Few appetizers capture pure indulgence quite like TGI Friday’s Fried Mozzarella Sticks. These golden, crispy treasures have been a beloved menu staple since the restaurant’s heyday in the 1980s when comfort food ruled supreme and calories were an afterthought.
The secret to their perfection lies in the double-breading technique that creates an impenetrable seal around the gooey mozzarella, preventing cheese leakage while achieving that signature golden-brown crunch.
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Why This Recipe Works
The double-coating method is crucial for preventing cheese blowouts during frying. The flour and cornstarch mixture creates excellent adhesion, while the milk provides moisture for the second breadcrumb layer to stick correctly. Frying at exactly 350°F ensures the coating crisps quickly before the cheese melts and escapes completely.
Choosing the Right Mozzarella
Skip the fancy fresh mozzarella or buffalo mozzarella for this recipe. Those premium cheeses have too much moisture and will create a soggy mess when fried. Instead, choose a standard block of whole-milk mozzarella (used for pizza). Full-fat cheese is essential, as reduced-fat versions have different melting points and can develop strange textures when heated.
Ingredients
Cheese Preparation
- Block mozzarella cheese – Provides the perfect melting consistency without excess moisture
- All-purpose flour – Creates base coating that helps subsequent layers adhere
- Cornstarch – Adds extra crispiness and helps flour mixture stick better
Breading Station
- Italian seasoned breadcrumbs – Provides flavor and creates golden, crunchy exterior
- Whole milk – Acts as binding agent between flour and breadcrumb layers
- Vegetable oil for frying – Maintains consistent temperature for even cooking
Chef’s Notes
Temperature control is critical for success. Oil that’s too cool will result in greasy, soggy sticks, while oil that’s too hot will burn the coating before the cheese warms through. The double-breading technique isn’t optional; it prevents the dreaded cheese blowout that ruins the experience.
How to Make TGI Friday’s Mozzarella Sticks
- Cut cheese into 3/8-inch thick slices.
- Blend together the flour and cornstarch in a bowl.
- Place cheese slices into the flour, then dip into milk, and then dip into the breadcrumbs.
- Shake off excess breadcrumbs and place mozzarella sticks on a wire rack.
- Repeat until all cheese sticks have been dipped once.
- Dip cheese sticks back into milk then into bread crumbs for a second time. Shake off the bread crumbs.
- Heat vegetable oil to 350 degrees.
- Drop a few cheese sticks into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Remove cheese sticks from oil and place them on a wire rack.
- Serve fried mozzarella cheese sticks with your favorite marinara sauce.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Freezing: Freeze breaded uncooked sticks in a single layer for up to 3 months. Fry directly from frozen, adding 30 seconds to the cooking time.
- Refrigerator Storage: Leftover mozzarella sticks can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days, though they’re best served immediately.
- Reheating Method: Reheat in 375°F oven for 5-7 minutes until crispy. Please avoid using the microwave as it makes the coating soggy and the cheese rubbery.
TGI Friday’s Mozzarella Sticks Recipe – Crispy Cheese Sticks
Ingredients
- 1 pound mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 cup milk
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Cut cheese into long slices approximately 3/8 inch thick.
- Blend together the flour and cornstarch in a bowl.
- Place a cheese slice into the flour, then dip into a bowl of whole milk, and then dip into the breadcrumbs.
- Shake off excess breadcrumbs and place mozzarella stick on a wire rack.
- Repeat until all cheese sticks have been dipped once. Discard the flour.
- Place cheese sticks back into milk, then into bread crumbs for the second time, and shake off the bread crumbs.
- Heat vegetable oil to 350 for frying.
- Drop a few cheese sticks into hot oil and fry until golden brown. This should take no longer than 1 minute.
- Remove cheese sticks from the oil and place them on a wire rack.
- Repeat frying in batches with remaining breaded cheese sticks.
- Serve with your favorite marinara sauce.
Video
Notes
Pro Tips for Perfect Results
Freezing Trick: If cheese leaks despite double coating, freeze the breaded sticks for 15-20 minutes before frying. This firms up the cheese and gives the coating extra time to set. Oil Selection: Peanut oil is ideal for its high smoke point and neutral flavor, but canola, vegetable, or sunflower oil works well, too. Batch Size: Never crowd the fryer. Cook only 2-3 sticks to maintain proper oil temperature. Testing Doneness: When tapped gently, the coating should be deep golden brown and sound hollow.Nutrition
Love TGI Friday’s? Try these copycat recipes!
- B52 Shot
- Nine Layer Dip
- Pretzel Beer Cheese Dip
- Sex on the Beach
- TGIF Potato Skins
- TGIF Jack Daniels Sauce
Favorite Cheese Appetizer Recipes
- Cheese Curds
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- Cheese Fries Recipe
- Liptauer Cheese
- Sausage Cream Cheese Rotel Dip
- White Cheese Dip
Check out more of my easy appetizer recipes and the best copycat recipes for casual dining restaurants here on CopyKat!
Hi,
Can I bake them?
If yes, amount of time and temp of oven please
I would not try to bake these, if you have an air fryer, I think that would be better. If I was going to make these in an air fryer, I would first spray them with non-stick spray, then cook them at 400 degrees, for 5 to 8 minutes. I don’t know how to get around the fact most ovens aren’t convection heat to cook more quickly, this way the cheese would not melt.
You really need to freeze the sticks for a minimum 1 hr before frying
I tried these out and they came out wonderfully. The only thing is that I added some egg to make some sort of egg/milk mixture. Thanks!!
I’m gona try this recipe but instead of deep frying I will try the air-fryer. Hopefully it works
I’m glad this is a recipe for the original Friday’s cheese sticks. Please don’t change it. Friday’s uses a different recipe now and it’s awful. They’ve added Asiago cheese. It’s been that way for over a year, maybe longer. I don’t know anyone who likes the new ones judging from web comments. So thanks for leaving this original recipe here please!
Can I leave the fried cheese stick to a party and leave it for long time and consume? Will it taste still good even is cold?
They will be ok, not the best way to do it, but perhaps you can heat them a little just before serving.
Ours were a disaster! Didn’t taste anything like the TGI ones and we followed your recipe 🙁 they were v disappointing and just bluergh!
I just made some and was upset as well they melted in the oil and look a Mess .
I am sorry you had a hard time with this recipe. These don’t take very long to fry. It is very important to make sure the coating dries for a moment or two before placing these into the oil.
Can you make a video for Fridays sizzling chicken and shrimp…?
Why do you use milk instead of eggs to add the bread to the mozzarellas? Is any difference between using one or the another?
They do result in a different texture in the batter. I felt milk was the better choice here, I believe it results in a coating that doesn’t “fluff” up as much as what I think egg can.
I can’t find this ANYWHERE…Salmon Oscar recipe from Saltgrass Steakhouse. PLEASE tell me you can find it?! 🙁 -Deprived of my favorite and broke. LOL
Thank you for your request. I do not have this recipe at this time. I appreciate your suggestion.
Serves 1???
Yes, 1 very hungry person, or 4 not so hungry people.
Don’t you refrigerate the coated cheese sticks to keep them from melting too fast?
I did not, I think with the double coating it works out well. I did not chill for the video, and you can see when I made jalapeno poppers live, and in the video similar batter technique got me very similar results.
I think they are fine since they are double coated. I used the same technique for my jalapeno poppers.