Fried mozzarella sticks are one of those classic appetizers that I can’t really say no to. I mean it’s fried melted cheese for crying out loud! What’s not to like? A cool trick we’re obsessed with, here at The Chic, is to make String Cheese Mozzarella Sticks! They’re the perfect size when you cut them in half, and it saves you from all that time of having to cut a block of cheese into sticks. Give it a try next time!
The first thing we need to do is prepare our assembly line. In one bowl, mix together the Italian bread crumbs with the panko bread crumbs (Japanese style bread crumbs). In another bowl, add the flour. And in a third bowl, whisk the eggs. Have a baking sheet ready to place the coated mozzarella sticks on.
Dip the sticks into the flour first, and then the egg, and lastly the bread crumbs. Make sure they’re fully coated.
Once all the sticks have been dredged, place the baking sheet in the freezer for at least half an hour! This is a helpful trick because it’ll firm up the cheese and prevent it from melting and getting too soft while they fry. Fry the sticks in a bit of oil that has been heated over medium heat, in a medium pot. Fry for about 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and then transfer to a plate.
Serve the string cheese mozzarella sticks with some store bought marinara sauce for dunking. I like to warm up the sauce for an even better flavor.
You can definitely prep the string cheese mozzarella sticks ahead of time and keep them in the freezer. Then just fry them (no thawing necessary) whenever you’re in the mood for a tasty appetizer or snack. It’s the perfect treat to have on hand just in case company stops by unannounced and you need to quickly serve up some thing to snack on!
- 12 string cheeses, cut in half to get 24 pieces
- 1/2 cup flour
- 3 eggs, whisked
- 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 cup store bought marinara sauce
- vegetable or canola oil for frying
- Place the flour in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until completely beaten. In a third bowl, combine the two bread crumbs. Dunk the string cheese pieces first in the flour, shake off, and then dip into the egg. Lastly, coat them in the bread crumbs. Pat them well to make sure the bread crumbs stick. Transfer the dredged cheese onto a baking sheet. Once all coated, place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
- Heat about 3 inches of oil in a medium pot, over medium-high heat. Once super hot, fry the cheese in batches, for about 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and transfer to baking sheet. you can keep them warm in a low oven.
- Serve hot with the warmed marinara sauce. Enjoy!
- They can be made in advance and stored in the freezer. Just fry up right before serving!
