Homemade Mozzarella Sticks

There are few things more delicious than Homemade Mozzarella Sticks, freshly made in your kitchen. They are shockingly easy to make, and a wonderfully ooey gooey snack! The secret is to freeze the cheese sticks before frying, which ensures that the cheese doesn’t leak out before the shell gets golden and crispy.

I’ve always loved the ooey gooey stretchiness of a mozzarella stick, and admit that the frozen boxes of pre-made cheese sticks were a nostalgic part of my childhood.

Store-bought ready-made foods are convenient, but such substitutes can never compare to the flavor and crunch of your own homemade mozzarella sticks made from scratch. Fortunately, they are really easy to make yourself, but there are a few essential techniques to incorporate when making these. I’ve included these steps in this method and recipe, including a minimum double coating, and freezing before cooking.

How to Make Them Step-by-Step:

1. Cut a block of mozzarella cheese into sticks.
2. Bread the cheese sticks with egg and Italian bread crumbs.
3. Freeze for 2 hours.
4. Fry.

Let’s break it down!

Cut the cheese ?

Slice a block of whole milk mozzarella down through the center:

Then cut those halves into sticks a few inches tall and about 1/2″ thick:

Bread the Cheese

Whisk an egg with salt and a touch of water, then dip each cheese stick into the egg mixture to coat:

Then dip each piece into a bowl with the Italian bread crumb mixture:

I like to buy Italian bread crumbs that are already seasoned, but if you only have plain or regular bread crumbs, I have instructions in the recipe box for adding your own seasonings, like garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and other Italian seasoning ingredients.

Here is a photo from left to right of 1 coating, a second coating, and a third coating:

Freeze them for later

Freeze the mozzarella sticks right on the tray in a single layer for at least two hours. This is absolutely essential and this step should not be skipped, otherwise the cheese will melt too quickly in the fryer, before the shell has a chance to set.

Deep Fry to Cook

Heat a few inches of your frying fat of choice in a saucepan or a dedicated fryer. I used to own a deep fryer, but I found it annoying to clean and now simply use a heavy-bottomed saucepan, checking the temperature with a thermometer. This is what I do for all my deep fried recipes, like Homemade French Fries, Fried Chicken, Coconut Shrimp, and Homemade Corn Dogs.

Once the oil temperature is 365F, deep fry the mozzarella sticks, lowering each coated cheese stick gently but quickly, one-by-one:

Cook for about 2 minutes, until golden brown. You’re really going for color here, more than anything. This golden color is perfect:

Let the mozzarella sticks drain briefly on paper towels:

Because they freeze so well, I like to only make however much I can enjoy in one sitting, because they definitely taste best fresh.

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Post updated with new photos, copy, and tips in September 2021. Originally published February 2013.