Description
These healthy Baked Mozzarella Sticks are crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside, and baked instead of fried. They’re a lighter twist on a classic appetizer, perfect for parties or snacking.
Ingredients
- 12 sticks part-skim mozzarella string cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Olive oil spray
- Marinara sauce, for serving
Instructions
- Unwrap the string cheese sticks and cut each in half to make 24 shorter sticks. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set a wire rack on top. Coat the rack with nonstick spray.
- Place the flour in a shallow dish. In a second shallow dish, beat the egg. In a third dish, combine the breadcrumbs, panko, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and salt.
- Working quickly, dip each frozen cheese stick into the flour, then the egg, and finally the breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Place each coated stick on the prepared rack.
- Lightly mist the tops of the sticks with olive oil spray.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, watching closely to prevent cheese from oozing out. Remove immediately when golden and gooey.
- Serve hot with marinara sauce for dipping.
Notes
- Freeze the cheese sticks fully to prevent them from melting too quickly while baking.
- Keep a close eye during baking as they can overcook quickly.
- Can be made ahead and stored in the freezer until ready to bake.
- Great for entertaining or as a kid-friendly snack.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus 2 hours freezing time)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 sticks
- Calories: 102
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 290mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 7g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
