Nashville Hot Mozzarella Sticks (Printable Version)
# What You'll Need:
→ Main Components
01 -
Mozzarella (1 pound, sliced into 3x2 inch chunks)
02 -
Whole egg (1)
03 -
Water (1 tablespoon)
04 -
Veggie oil (enough to fry with)
→ Crunchy Coating Blend
05 -
Breadcrumbs (2 cups)
06 -
Garlic powder (1 teaspoon)
07 -
Onion powder (1 teaspoon)
08 -
Oregano, dried (1 teaspoon)
09 -
Black pepper (1 teaspoon)
10 -
Salt (½ teaspoon)
→ Nashville Spicy Blend
11 -
Butter, unsalted (½ cup, melted down)
12 -
Cayenne pepper (1 tablespoon)
13 -
Brown sugar (1 tablespoon)
14 -
Paprika, smoked (1 teaspoon)
15 -
Garlic, fresh chopped or powder (1 teaspoon)
16 -
Salt (1 teaspoon)
17 -
Black pepper (1 teaspoon)
18 -
Honey (1 teaspoon, add for sweetness if you want)
→ Scratch-Made Ranch
19 -
Mayo (½ cup)
20 -
Sour cream (½ cup)
21 -
Buttermilk (½ cup)
22 -
Chives, fresh or dried (2 teaspoons)
23 -
Juice from fresh lemon (1 teaspoon)
24 -
Parsley, fresh or dried (1 teaspoon)
25 -
Onion powder (1 teaspoon)
26 -
Garlic powder (½ teaspoon)
27 -
Salt (1 teaspoon)
28 -
Black pepper (½ teaspoon)
29 -
Sugar (½ teaspoon)
# Preparation Steps:
01 -
Throw all the Nashville Spicy Blend stuff into a small pot on low heat. Keep stirring as the butter melts, let it bubble gently for a few minutes to mix the flavors, then pull it off the heat and set it aside.
02 -
Stir together all the Scratch-Made Ranch ingredients in a bowl until it's nice and smooth. Stick it in the fridge so the flavors can blend while you make the cheese sticks.
03 -
In a bowl, stir together all the breadcrumbs with the spices from the Crunchy Coating list until everything's well mixed. Put it aside for later.
04 -
Beat the egg and water together for your egg wash. Line everything up in order: cheese pieces, egg mixture, and your seasoned breadcrumbs.
05 -
Dip each mozzarella chunk in egg wash, roll in breadcrumbs, then dip again in egg wash, and coat one more time with breadcrumbs. This makes them super crunchy.
06 -
Put your coated cheese pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment and freeze them for at least 30 minutes. This step keeps the cheese from leaking during frying!
07 -
Heat 2 inches of oil to 350°F. Carefully drop your frozen sticks in and fry until they turn golden brown, around 2-3 minutes. Move them to a rack to drain.
08 -
While they're still hot, paint each stick with your Nashville spicy sauce. Serve right away with your cold homemade ranch for dipping.
# Additional Tips:
01 -
This twist on cheese sticks adds Nashville hot flavor and homemade ranch for something totally different
02 -
The double coating technique makes a super crunchy outside that won't break when you add the sauce
03 -
Freezing the sticks isn't optional - it's what gives you that perfect melty cheese pull
04 -
You can make the ranch a day before for even better flavor