Homemade Vegan Mozzarella Sticks (Air-Fried or Deep Fried)

these homemade vegan mozzarella sticks are the perfect snack or appetizer! made with a homemade vegan cashew mozzarella and breaded, they can either be air-fried or deep fried.

the inspiration

To be honest there’s no inspiration here other than I just used to love a mozzarella stick. When I first went vegan I truly thought I would never eat them again… which is a bit dramatic. However, once I found some vegan mozzarella I liked I realized that no longer needed to be my fate.

In this vegan mozzarella stick recipe we are actually going to use my homemade vegan cashew mozzarella! But you can always buy store-bought mozzarella too.

I originally was just going to share this recipe being air-fried. However, as good as they are air fried I decided we also needed to deep fry them too. So, there are options for everyone.

the ingredients

• Vegan Mozzarella: of course for vegan mozzarella sticks, we need vegan mozzarella. For this recipe I am using my homemade vegan cashew mozzarella recipe. Although if you don’t feel like making homemade vegan mozzarella you can use one from the store like the block of Follow Your Heart of Miyoko’s.
• Breadcrumbs: we will need a breading for the outside of the vegan mozzarella sticks. I actually like to take panko breadcrumbs and blend them up so they are broken down a bit more but still crunchy. You can of course also use gluten-free breadcrumbs if you are gluten free.
• Seasonings: I like to season the breadcrumbs with salt, paprika, dried parsley, and garlic powder. It adds nice flavor to the vegan mozzarella sticks.
• Non-Dairy Milk: we will use a non-dairy milk to help coat the vegan mozzarella in a liquid before dipping it in the breadcrumbs.
• Spray Oil/Vegetable Oil: if you are going to air fry you want to use a spray oil to coat the vegan mozzarella sticks prior to air frying them. This helps to get them more golden and crispy. If you are going to deep fry then you will need vegetable oil or you can use peanut, canola, or safflower oil.

the vegan mozzarella

Prior to making this recipe you need to decide whether you want to make homemade vegan mozzarella or buy vegan mozzarella. Either way it will be delicious. However, if you go the route of making homemade vegan mozzarella I encourage you to do it a day prior.

To make homemade vegan mozzarella is very simple and the recipe I made has a base of raw cashews. It also uses things like agar powder and tapioca starch to help with the texture.

It is very easy to make so don’t be intimidated. However, if you would rather use one from the store that is fine too!

seasoned breadcrumbs

We will need to make some seasoned breadcrumbs for our vegan mozzarella sticks. Unfortunately, there really aren’t premade seasoned breadcrumbs in the store that are vegan (most contain dairy). But that is okay they are so easy to make!

I typically buy panko breadcrumbs as they are usually vegan. However, because they are a bit bigger I blend them up to make them smaller. Then it makes them perfect for breading and coating.

To season the breadcrumbs you can use anything you like. I keep it pretty simple with dried parsley, salt, garlic powder, and paprika. The paprika adds a nice golden brown color. Garlic powder and salt of course add flavor. The dried parsley adds a bit of green color and is typically used in breadcrumbs.

breading the vegan mozzarella sticks

Once the seasoned breadcrumbs are made it is time to bread! You need some non-dairy milk for this. I like to use Ripple but it ultimately doesn’t matter. Just use something unflavored and unsweetened. I would advise against coconut milk so it doesn’t add in any flavor.

You will cut your vegan mozzarella block into 10 vegan cheese sticks. Then you will have one bowl with the non-dairy milk and one bow with the breadcrumbs. You will first dip the cheese stick into non-dairy milk, coat it generously, then into the breadcrumbs.

I like to do a double breading so repeat the process one more time before placing the breaded vegan mozzarella stick on a lined pan or plate. We are going to place the vegan mozzarella sticks in the freezer so decide on whatever will fit better inside your freezer.

Then, we will repeat the process until all the vegan mozzarella sticks have been breaded. You can either line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

freezing time

It is very important to freeze the vegan mozzarella sticks for a decent amount of time. If you do not freeze them the vegan cheese will melt out of the breading, causing a mess.

After you bread the vegan mozzarella, you will freeze them for at least 6 hours. You can also freeze them overnight or until you are ready to cook them. This really allows everything to freeze and so whether you air-fry or deep fry you shouldn’t have any issues.

is it better to air-fry or deep fry?

I personally don’t find one to be better than the other. They both come out delicious. I think it truly comes down to preference. Realistically, as delicious as the deep fried ones are it it a bit messier and of course deep frying is less healthy.

The air-fryer vegan mozzarella sticks come out crispy and delicious but they don’t quite get that same golden color as the fried ones. However, they are lighter on your stomach.

So, ultimately it will depend on what kind of end result you want.

best results for air frying

When it comes to air frying there are a few things you can do to ensure they come out great! First, everyone’s air fryer runs differently. So, don’t worry if you need to adjust the cooking time.

It is important to space them out evenly in the air fryer so they have room to cook. I also like to spray them very generously with spray oil. This helps to get them crispy still. If you would like to make them with the spray oil you can.

After they are done, give them 2 to 3 minutes to cool in the air fryer basket. This helps because the vegan cheese will be very melty and the breadcrumbs a bit softer than if we deep fried. So, they can get a little soft and may break apart. Which ultimately, isn’t the biggest deal but not the best for serving.

Finally, if you need to air fry in batches be sure to keep the ones you aren’t cooking in the freezer.

how to deep fry

Before I learned how to deep fry I was so intimidated by it. The hot oil, a paper towel lined sheet, transferring things out of the oil. There was so much going on it made me nervous. BUT it is actually not that overwhelming.

So, first things first I will always start with a smaller pot. I know that goes against what other people might advise. However, as I am usually only frying a few things at a time so I don’t like to have a giant pot of oil for no reason.

Next, be patient with letting the oil come to heat. If you add things into the oil when its too cold it won’t cook properly. You want the oil to be bubbling. I like to test with a piece of bread before. If the oil bubbles rapidly we are good to go!

So, grab a slotted spoon or spider and drop in 1 to 2 vegan mozzarella sticks at time. Rotate them after a few minutes and cook until they are golden brown. Transfer them to a paper towel lined dish and continue deep frying until done.

more veganized fast food

why you’ll love this recipe

These homemade vegan mozzarella sticks are the ultimate snack. They taste so delicious and are best when paired with some marinara sauce. If you grew up eating mozzarella sticks you will love these.

The air fried ones are lighter than the deep fried ones but either way there is something for everyone here!

vegan mozzarella sticks faq

• Is this recipe soy free? Yes.
• Is this recipe gluten free? It can be as long as you use gluten free breadcrumbs?
• Is this recipe nut free? My homemade vegan mozzarella does use cashews. You can always use a store bought vegan mozzarella that doesn’t contain nuts.
• How long do these last in the fridge? Up to 3 days in the fridge. It is best to reheat them in either the oven or air-fryer to maintain crispiness. However, you can also microwave them.
• Can I freeze them? Yes. You can either freeze them after breading and then keep them stored in a container. When you are ready to eat them you can then prepare them how you like. You can also freeze them after cooking and then reheat in the oven or air-fryer again.
• Can I bake them? I didn’t try but it should be fine! You can follow the instructions for the air fryer.

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