Gluten-free Mozzarella Sticks

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These gluten-free mozzarella sticks have a delicious crispy golden breading on the outside and cheesy goodness on the inside.

Have you ever noticed that restaurants don't tend to sell gluten-free mozzarella sticks? I don't see why, well, okay, I do. They would need to get gluten-free mozzarella sticks in bulk and a dedicated fryer which most places don't have. That's okay, though, because I'll keep making them at home. You can too; I promise they are really easy to do.

Jump to:

• Are mozzarella sticks gluten-free?
• Ingredients.
• Mozzarella stick ingredient FAQ
• Steps.
• What is the best way to cook mozzarella sticks?
• Tips and tricks.
• Make ahead.
• Storing leftovers.
• Reheating.
• Serving.
• More gluten-free snacks to try.
• Gluten-free Mozzarella Sticks

Are mozzarella sticks gluten-free?

Typically, no mozzarella sticks sold in restaurants and even in the freezer section at the store are not gluten-free. Most are coated in wheat bread crumbs. There are now a few companies that have started selling gluten-free mozzarella sticks, like Feel Good Foods.

I prefer to make my own gluten-free mozzarella sticks because they are actually really easy to do, and I can make a bunch and keep them in the freezer for whenever the mood strikes and someone in the house want them.

Ingredients.

These are the simple ingredients needed to make a batch of homemade gluten-free mozzarella sticks.

• Mozzarella Cheese - You can cut a block of mozzarella cheese or use pieces of string cheese.
• Eggs
• 1:1 Gluten-free Flour - I use the King Arthur blend.
• Gluten-free Bread Crumbs - I like to make my own gluten-free bread crumbs because they seem to be harder to find around me.
• Spices - We are keeping it simple with a blend of salt, pepper, garlic, and parsley.

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Mozzarella stick ingredient FAQ

Steps.

Making gluten-free mozzarella sticks are only a few simple steps away.

Step 1: Slice the mozzarella cheese into equal pieces.

Step 2: Prep your gluten-free breading bowls. One with gluten-free flour, one with whisked eggs, and the last one with gluten-free bread crumbs and spices.

Step 3. Coat the pieces of mozzarella cheese with the gluten-free breading.

1. Dip the cheese into the flour.
2. Then dip it into the egg.
3. Dip the cheese back into the flour and then back into the egg wash.
4. Once you've double-dipped the cheese in the flour and egg wash, then dip it into the gluten-free bread crumbs.

Step 4. Freeze the breaded cheese.

• Place the breaded pieces of mozzarella cheese onto a baking sheet and place them into the freezer for about 2 hours until the cheese is slightly frozen.

Step 5: Cook the gluten-free cheese sticks until they are golden on the outside and cheesy on the inside.

What is the best way to cook mozzarella sticks?

You can cook these gluten-free mozzarella sticks a few ways; all of them work great, just depending on your preference.

• Pan Fry - You can pan-fry your mozzarella sticks.
• Oven Bake - Baking mozzarella sticks in the oven is less messy than pan frying them. I've found they don't get as crispy when they are baked in the oven, but they are still delicious.
• Air Fryer - Making these gluten-free mozzarella sticks in the air fryer has actually been my favorite way to make them. They get really crispy, and I don't have to worry about the oil getting so hot that the cheese is melting all over the place.

Tips and tricks.

• Use string cheese sticks - Really, this is the super simple solution because they are already in shape without cutting a bunch of pieces. I just usually cut them in half to make them shorter and easier to work with.
• Double or triple coat. - This isn't 100% necessary, but trust me, it does help keep the coating on the outside and the cheese on the inside while cooking them.
• Keep hands separate when breading. - Keeping one hand in the wet and using the other for the dry breading will keep your hands from becoming coated.
• Freeze - Do you have to freeze mozzarella sticks before cooking them? This might sound odd, but trust me. Freezing the mozzarella sticks before freezing them lets the gluten-free breading get crispy, and the cheese gets gooey without the cheese ending up oozing all over the place.
• Watch the oil temperature if you are frying them - If you want that gentle cheese pull and perfect cheese texture, don't let your oil get overheated. I like to keep mine about 325-350 degrees. If the oil gets too hot, the breading will cook, but you'll be left with a typical string cheese texture inside, or the cheese will get overly heated and melt into the oil.

Make ahead.

Can you make mozzarella sticks ahead of time?

Absolutely! I make batches all the time to keep in the freezer, so I have them when the mood strikes someone in the house.

• Just freeze these gluten-free mozzarella sticks for two hours to flash freeze them, and then transfer them to a ziplock back and freeze them for up to two months.
• When you are ready to cook them, remove how many you want and cook them as if they were fresh.

Storing leftovers.

You can keep leftover mozzarella sticks in a container in the fridge for up to five days, or you can freeze them for up to two months.

Reheating.

Here are the best ways to reheat these gluten-free mozzarella sticks.

• You can place the mozzarella sticks into a 350-degree oven for 10-15 minutes until they are warm.
• You can also place them into an air fryer at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until they are crispy and the cheese is warm.

Serving.

I like to serve these gluten-free mozzarella sticks with a bowl of simple marinara sauce to dip them into. You can eat them plain or dip them into your favorite sauce either by themselves or alongside some of your other favorite gluten-free snacks.

More gluten-free snacks to try.

If you love these gluten-free mozzarella sticks, give some of these other delicious gluten-free appetizers and snacks a try next.

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #grainfreetable or @grainfreetable on Instagram. I’d love to see what you come up with!