Baked Ranch Mozzarella Sticks are a fun appetizer to bring to life in your own kitchen! A breading made up of Ranch seasonings, bread crumbs and spices completely coats creamy mozzarella sticks. Baked instead of fried, these mozzarella sticks are a flavorful, healthier version of this classic appetizer!
How to Make Homemade Mozzarella Sticks
First off, making homemade mozzarella sticks that are baked instead of fried do require a small amount of time commitment. Not during the process of cooking them (that goes by pretty quick!), but in freezer time. Keep in mind that these mozzarella sticks will need a good 4+ hours in the freezer so that they don’t turn into a big blob of melted cheese in the oven. Trust me, I’m speaking from experience here haha!
Pro tip: since you’re already making them and freezing them, make a double batch! That way you can bag and freeze one of the batches after it sets to have on hand for later!
Other than a little freezer time, here is what you will need to know to make this crunchy appetizer at home:
Mozzarella Stick Breading
The key ingredient to this breading: Ranch seasoning mix! Yep, that’s right! That is where alllll the wonderful Ranch flavor is going to come from. Besides Ranch seasoning mix, you will need bread crumbs and seasoned salt.
To coat the mozzarella sticks, simply dredge each one into the egg wash, then coat completely in the prepared breading. Repeat if you want extra thick breading!
Transfer each prepared mozzarella stick to baking sheet lined with foil that has been lightly greased.
How to Serve the Mozzarella Sticks
Once these beauties come out from the oven, you’re going to want to dig in right away! You don’t want to miss out on the gooey, stringy cheese goodness!
I love to serve mine with the classic marinara sauce, and then, of course, Ranch dressing! You can’t have Baked Ranch Mozzarella Sticks without a little Ranch dressing itself. That would just be criminal. Dipping from the marinara sauce to the Ranch dressing in one bite is totally worth it too!
I love how fun and rewarding these mozzarella sticks are. Not only do they make for a perfect appetizer, but how great would they be for an after-school snack or afternoon treat?! Count me in!
Looking for other appetizer recipes? Look here!
Baked Ranch Mozzarella Sticks
- Total Time: 4 hours, 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 mozzarella sticks 1x
Description
Baked Ranch Mozzarella Sticks are a fun appetizer to bring to life in your own kitchen! A breading made up of Ranch seasonings, bread crumbs and spices completely coats creamy mozzarella sticks. Baked instead of fried, these mozzarella sticks are a flavorful, healthier version of this classic appetizer!
Ingredients
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 oz packet Ranch Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 12 mozzarella sticks, unwrapped (12 oz)
- Cooking spray or olive oil
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Ranch seasoning and salt. In a separate smaller bowl, add in the egg and whisk it.
- Working with one mozzarella stick at a time, dredge it into the egg wash, then transfer it to the breading mixture to coat completely. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with foil that has been greased, making sure that they are not touching each other. Repeat until all of the mozzarella sticks have been coated. You can then go back and double dip if you would like any of them to have extra coating.
- Freeze the mozzarella sticks for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours in advance.
- Preheat your broiler to high. Bring the mozzarella sticks out of the freezer and transfer them on the foil to a baking sheet that is room temperature and not frozen.
- Generously spray the tops and sides of the mozzarella sticks with cooking spray or olive oil. Broil on high for 8-10 minutes, or until they are golden brown and heated through. Being careful to not over-cook as they will start to melt into each other.
- Serve right away with marinara sauce and Ranch dressing.
Notes
- Double the recipe to have a batch on hand in the freezer ready to go whenever you need a mozzarella stick fix! After they have been in the freezer for at least 4 hours, bag them in a freezer bag and you are set to go.
- Each broiler is different, so make sure to keep an eye on the mozzarella sticks as they are cooking and rotating the pan if necessary.
- Prep Time: 4 hours, 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
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