I woke up the other morning with a serious craving for Sonic’s mozzarella sticks. Unfortunately they’re laden with gluten and mozzarella sticks aren’t a common dish at most of my go-to gluten-free restaurants. Sooo…. I decided to make my own and they were way easier than anticipated!
Here’s what you’ll need:
The basics-
12 pack of mozzarella sticks (if you prefer being difficult, go for the 8 oz. ball of mozzarella and chop it yourself)
1 cup of canola or vegetable oil
Can of crushed tomatoes or marinara sauce for dipping
Wet ingredients-
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon of milk
Dry ingredients-
1 cup of gluten-free breadcrumbs (most Walmart’s carry Glutino breadcrumbs which are affordable and don’t taste like packing peanuts)
1 cup of gluten free flour
½ cup of grated parmesan
½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon of parsely
1 teaspoon of garlic salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Let’s start:
Take two bowls (preferably ones that are shallow and wide enough for you to lay the mozzarella stick flat across the bottom without bending it). In one, whisk together all the wet ingredients (eggs and milk). In the other, mix the dry ingredients, making sure the seasonings are mixed evenly throughout.
The basics-
12 pack of mozzarella sticks (if you prefer being difficult, go for the 8 oz. ball of mozzarella and chop it yourself)
1 cup of canola or vegetable oil
Can of crushed tomatoes or marinara sauce for dipping
Wet ingredients-
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon of milk
Dry ingredients-
1 cup of gluten-free breadcrumbs (most Walmart’s carry Glutino breadcrumbs which are affordable and don’t taste like packing peanuts)
1 cup of gluten free flour
½ cup of grated parmesan
½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon of parsely
1 teaspoon of garlic salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Let’s start:
Take two bowls (preferably ones that are shallow and wide enough for you to lay the mozzarella stick flat across the bottom without bending it). In one, whisk together all the wet ingredients (eggs and milk). In the other, mix the dry ingredients, making sure the seasonings are mixed evenly throughout.
Then, unwrap all of your mozzarella sticks so it doesn’t slow you down later.
WARNING: If you’re wearing an outfit you like, now’s the time to change before it gets ruined with oil.
Next, pour the oil into a medium sized frying pan and turn the heat to medium high. Prepare a clean plate with a paper towel (to soak up extra oil) next to the pan.
My suggestion, set the pan up the opposite side of the stove from where you’re working with the cheese. This way you’re slightly less likely to get splattered with hot oil.
WARNING: If you’re wearing an outfit you like, now’s the time to change before it gets ruined with oil.
Next, pour the oil into a medium sized frying pan and turn the heat to medium high. Prepare a clean plate with a paper towel (to soak up extra oil) next to the pan.
My suggestion, set the pan up the opposite side of the stove from where you’re working with the cheese. This way you’re slightly less likely to get splattered with hot oil.
Take a mozzarella stick and roll it around in the breadcrumb mix. Most of the mixture won’t stick; that’s fine, you’re just trying to get rid of some of that slimy cheese feel. Then dip it quickly in the bowl of wet ingredients before returning it to the bowl of dry ingredients. Roll the cheese around until it’s coated. It you like a thin breading, place the cheese in the hot oil. You must not be able to see any cheese though before doing this or the breading will fall off. If you like more breading, dip the breaded mozzarella in the wet bowl again and then roll around in the dry ingredients before adding to the hot oil.
Don’t know which you prefer? Try one of both before continuing on.
Don’t know which you prefer? Try one of both before continuing on.
Continue the process while keeping a close eye on the sticks in the oil. They need to be golden brown on one side before flipping. Because gluten-free products aren’t very good at binding (one of the usual jobs of flour) I suggest rolling them until they’ve cooked on all four sides to prevent breakage. This is where the parmesan cheese comes into play. As it melts, it helps bind the breadcrumbs together.
Once done, dip in traditional marinara sauce OR I suggest trying some crushed tomatoes. They have a fresher and lighter flavor to help balance the heaviness of the fried cheese and add to the flavor of the mozzarella sticks instead of masking it. Just take a tomato, crush it up with a fork, and sprinkle with some Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
And that’s it! Have fun cooking!