Hot Mozzarella Sticks (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Main Items
01 -
1 pound of fresh mozzarella, chopped into rectangular 3x2-inch chunks
02 -
1 large egg
03 -
1 tablespoon of water
04 -
Enough vegetable oil to fry properly
→ Crispy Coating
05 -
2 cups of breadcrumbs
06 -
1 teaspoon garlic powder
07 -
1 teaspoon each of onion powder and oregano (dried)
08 -
½ teaspoon of salt
09 -
1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
→ Spicy Sauce
10 -
½ cup melted unsalted butter
11 -
1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper
12 -
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 -
1 teaspoon of salt
14 -
1 teaspoon garlic (minced fresh or powdered)
15 -
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
16 -
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
17 -
1 teaspoon of honey (optional for sweetness)
→ Creamy Dip
18 -
½ cup sour cream
19 -
½ cup mayonnaise
20 -
½ cup buttermilk
21 -
1 teaspoon fresh or dried parsley
22 -
2 teaspoons chives
23 -
½ teaspoon of garlic powder
24 -
1 teaspoon each of lemon juice and onion powder
25 -
1 teaspoon of salt
26 -
½ teaspoon sugar
27 -
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
# Instructions:
01 -
Dump all the spicy sauce ingredients into a small pan and turn on low heat. Stir it while the butter melts and let it bubble just a tiny bit to mix all the goodies, then remove from heat to cool.
02 -
Stir together everything listed under Creamy Dip in a mixing bowl. Make sure it's nice and smooth, then stick it in the fridge to chill while you prep the other stuff.
03 -
Mix the breadcrumbs and the spices from Crispy Coating in a bowl until everything looks even. Put it aside for when you're ready to coat.
04 -
Beat the egg and water together to make a quick egg bath. Arrange your mozzarella pieces, egg mixture, and seasoned coating in a row so you can move fast when breading.
05 -
Take each mozzarella chunk, dip it in the egg mixture, roll it in the coating, then repeat the whole process one more time. You want those crumbs to really stick!
06 -
Lay the coated cheese on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper, and pop it into the freezer for at least half an hour. This keeps your cheese from leaking during frying!
07 -
Warm up about 2 inches of oil to 350°F in a fryer or a deep pan. Drop the frozen cheese sticks in and fry for 2-3 minutes—just until they're crunchy and golden. Place them on a rack to drain off extra oil.
08 -
Brush the still-hot fried sticks generously with that spicy sauce you made earlier. Serve right away with your cold ranch on the side.
# Notes:
01 -
Hot spices and creamy ranch make these cheese sticks anything but boring.
02 -
Coating twice locks in the flavor and adds an unbeatable crunch.
03 -
Freezing makes sure your cheese stays put during frying. Don’t skip it!
04 -
Prepare the ranch ahead to give those flavors time to really shine.