Crispy Baked Mozzarella Sticks with Marinara
Ingredients
- 8 ozmozzarella cheese (block, whole-milk)
- ½ cupall-purpose flour
- 2eggs
- 1½ cuppanko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoonItalian seasoning
- ½ teaspoongarlic powder
- ½ teaspoonsalt
- 1 cupmarinara sauce
- ·cooking spray
Prep
- 01
Cut 8 oz whole-milk mozzarella cheese block into 8 sticks (roughly 1/2 inch thick and 3 inches long), then freeze for at least 30 minutes or until very firm
- 02
Beat 2 eggs in a shallow bowl
- 03
Combine 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in another shallow bowl
- 04
Pour 1/2 cup all-purpose flour into a third shallow bowl
Method
- 01
Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 02
Set up a breading station with three shallow bowls: flour in the first, beaten eggs in the second, and the panko mixture in the third.
- 03
Working with one mozzarella stick at a time, coat in flour, shaking off excess, then dip in egg, then press into panko mixture to coat completely. Place on prepared baking sheet.
- 04
Once all sticks are breaded, spray tops generously with cooking spray.
- 05
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden and crispy. The cheese should be just starting to soften but not leak out.
- 06
While the mozzarella sticks bake, warm the marinara sauce in a small saucepan over medium-low heat or microwave until hot.
- 07
Serve immediately with warm marinara for dipping.
Spice Tips
For a kick, add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the panko mixture. You can also mix red pepper flakes into the marinara sauce or drizzle the finished sticks with hot honey for a sweet-heat contrast.
Freezing the cheese sticks before breading prevents them from melting too quickly in the oven. For extra insurance, you can double-bread them: after the first coating, dip again in egg and panko. Leftover sticks can be reheated in a 400°F oven for 5 minutes.