These baked mozzarella sticks are one of my new favorite snacks. Who doesn’t love something that is crunchy on the outside and full of melty cheese on the inside? The crispy panko breading with a blend of spices brings ordinary cheese tons of flavor!
I love serving these with a basic low-sugar marinara sauce, but you can also use this homemade healthy ranch dressing as a great dip for these or my baked broccoli tots.
Baked Mozzarella Sticks
Healthy and mozzarella sticks don’t seem to belong together, but with this recipe, it works. Instead of coating cheese in a thick breading and deep fat frying, I revamped these to be a healthier option. With a few tweaks, it was easy to make this recipe one that can be considered a healthy choice.
Cheese isn’t a bad choice in a healthy diet. It contains tons of calcium and protein and can be a perfect filling option. However, when fried or eaten in large quantities, it just isn’t a healthy choice. Now that you can make them healthier, there is no reason to fear to eat these baked mozzarella sticks!
You may also like our healthy baked onion rings as a good appetizer or snack!
What you will need to make Healthy Mozzarella Bites ?
- light string cheese sticks
- egg
- panko bread crumbs
- Italian seasoning
- marinara dipping sauce
How you make Healthy Mozzarella Bites?
Begin by slicing the cheese sticks into smaller pieces. Each one can easily make 3 bites.
Next, you will prepare your breading using the bread crumbs and seasoning blend. I like adding Italian seasoning, but you can add in garlic powder, onion powder, or even your own mix of Italian seasonings like oregano, thyme, or basil.
After you have things ready, you will dip each bite into the egg before rolling in the breading to create the perfect coating for baked mozzarella sticks
I like adding these to a silicone baking mat for cooking so they can brown without burning.
Healthy Mozzarella Bites
Ingredients
- 8 light string cheese sticks
- 1 egg beaten
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ cup marinara dipping sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat it with nonstick cooking spray, or a silicone baking mat.
- Open and slice each string cheese into equal 3 pieces.
- Whisk the egg in a small mixing bowl (whisk it very well, until frothy) and stir the panko and Italian seasoning together in a second small mixing bowl.
- Working in batches, dip the cheese stick pieces in the egg, then allow the excess to drip off and transfer to the Panko mixture. Toss lightly to coat and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
- Spray the tops of the cheese bites with cooking spray.
- Bake for 3-5 minutes, or until slightly melted and golden.
- Serve immediately with optional marinara dipping sauce as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.