second coating of breadcrumbs.
- If you use a pot that’s bigger than three quarts you will need to use more oil.
- Use a deep-fry thermometer (the kind that hooks on the side of the pot) – it takes all the guesswork away so you get crispy fried mozzarella sticks every time.
- If you freeze the mozzarella sticks for later, store them in a freezer container or freezer bag. They will keep well for several months. You don’t need to thaw them before frying – just add one to three minutes more of cooking time.
- Don’t forget some dipping sauces! Some of my favorites are marinara sauce, pizza sauce, Alfredo sauce, ranch dressing, or even salsa, for a unique twist.
More Appetizer Recipes
Here are a few favorite appetizers, but for even more ideas, be sure to check out my Game-Day Recipes round-up!
Homemade Mozzarella Sticks
Ingredients
- 1 (16-oz) block low-moisture mozzarella cheese
- 1 1/2 cups Italian-style breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 6 eggs
- Vegetable oil for frying (see note)
Instructions
- First, slice across the block of cheese so you have eleven 1/2″-inch thick slices. Cut each slice into thirds so you end up with 33 cheese sticks. See the photos and notes in the post for more tips on slicing the cheese.
- In a shallow bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, cheese, and garlic powder. In a seperate shallow bowl, beat the eggs with a fork until uniform in color. Using one hand for the eggs and the other hand for the breadcrumbs, dip a cheesestick in the eggs to coat it. Transfer it to the breadcrumbs and coat it evenly. Dip it again in the egg, coating it evenly, and then coat it again in the breadcrumbs. Place the breaded cheese stick on a sheet pan. Repeat with the rest of the cheese sticks. See the recipe notes section for more tips about the breading step.
- Place the sheet pan in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes. This will allow the breading to firm up. While you wait, you can get the oil ready for frying.
- I used a 3-quart pan to fry my mozzarella sticks (see note). Add enough oil to the pan so that the mozzarella sticks will be fully covered as they fry (about 24 ounces of oil). You can fry two to three sticks at a time with this set-up. If you want to fry more at a time you will need to use a bigger pan and more oil.
- The ideal temperature to deep fry is between 350°F to 375°F. Use a thermometer to measure the temperature as it will fluctuate as you fry the sticks. Fry the mozzarella stick for 30 seconds to a minute or until the breading is golden brown and crispy. Transfer the sticks to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
- Serve the mozzarella sticks with dipping sauce on the side.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Recipe FAQs
What I love best about this recipe is that you can prep a big batch of mozzarella sticks, freeze them, and they’re ready to fry them when you want them.
Freeze them on a sheet pan first for 20 to 30 minutes. Then transfer them to a large freezer bag. Squeeze out the air and then keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to fry a batch, you can fry them from frozen, following the instructions in the recipe.
You can, but I haven’t tested this recipe with mozzarella string cheese. If the size of the sticks are significantly bigger or smaller than cutting a block of cheese, the cooking time will vary.
I use vegetable oil, but any high smoke point oil will work, like peanut oil or canola oil.
Yes, but it’s a bit of a hassle, and there are quite a few things to consider before reusing it. Epicurious has a great article about reusing cooking oil if you want to learn more.
This is another reason I use a smaller pan to deep fry – there’s less oil to toss out. Cooking oil can be recycled depending on where you live, and a quick Google search will let you know if it’s available in your community.
If you can’t recycle it, the best way to dispose of cooking oil is to cool it, transfer it to a container with a lid (it should be non-breakable), and toss it in the trash. I use empty peanut butter jars. Don’t pour cooking oil down the drain because it can cause all kinds of issues!
I have tested this recipe in the air fryer, and I didn’t love the results. If there is even the littlest amount of cheese exposed (not completely coated in breadcrumbs), it will leak out and get all over the air fryer basket.
The only way to prevent this is to coat the cheese in even more egg and breadcrumbs – at least three coats. If you want to try air fryer mozzarella sticks, I recommend lightly coating them with cooking spray and air frying them at 400°F for about 10 minutes or so. Be sure to flip them halfway through the cooking time.
I also tested them in the oven with similar results to the air fryer tests. One issue is oven temperature – you need it hot enough so the breading crisps up, but if the cheese melts too fast, it will leak out. Most of the ones I tested ended up in a melted mess on the sheet pan.
Also, it’s very difficult to achieve the right kind of crispiness for the breading. The few I baked that managed to stay together weren’t crispy enough.
Plus, let’s face it, mozzarella sticks really are a once-in-a-while treat, so if you’re going to make them, you might as well fry them for the best results.
More Cheesy Snack Ideas
Once you know how to make homemade mozzarella sticks, you’ll skip the restaurant ones! I hope you give this recipe a try soon.
Happy cooking!
Post updated from the archives. First published in September 2019.
These are PERFECT! So nice and crispy! Much better when they’re homemade. Definitely a keeper.
Great taste. But fry times are different depending on how long the cheese sticks are left in the freezer. Mine were in the freezer for 24 hours and frozen hard. Initially fried one for a minute as a test. Cheese was frozen. Tried another and fried another one for two minutes. It was better, but the cheese in the middle of stick was still frozen. Fried the last ones for three minutes and that worked for my batch.
Thanks for letting me know! Yes, I should have made that clearer in the instructions so I’ve added that note. Glad you enjoyed them and thanks so much for the rating!