Crispy Mozzarella Sticks

Name: Crispy Mozzarella Sticks
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 sticks (224 g) low-moisture mozzarella string cheese sticks (1 oz / 28 g each), cold, unwrapped, patted dry, and cut in half crosswise; ½ cup (62 g) all-purpose flour; 3 large (150 g) large eggs, beaten with the water until no streaks of white remain; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water; 2 cups (100 g) panko breadcrumbs; ¼ cup (25 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated; 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano; 1 teaspoon (3 g) garlic powder; ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine salt, plus a pinch for finishing the fried sticks; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) black pepper, freshly ground; 5 cups (1200 ml) neutral frying oil (canola, peanut, or vegetable); 1½ cups (360 ml) marinara sauce, warmed in a saucepan; 4 leaves (3 g) fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Golden, shatteringly crisp panko-Parmesan crust around a molten, stretchy mozzarella center. A double coating and a long freeze keep the cheese from bursting out in the hot oil, so every stick comes out intact and ready to dunk in warm marinara.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 2 hr 5 min
Total: 2 hr 50 min
Makes: 16 mozzarella sticks (serves 4 as an appetizer)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the sticks
8 sticks (224 g) low-moisture mozzarella string cheese sticks (1 oz / 28 g each), cold, unwrapped, patted dry, and cut in half crosswise
For the coating
½ cup (62 g) all-purpose flour
3 large (150 g) large eggs, beaten with the water until no streaks of white remain
2 tablespoons (30 ml) water
2 cups (100 g) panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup (25 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano
1 teaspoon (3 g) garlic powder
½ teaspoon (3 g) fine salt, plus a pinch for finishing the fried sticks
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) black pepper, freshly ground
For frying and serving
5 cups (1200 ml) neutral frying oil (canola, peanut, or vegetable)
1½ cups (360 ml) marinara sauce, warmed in a saucepan
4 leaves (3 g) fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)

Equipment (7)

Rimmed baking sheet (13×18-inch / 33×46 cm) lined with parchment paper
3 shallow dishes or pie plates
Heavy 4- to 5-quart (4–5 L) pot or Dutch oven, about 8–9 inches (20–23 cm) wide
Deep-fry or candy thermometer
Slotted spoon or spider skimmer
Wire rack set over a baking sheet, or paper towels
Small saucepan (1-quart / 1 L)

Steps

Before you start

Clear space in your freezer for a rimmed baking sheet lying flat. The sticks need at least 2 hours of freezing, so start well ahead.
Use low-moisture string cheese (the kind sold as individual 1-oz/28 g sticks), not fresh mozzarella, which weeps and bursts when fried.
Keep one hand for wet ingredients and one for dry while breading. This stops your fingers from turning into heavy clumps of crumbs.
Have a deep-fry or instant-read thermometer ready. Oil that is too cool makes greasy sticks, and oil that is too hot browns the crust before the cheese melts.

1
Cut the cheese
- Unwrap the 8 string cheese sticks and pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Cut each stick in half crosswise to make 16 pieces about 2½ inches (6 cm) long.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Ready when: The cheese pieces are dry on the surface and cut cleanly.
Tip: Dry cheese holds the flour and crumbs better. Any surface moisture makes the coating slide off.
2
Set up breading stations
- Put the flour in the first shallow dish.
- In the second, beat the eggs and water until smooth and fully combined.
- In the third, stir together the panko, Parmesan, oregano, garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper.
- Line the dishes up in that order, with the lined baking sheet at the end.
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Ready when: The egg is uniformly yellow with no visible streaks, and the crumb mixture is evenly speckled with herbs.
3
Apply first coating
- Roll 4 cheese pieces at a time in the flour and shake off the excess.
- Dip them in the egg mixture, let the extra drip off for a couple of seconds, then roll them in the panko mixture, pressing gently so the crumbs stick all over.
- Set them on the baking sheet, then repeat with the remaining cheese.
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Ready when: Every piece is fully covered, with no white cheese showing through.
Tip: Use one dry hand for flour and crumbs and one wet hand for the egg to avoid breading clumps on your fingers.
4
Double-coat the sticks
- Dip each crumbed piece back into the egg mixture, turning to coat all sides, then roll it in the panko mixture again, pressing firmly.
- Pay special attention to both ends.
- Return the pieces to the baking sheet, spaced slightly apart.
- Top up the crumb dish with a little fresh panko if it runs low.
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Ready when: The crust looks thick and shaggy, with no bare or thin spots, especially at the ends.
Tip: The second coat is what keeps molten cheese from leaking into the oil, so don't skip it.
5
Freeze until rock solid
- Slide the baking sheet into the freezer, uncovered, and freeze for at least 2 hours, until the sticks are completely hard.
- You can fry them straight from the freezer.
- Do not thaw them first.
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Ready when: The sticks feel hard as stone and the breading is dry to the touch.
Tip: For longer storage, transfer the frozen sticks to a zip-top bag once solid.
6
Heat the oil
- About 15 minutes before serving, pour the oil into a heavy 4- to 5-quart pot so it is about 1½ inches (4 cm) deep.
- Clip on a thermometer and heat over medium-high heat to 375°F (190°C), about 8–10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, set a wire rack over a baking sheet and warm the marinara in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally.
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Ready when: The thermometer reads 375°F (190°C) and the marinara is steaming gently.
Tip: Make sure the pot is no more than half full of oil to avoid dangerous boil-overs.
7
Fry in small batches
- Carefully lower 4 frozen sticks into the oil with a slotted spoon, leaving room around each.
- Fry for 45–60 seconds, turning once halfway, until deep golden brown.
- Adjust the heat to keep the oil between 350 and 375°F (175–190°C).
- Remove each batch immediately with the slotted spoon.
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Ready when: The crust is deep golden brown and crisp. Pull them out the moment you see any hint of cheese starting to bubble at an edge.
Tip: Overcooked sticks burst. Err on the side of pulling them a few seconds early, and never crowd the pot, which drops the oil temperature and leads to greasy, leaky sticks.
8
Drain and season
- Transfer the fried sticks to the wire rack and sprinkle immediately with a tiny pinch of salt.
- Let the oil climb back to 375°F (190°C) before frying the next batch.
- Repeat with the remaining 3 batches of sticks.
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Ready when: The sticks are glossy-dry with no pooled oil, and the oil is back to 375°F (190°C).
9
Rest and serve
- Let the last batch rest on the rack for 2 minutes so the molten center cools slightly.
- Pour the warm marinara into a serving bowl, garnish with the basil if using, and serve the sticks right away.
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Ready when: When pulled apart, the cheese is melted and stretchy, not runny.
Tip: Serve within 10 minutes. The crust is at its crispiest straight from the fryer.

Good to know

Tips

Don't skip the double coat and the 2-hour freeze. Together they are the most important steps for preventing blowouts.
Fry a test stick first. If it leaks, the oil is too cool or the coating has thin spots, so patch any bare areas and check your thermometer.
Keep the oil between 350 and 375°F (175–190°C). Too low means greasy sticks, and too high browns the crust before the cheese warms.
Skim stray crumbs from the oil between batches so they don't burn and darken the later sticks.

Make ahead

Bread the sticks up to 1 month ahead. Freeze them on the baking sheet until solid, then move them to a zip-top freezer bag. Fry directly from frozen, adding 10–15 seconds if needed.

Storage & reheating

Best eaten immediately. Leftover fried sticks keep at room temperature for up to 2 hours and in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 400°F (200°C) oven or air fryer for 4–5 minutes until crisp and hot. Do not microwave, which makes the crust soggy. Unfried breaded sticks keep in the freezer for up to 1 month. Do not refreeze after frying.

Substitutions

panko breadcrumbs → plain or Italian-seasoned dry breadcrumbs. Gives a finer, denser crust. Use the same amount and omit the oregano and garlic powder if the crumbs are already seasoned.
all-purpose flour → cornstarch. Use 6 tablespoons (48 g) for a slightly crunchier first coat. For gluten-free, use gluten-free breadcrumbs as well.
low-moisture mozzarella string cheese sticks (1 oz / 28 g each) → low-moisture mozzarella block. Cut into 2½ × ½ × ½-inch (6 × 1.3 × 1.3 cm) sticks. Don't use fresh mozzarella.
neutral frying oil (canola, peanut, or vegetable) → air fryer instead of deep-frying. Spray the frozen sticks with oil and cook at 400°F (200°C) for 5–6 minutes, flipping once. The crust will be less crisp than when fried.