Description
Listen, I’ve been on a quest for the perfect homemade mozzarella sticks for YEARS. You know what I’m talking about – that golden, crunchy exterior giving way to a center of molten, stretchy cheese that pulls apart in those Instagram-worthy cheese pulls. After countless batches (and many delicious failures), I’ve finally nailed it.
Store-bought frozen mozzarella sticks just don’t compare to these homemade beauties. The secret? Double-breading and proper freezing. Trust me, your friends will think you’re some kind of appetizer wizard when you serve these at your next gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 ounces block-style mozzarella cheese (low-moisture, NOT fresh mozzarella)
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 3 cups Italian-style breadcrumbs (panko works too, but I prefer the finer crumbs for this)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (the shelf-stable kind works better here than fresh)
- Oil for frying (I use vegetable oil, but canola works great too)
For serving:
- Marinara sauce, warmed (store-bought is fine, but homemade is even better!)
- Ranch dressing (controversial, I know, but my kids love it)
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish (totally optional, but makes them look fancy)