Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Wet Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon water
Cheese
- 12 ounces low moisture mozzarella cheese, cut into pieces 3-inch x ¾ inch (or 12 oz string cheese cut in half)
Other
- 1 quart vegetable oil (for frying)
- Homemade marinara sauce, for dipping
Instructions
- Prepare baking sheet: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside to arrange the coated cheese sticks later.
- Mix dry coating: In a small shallow bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, sea salt, black pepper, and garlic powder thoroughly.
- Beat eggs: In a second bowl, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water until smooth to create the egg wash.
- Prepare breadcrumb mixture: In a third bowl, combine the Panko breadcrumbs and Italian seasoning evenly.
- Coat cheese sticks: Working with one piece of cheese at a time, dip each piece first into the egg mixture, then into the flour mixture, back into the egg mixture, and finally coat thoroughly with the seasoned Panko breadcrumbs, pressing gently to ensure the coating sticks well.
- Freeze coated sticks: Place the coated cheese sticks onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Freeze for 45 minutes to ensure they hold together during frying.
- Heat oil: In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the vegetable oil to 350°F using a deep-fat thermometer to maintain consistent temperature.
- Fry mozzarella sticks: Remove cheese sticks from freezer. Working in small batches, carefully drop the sticks into the hot oil and fry until golden brown on all sides, about 2 minutes total. Avoid overcrowding the pot.
- Drain and cool: Remove the fried mozzarella sticks with a slotted spoon and place them on a metal cooling rack set over a baking sheet to drain excess oil.
- Serve: Serve the crispy mozzarella sticks immediately with homemade marinara sauce for dipping while hot and melty.
Notes
- Freezing the assembled mozzarella sticks is crucial to prevent cheese from melting too quickly during frying.
- Maintain the oil temperature at 350°F for even frying and to avoid greasy sticks.
- You can substitute low moisture mozzarella with string cheese, cutting each stick in half.
- Serve immediately for best gooey texture and crispiness.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
