Last Updated on 25th July 2022 by Pauline Loughlin
Unless you’re lactose intolerant, there’s absolutely no reason for you not to love cheese. Okay, that seems to be a bit of an overreaction, but there’s no denying that 8 out of 10 people like to ask for additional cheese in their food.
Be it pizza, lasagna, pasta, burgers, eggs– you name it. Adding a little bit more cheese to the plate means adding a little bit more happiness to every bite.
But hear me out. What if you can have cheese in its entirety? Other than wrapped cheese sticks, why not try making mozzarella sticks? Don’t know how? Then you’re at the right place.
In this article, i will be sharing with you everything about them and how to make homemade mozzarella sticks that you and your family can enjoy.
What are Mozzarella Sticks?
Mozzarella sticks are often served as appetizers and are basically sticks of breaded mozzarella cheese. They are usually served with a dip like ketchup, marinara sauce, mustard sauce, and sour cream dip, to name a few.
Like other appetizers, mozzarella sticks are usually breaded and deep-fried until golden and crispy on the outside and melting gooey cheese on the inside. Because they are very easy to make, mozzarella sticks have become a family favorite at my home and probably many families around the world.
How to Make Mozzarella Sticks
We will need;
- 1 cup of breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup of flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon of milk
- mozzarella cheese cut into ¾ inch strips
- vegetable oil
- dippings for this recipe of your choice.
Directions:
- Slice your mozzarella sticks to the appropriate size (¾ inch strips)
- Whisk eggs and milk together in a bowl (to help your bread crumbs stick to your cheese)
- Grab a piece of cheese, coat with flour
- Then dip in the egg and milk mixture and roll onto the bread crumbs.
Make sure all parts of the cheese are covered with bread crumbs! For extra, extra crispiness, double the layer of bread crumbs by dipping the cheese on the egg again and rolling it twice now on the bread crumbs.
We recommend freezing them overnight before cooking, but you can also choose to fry them right away.
To Cook:
- Preheat oil in a skillet, and when hot, place each stick on the oil until it turns golden brown, just before the cheese starts to leak.
Remember to drain them on paper towels to get rid of excess oil, then serve with your favorite dip. It is best served hot, but caution your guests that freshly cooked cheese can be really hot!
How to Make Mozzarella Sticks with String Cheese
If you don’t have mozzarella sticks, you can substitute mozzarella with string cheese instead.
What’s more attractive about string cheese is that, unlike mozzarella, string cheese are already prepared and cut into perfect stick sizes, so all you have to do is dunk them into your eggs and bread crumbs and get to frying, or take a look at our method for how to bread chicken without eggs.
After all, the main ingredient of string cheese is mozzarella, so there’s no reason not to have string cheese be a mozzarella substitute.
How to Make Hot Cheeto Mozzarella Sticks
If you’re on the adventurous side and want that extra kick of spice to complement the savory cheese, why not try making hot Cheeto mozzarella sticks?
The secret on how to make hot Cheeto mozzarella sticks? Replacing bread crumbs with crushed Cheetos. Crushed Cheetos have the same texture as bread crumbs, so replacing them will give you a hot and spicy outer coat for every bite.
To make hot Cheetos mozzarella sticks, simply freeze your mozzarella sticks, then crush Hot Cheetos on a separate bowl and whisk eggs in another. Coat the frozen mozzarella sticks in flour, dunk in egg, and coat evenly with crushed Cheetos. Repeat another layer by dunking it in egg again and adding another layer of crushed Cheetos.
Since you can’t tell if the surface has become golden brown for hot Cheetos, carefully assess if they are crisp enough before taking them out of the oil, and watch out for cheese leakage.
How Long to Cook Mozzarella Sticks in the Air Fryer
Air frying has become a wonder cooking miracle for many, especially for those in a hurry or those who do not want to deal with splashing hot oil. I personally love using my air fryer. It’s very hassle-free and produces just about the same result as when I pan fry my food.
To cook mozzarella sticks in an air fryer, follow the process mentioned above of freezing and coating the mozzarella sticks twice. Place your mozzarella sticks in a single layer with space between them on the air fryer basket.
When done, set your air fryer at a temperature of 375°F. How long to cook frozen mozzarella sticks in the air fryer depends on the temperature, but it would take about 8 minutes at our set temperature.
You can choose to air spray or not the basket with oil. Gently check and turn the mozzarella sticks if they have been thoroughly cooked or until they are crispy golden brown. Cooking mozzarella sticks on an air fryer would generally take 5 to 8 minutes, but it still varies from air fryer to air fryer, so it’s best to test what works best for you.
I'm Pauline, a retired patisserie chef, mother of four and now a full time food blogger! When i'm not cooking i love long walks, reading thriller novels and spending time with my grandkids. Head to my about me page to learn more about the woman behind the food! You can find my Facebook here