Golden Fried Mozzarella Sticks with Double Panko Crust

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The bar-snack benchmark, done right at home: batons of low-moisture mozzarella get a double coat of seasoned panko and parmesan, freeze solid, then fry for barely a minute so the crust shatters and the cheese pulls a foot long without a single blowout. A five-minute garlicky tomato dip goes alongside.

Ingredients

• 1 lb block low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, well chilled

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tbsp whole milk
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup fine dry Italian-style breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)

• 6 cups neutral oil for frying, such as peanut or canola
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• flaky salt, for sprinkling

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 14-oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 4 leaves fresh basil

Instructions

1. Unwrap the cold block of mozzarella and pat it completely dry. Cut it into sticks roughly 3 1/2 inches long, 1/2 inch thick, and 1/2 inch wide — you should get 14 to 16. Keep them in the refrigerator while you set up the breading; warm, soft cheese smears instead of coating cleanly.
2. Set out three shallow dishes. In the first, whisk the flour and cornstarch together. In the second, beat the eggs with the milk until completely uniform with no streaks of white. In the third, combine the panko, fine breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic powder, oregano, onion powder, sea salt, black pepper, and cayenne; rub the mixture between your fingers for 30 seconds so the panko breaks down slightly and the seasoning distributes.
3. Bread each stick twice, which is what keeps the cheese from escaping: roll in flour and tap off the excess, dip in egg and let the drips fall away, press into crumbs, then return it to the egg and press into the crumbs a second time. Pack the crumbs on firmly, especially at the cut ends. Set the finished sticks on a parchment-lined sheet pan without touching.
4. Freeze the breaded sticks uncovered for at least 2 hours, until rock hard. This step is non-negotiable — it is the difference between a mozzarella stick and a puddle. Once solid, they keep in a zip-top bag in the freezer for up to 2 months, and they fry straight from frozen.
5. While they freeze, make the dip: warm the olive oil with the sliced garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant and just barely golden. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, sugar, and salt. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until thickened enough to cling to a spoon. Tear in the basil, taste for salt, and keep warm off the heat.
6. Pour the oil into a heavy 4- to 5-quart Dutch oven — it should come no more than a third of the way up the sides — and heat over medium-high to 360°F on a clip-on thermometer. Set a wire rack over a sheet pan next to the stove.
7. Fry 4 or 5 sticks at a time, straight from the freezer, for 45 to 75 seconds, turning once, until deep golden brown. Watch them, not the clock: pull them the moment the crust colors, before the cheese starts to bulge or seep. Lift out with a spider or slotted spoon onto the rack.
8. Let the oil climb back to 360°F between batches, skimming any loose crumbs. Sprinkle each batch with flaky salt while hot.
9. Scatter with parsley and serve immediately with the warm tomato dip. Mozzarella sticks have a five-minute window of perfection — pull the cheese apart while it still stretches.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

More from Sprig Originals

Char-Grilled Oysters with Garlic-Worcestershire Butter

Dark Roux Seafood Gumbo with Quick Shrimp Stock

One-Skillet Blackened Cajun Chicken Pasta

Are you this recipe's original author or publisher? Report a problem