Food Recipes Cornmeal-Crusted Mozzarella Sticks 1.5 (2) Add your rating & review A gluten-free diet doesn't have to be deprived of mozzarella sticks—we made sure of it. We accomplished this feat by coating string cheese (yes, the classic childhood favorite) in a mixture of cornmeal (instead of breadcrumbs), grated Parmesan, freshly-ground black pepper, and dried oregano. Then, after being fried in hot oil, we hit them with salt, more Parmesan, and oregano. Serve warm with a bowl of marinara sauce for dipping. Everyone—gluten-free or not—will love these. In fact, we think you'll prefer them to the traditional sticks. By Julia Levy Julia Levy Julia Levy has been testing and developing recipes for over eight years. She has worked in the culinary arts since 2009 as a humble line cook and intern. In her 12-plus years in the food industry, she has held various positions such as prep cook, food runner, and test kitchen assistant. She began her recipe-developing career at Oxmoor House and currently creates recipes for Real Simple, among many others. Highlights: * Received her Bachelor's of Science in Culinary Nutrition from Johnson & Wales University * Received an Associate of Occupational Studies, Culinary Arts from The Culinary Institute of America * Published at Southern Living, HuffPost, New York Daily News, Health, Cooking Light, and more Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 18, 2018 Rate PRINT Share Close Caption goes here. Get the recipe:Cornmeal-Crusted Mozzarella Sticks. Photo: Greg DuPree Hands On Time: 30 mins Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 2 sticks) Ingredients ½ cup cornstarch 3 large eggs 3 tablespoons whole milk ¾ cup finely ground yellow cornmeal ½ cup pre-grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving 1 teaspoon dried oregano, plus more for serving ¼ teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper 2 (12-oz.) packages mozzarella string cheese (24 sticks total) Canola oil ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup jarred marinara sauce, warmed Directions Place cornstarch in a large Ziploc bag. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk together eggs and milk in a shallow dish or bowl. Combine cornmeal, pepper, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and 1 teaspoon oregano in a separate shallow dish or bowl. Place cheese sticks in cornstarch, 5 at a time, shaking to coat. Remove from bag; tap off excess cornstarch. Dip cheese sticks in egg mixture, then dredge in cornmeal mixture, pressing to adhere. Place coated cheese sticks in a single layer on prepared baking sheet and freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Pour oil to a depth of 2 inches into a Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot; heat over high to 375°F to 400°F. Fry cheese sticks, in batches, in hot oil until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Season with salt and a pinch each of Parmesan and oregano. Serve immediately with marinara sauce. Rate It Print