Hot Mozzarella Sticks (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Base Ingredients

01 - Mozzarella (1 pound, sliced into big rectangular pieces, around 3x2 inches)
02 - An egg (1 large)
03 - A splash of water (1 tablespoon)
04 - Enough vegetable oil for frying (a couple cups should do)

→ Crunchy Breading Mix

05 - 2 cups of breadcrumbs
06 - 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
07 - 1 teaspoon of onion powder
08 - 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
09 - Give or take, 1 teaspoon of black pepper
10 - Half a teaspoon of salt

→ Nashville Heat Sauce

11 - Half a cup of melted, unsalted butter
12 - 1 tablespoon of cayenne
13 - A sweet touch of brown sugar (1 tablespoon)
14 - 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
15 - Minced garlic or powdered garlic (1 teaspoon)
16 - Salt, about 1 teaspoon
17 - 1 teaspoon of black pepper
18 - 1 teaspoon of honey, if you want it sweeter (optional)

→ Homemade Ranch

19 - Half a cup of mayonnaise
20 - Sour cream, half a cup of it
21 - Half a cup of buttermilk
22 - 2 teaspoons of fresh chives or swap with dried chives
23 - Juice of 1 teaspoon lemon (add more if you prefer)
24 - Fresh parsley or dried, 1 teaspoon
25 - 1 teaspoon of onion powder
26 - Garlic powder, ½ teaspoon
27 - 1 teaspoon of salt
28 - Half a teaspoon of pepper
29 - A pinch of sugar, ½ teaspoon

# Instructions:

01 - Put everything listed under Nashville Heat Sauce into a little pot over low heat. Keep stirring as the butter melts down. Let it simmer just a few moments so everything blends nicely, then remove it from the heat and set aside.
02 - Toss all the ingredients for the ranch dressing into a mixing bowl. Stir it up until super smooth. Let it sit in the fridge while you handle the mozzarella sticks.
03 - Dump breadcrumbs into a bowl and mix in all the seasonings from the breading mix. Stir well so everything combines evenly.
04 - Crack the egg into a bowl with water and whisk them together to create your egg wash. Set up an assembly line: cheese slices, egg wash, and your bowl of seasoned crumbs.
05 - Dredge each mozzarella piece first in the egg wash, then in the breading mix. Repeat this process by dipping back into the egg and breadcrumbs again, making a strong crunchy coat.
06 - Arrange your breaded cheese sticks onto a tray lined with parchment paper. Pop them into the freezer for at least thirty minutes. This keeps the cheese from oozing when frying.
07 - Heat about 2 inches of oil to 350°F. Take the frozen sticks and fry them until golden brown, roughly 2-3 minutes. Move them to a rack to cool a bit.
08 - While they're still hot and fresh, coat each fried stick generously with your Nashville heat sauce. Serve them right away alongside your chilled ranch dip.

# Notes:

01 - These mozzarella sticks crank up the flavor with a hot twist from Nashville sauce and homemade ranch on the side.
02 - Doubling up on the breading ensures an amazing crunch and holds up to the heat too.
03 - Freezing before frying is totally necessary—don’t skip this step or the cheese might get messy!
04 - Make your ranch ahead so it can get all those flavors balanced.

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