Gluten-free mozzarella sticks {easy recipe}

The best gluten-free homemade mozzarella sticks

I love mozzarella sticks! They are super crispy and crunchy outside, yet warm, gooey, and cheesy on the inside. But, most recipes are either deep-fried or not gluten-free. Don’t worry, I have your back! Say hello to the best homemade mozzarella stick recipe that’s 100% gluten-free and cooked in your air fryer or oven without oil.

Most homemade mozzarella stick recipes ask you to deep fry them, which adds a lot of oil. That’s why this recipe is so unique! Instead of frying them in oil, you can air fry them or bake them in the oven, and they are still super crispy and crunchy.

Mozzarella sticks are actually really easy to make, so don’t worry if you’re new to cooking. I promise if you follow the instructions, you will impress everyone! I even left step-by-step pictures for you to follow.

You’ll be hooked once you try this mozzarella stick recipe! They are just so delicious and kid-approved.

Special Diet Notes: Dairy-Free Buffalo Mozzarella

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan / plant-based, and vegetarian.

Dairy-Free Buffalo Mozzarella

Prep time
30 mins

Cook time
15 mins

Total time
45 mins

This recipe makes what seemed impossible, undeniably easy. Sure, it takes some time to prepare, but think of it as a B plot: a few minutes of effort here and there in between your life’s A plot adventures (work, sleep, play). When it’s time for the exciting culmination, your mozzarella will be ready to star in a Caprese salad, amid roasted vegetables or thinly sliced atop a classic Neapolitan pizza. (Please note that the prep time does not include soaking, fermenting and chilling)

Author:

Serves: Makes 4 balls, about ⅓ cup each

Ingredients

1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for 6 hours
½ cup + ⅔ cup water, divided
½ teaspoon dairy-free probiotic powder
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast flakes
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup agar flakes, or 2¼ teaspoons agar powder

Instructions

Drain and rinse the soaked cashews.
In a blender, combine the cashews, ½ cup water, and probiotic powder and blend until smooth.
Pour into a glass or ceramic bowl, cover with a clean tea towel, and set aside to ferment for 24 hours.
In a blender, combine the fermented cashew mixture, nutritional yeast, xanthan gum, and salt and blend until smooth and creamy.
In a small saucepan, whisk together the agar and ⅔ cup water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, whisking often, for 10 minutes until all the agar has dissolved and the liquid begins to thicken.
In a shallow medium bowl, combine the blended cashew mixture and the agar mixture. Whisk until the agar mixture is completely incorporated.
Transfer the bowl to the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.
Divide the cheese into quarters. Put each portion on a square piece of plastic wrap. Pull the corners of the plastic wrap together over the cheese and twist to form the cheese into a tight ball, just like the classic buffalo mozzarella shape.
Return to the refrigerator to chill for an additional hour or two before slicing. Store any leftovers tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Notes

Tip: We suggest using a serrated knife to slice the dairy-free buffalo mozzarella; it makes lovely thin slices withou mashing the beautiful ball.This recipe for dairy-free buffalo mozzarella is reprinted with permissions from DIY Vegan, St. Martin’s Press, 2015.

3.4.3177

HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE MOZZARELLA STICKS

li>Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Mix together the flour, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Set it aside. Beat the eggs in a bowl and put them next to the flour mix. Transfer the breadcrumbs to a plate and place them next to the eggs. TIP: Use Panko crumbs.
Roll a cheese stick into the flour—dust off the excess and dip in the eggs. Roll to coat all over and transfer to the breadcrumbs. Cover the cheese stick all over with breadcrumbs and set it on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining cheese.
Bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. Monitor in case the cheese starts to melt.
Remove from the oven and serve with marinara sauce or your sauce of choice.

These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions in gluten-free mozzarella sticks, please see the complete recipe below.

TIPS FOR MAKING GLUTEN-FREE MOZZARELLA STICKS

Use the correct cheese — Don’t use fresh and soft mozzarella. Use hard mozzarella cheese.

Don’t overbake it — If you overbake it, the cheese may melt out.

Freeze the mozzarella sticks — If you find your gf mozzarella sticks melt out, then freeze them for 2 hours prior to baking or air frying them.

Use flour — The flour ensures the breading is held in place.

Use a spray — Although not a requirement but if you want them extra crispy. Spray the gf mozzarella sticks with olive oil prior to baking or air frying them.

Pre-heat — Pre-heat your oven or air fryer.

HOW DO I STORE GLUTEN-FREE MOZZARELLA STICKS?

You can store these once cooked in an airtight container for up to 2 days. I do, however, prefer them when I have just made them.

CAN I FREEZE GLUTEN-FREE MOZZARELLA STICKS?

Yes, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. I prefer making them up until the step just before baking them and then freezing them. I only bake or air fry them when I need them.

CAN YOU MAKE GLUTEN-FREE MOZZARELLA STICKS AHEAD OF TIME?

Yes, you can. But I prefer serving them 5-10 minutes after they are made. Alternatively, prepare them and don’t place them in the oven or air fryer until guests have arrived or you are serving them.

WHY DO YOU NEED TO BAKE MOZZARELLA STICKS FROM FROZEN?

Well, you don’t need to, but if you find your gf mozzarella sticks are melting out, then we recommend that you freeze them, so it doesn’t occur.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH GLUTEN-FREE CHEESE STICKS?

You can serve them with any dipping sauce you like. Here’s some suggestions:

Marinara sauce
Pizza sauce
Ranch dressing
Caesar dressing
Honey mustard

HOW DO YOU AIR FRY GLUTEN-FREE MOZZARELLA STICKS?

It is a straightforward process. Follow the recipe until you place them in the oven. Then take the mozzarella sticks and place them in a pre-heated air fryer at 390 F. Place them in the basket and ensure no gluten-free mozzarella sticks overlap. You can spritz them with a bit of olive oil and air fry them for 5-7 minutes.

Get an air fryer here if you don’t have one yet!

WHY MAKE YOUR OWN GLUTEN-FREE MOZZARELLA STICKS?

It really is so simple to make; you don’t need to buy them from the store. Make them ahead of time and don’t bake or air fry them, freeze them so you have them on hand for unexpected guests or occasions or have a cheesy snack craving.

Thanks for sharing!

Ingredients.

Cheese. I like to use string cheese for these sticks. Not only is it easy, it’s the right shape for mozzarella sticks. Most string cheese is made from low-moisture mozzarella, which holds up perfectly for frying and gets wonderfully stretchy. If you don’t want to use string cheese, use a block of low-moisture mozzarella that you cut into individual pieces.
Gluten-free flour. Use gluten-free all purpose flour or finely ground white rice flour.
Eggs. Two whisked eggs help the breading stick to the cheese.
Bread Crumbs. The crunchy coating comes from a quick roll in gluten-free bread crumbs. Make sure you use dried bread crumbs, not fresh, for this recipe.
Basil, Garlic, and Salt. Adds flavor to the sticks.

Как приготовить “Жареная моцарелла”

1. Нарежьте сыр небольшими кусочками произвольной формы.

2. В одну миску разбейте куриное яйцо и перемешайте его вилкой.

3. В большую миску выложите на одну сторону муку, а на другую – панировочные сухари.

4. Сперва кусочек сыра окуните в яйцо.

5. Затем запанируйте его со всех сторон в муке.

6. Снова отправьте сыр в яичную смесь.

7. В последнюю очередь выложите сыр в панировочные сухари.

8. Проделайте те же действия с остальными кусочками и выложите на тарелку, посолите и поперчите.

9. Разогрейте сковороду с растительным маслом, выложите сыр и обжаривайте с каждой стороны по 10-15 секунд.

10. Подавайте сыр сразу же после обжаривания, приятного аппетита!

💭 FAQ and Top Tips

Can I make these mozzarella sticks with vegan cheese and without egg?

Yes! You can make these mozzarella sticks with vegan mozzarella cut into bite-sized pieces and dipped into milk instead of egg and gluten-free + vegan breadcrumbs.

Can I store these mozzarella sticks or make them ahead of time?

Yes! If you would like to prepare these ahead of time so you have them on hand when needed, simply place the prepared, uncooked mozzarella sticks in a freezer safe container and keep stored in the freezer for up to 4 months. Simply pop in the air fryer as instructed when ready to enjoy. If you’ve already cooked these mozzarella sticks, you can store them in the fridge in air-tight containers for up to 5 days and reheat in an air fryer or convention oven at 350F until warmed throughout.

Tips for Success

Double dip these guys. Don’t feel like it? Do it anyway. Make sure you get two really good, complete coats of potato all over the cheese sticks.
Don’t skip the freezer step. Don’t feel like it? Do it anyway. Letting the sticks set up between coatings and then in the freezer once they’re double-coated helps to ensure your guys don’t leak and/or fall apart in the fryer.
Fry in batches. Don’t feel like it? Do it anyway. Do not crowd the pan or the oil temperature will drop too far, allowing your lovely fried cheese to soak up oil. Not so lovely.
Keep your fryer at the correct temperature. Keep the temperature as close to 350F as possible. Don’t go under 325F and don’t go over about 365F. Use a fry thermometer or an instant-read.
Between batches, use a skimmer to skim out any bits of potato coating that fall off during frying.

You will definitely want to skim the oil between batches to skim off any potato coating that falls off during frying. And some will fall off. You don’t want it to burn. Yet another reason to make sure you double coat your guys really, really well with the potato.

Vegan Mozzarella Recipe

Author: Michaela Vais

How to make vegan mozzarella cheese that’s soft, melty, stretchy, and gooey—perfect as a vegan pizza cheese, for grilled cheese, pasta, and more! Plus, this dairy-free mozzarella contains just 7 ingredients, a simple process, and is gluten-free, soy-free, oil-free, and can be prepared nut-free, too!

5 from 9 votes

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, cheese, Side

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 6

Calories 120 kcal

Ingredients
1x2x3x

1/2 cup (75 g)
1 cup (240 g) (see notes)
1 small potato peeled and chopped
4 tbsp (30 g) tapioca starch (see notes)
1 tbsp
2 tsp white vinegar
3/4 tsp
1/4 tsp

ONLY FOR FIRM MOZZARELLA:

2 tbsp agar powder optional (see notes)

Instructions

You can watch the short video for visual instructions.
Soak the cashews in hot water for about an hour, or boil them for 10-15 minutes. Then discard the water.
Meanwhile, boil the potato in a saucepan filled with salted water until it’s tender, then drain the water. You will need 80 grams of cooked potato for this recipe (which equals 1/3 of a cup when you mash it with a fork). It’s also possible to boil the cashews and potato together!
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until super smooth.
Pour the mixture into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for a few minutes, then turn off the heat.
It’s best to use it immediately, e.g. on pizza or toast. You can also transfer it to a bowl and store it covered in the fridge, though the texture will change (it will become rather creamy after a while). Enjoy!

Notes

Firm cheese: If you want to make firm (sliceable) vegan mozzarella, you have to either add 1 1/2 tbsp kappa carrageenan OR 2 tbsp of agar powder (100% strength). It’s also necessary to cook the cheese mixture for at least 5-6 minutes (please note it will be very thick, so stirring often is important). Pour the mixture into an oiled/greased bowl and let it chill for a couple of hours (preferably in the refrigerator) until it’s firm. Kappa carrageenan will make the cheese firmer than agar powder.
Milk: I used canned coconut milk (17% fat) since I love using it also in my vegan cheese sauce, but you can use different milk, or even water.
Tapioca: I recommend tapioca starch as it will make the mozzarella quite stretchy. You might be able to substitute arrowroot flour, though the result won’t be as good.

Recipe inspired by «itdoesnttastelikechicken».

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Mozzarella Recipe

Amount per Serving

Calories
120

% Daily Value*

Fat

6
g

9
%

Saturated Fat

1
g

5
%

Carbohydrates

14
g

5
%

Fiber

1
g

4
%

Sugar

2
g

2
%

Protein

4
g

8
%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically

Simple and Delicious Vegan Cookbook by ElaVegan

How to Make Vegan Mozzarella Cheese?

Meanwhile, chop and boil the potato in a saucepan with salted water until tender, then drain. You need 80 g cooked potato (around 1/3 cup once mashed).

Tip: You could actually boil the cashews and potato together! The exact time the potato takes to cook will vary depending on the size you chopped the pieces. Be careful not to overboil the potato, though, or it can become watery.

Next, transfer all ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

Pour the mixture into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Then immediately reduce the heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes, until thick and ‘stretchy,’ stirring constantly. Then remove it from the heat.

It’s best to use the vegan mozzarella cheese immediately for the best flavor and texture (i.e., on pizza, in a grilled cheese, over toast, etc.). However, you also store any leftovers for later.

Gluten-Free Mozzarella Sticks

The best crispy, cheesy, and gooey gluten-free mozzarella sticks are easy to make in your air fryer or oven. They’re made with cheese sticks, gluten-free breadcrumbs, and can be air-fried from frozen.

5 from 7 votes