“Unfried” Oven Baked Mozzarella Sticks. Crunchy & gooey cheesy goodness without all the oil. Plus a healthy Greek yogurt ranch dip recipe.

Fried Food Made Better

I have a confession to make.  

I am a fried food fanatic.  

Fresh cut fries, onion rings, fried pickles, fried mushrooms, fried fish & seafood – and of course fried mozzarella sticks. Oh, how I love them all.

I know better though. I don’t each much of it besides the occasional county fair when I go buck wild on the deep fried goodies.

I’ve learned to enjoy some healthier alternatives to curb my fried food fixation. Fresh cut oven roasted french fries & sweet potato fries are in regular rotation in my house. For all the other fried goodies, I bread and bake (or airfry) them for the crisp & crunch I crave.

Check out this Chex Mix Recipe for another tasty, crispy, crunchy, salty snack that’s baked!

Ingredients & Instructions

Baked Mozzarella Sticks are one of my all time favorites and luckily one of the easiest fried foods to make “unfried” at home.  

Cut the mozzarella sticks in half, dip in egg & then roll the cheese sticks in the panko mix. You’ll have to rest them in the freezer for at least an hour before baking, but they can be made well ahead of time if you’d like. After they’re frozen little cheese logs, bake for about 10 minutes & enjoy. Crunchy, cheesy gooey goodness.

Here’s some more cheese recipes for all you cheese lovers! Check out this Wine & Cheddar Soup & a Classic Stuffed Shells recipe!

Know what every fried or oven baked crispy snack needs? Something to dip that crunchy goodness into.

Marinara sauce with mozzarella sticks – that’s a given. Ranch dip – you better believe it. I’m a ranch dressing enthusiast but I’m not so enthusiastic about all the “stuff” in it.

I’ve improvised with a Greek yogurt ranch dip. Stir a few herbs & spices in a cup of yogurt and you got yourself a ranch dip loaded with flavor and protein.

I hope you enjoy these “Unfried” Baked Mozzarella Sticks. I love food and I’m not into cutting favorite foods out of my diet. It’s great to have healthier options so we can enjoy the snacks we love more often. Thanks for stopping by!

Amanda ♥

“Unfried” Baked Mozzarella Sticks

Amanda

Crunchy & delicious baked Mozzarella Sticks.

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 22 minutes mins

Course Appetizer

Servings 1 dozen

Ingredients

  

For Mozzarella Sticks

• 6 pieces String Cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup panko
• 1 teaspoon flour
• 1/4 teaspoon parsley
• garlic powder a pinch
• salt a pinch
• olive oil for spritzing

For Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip

• 1 Greek yogurt cup approx 5.3 oz
• 1/4 teaspoon parsley flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon dried chives
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• pinch dill
• pinch pepper

Instructions

 

For Mozzarella Sticks

• Cut sticks of string cheese in half. Set aside.
• Crack egg in a small bowl, beat.
• In a separate bowl combine panko, flour, parsley, garlic powder & salt.
• Dip a piece of string cheese into egg, then into panko. Press panko onto all surfaces & ends of cheese.
• Place breaded cheese stick onto wax paper lined plate and repeat with remaining pieces.
• Freeze breaded cheese sticks for at least half an hour. These can be made days ahead of time and kept covered in the freezer.
• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spritz with olive oil.
• Place breaded cheese sticks on cookie sheet. Spritz tops with olive oil.
• Bake until tops are light golden brown – about 8-12 minutes.

For Greek Yogurt Ranch DIp

• Combine all herbs & spices with Greek yogurt. I do this right in the yogurt cup!
• Refrigerate for at least half an hour before serving – allowing flavors to blend. Dip & enjoy!

Notes

Feel free to season panko mixture as you’d like!