Spicy Dairy-Free Mozzarella Sticks

Today we are spicing things up with these spicy dairy-free mozzarella sticks. They’re easy to make, are perfect for parties, and nobody will believe they’re vegan! 

If you are a fan of spicy food, this recipe is for you. Today, we take our original mozzarella stick recipe and bring it to the next level by incorporating spicy elements. 

Here’s What You Need to Make These Spicy Mozzarella Sticks

• Flour: We prefer to use all-purpose flour to coat our cheese sticks. If you want to make these gluten-free, you can substitute flour for cornstarch. 
• Liquid Egg Substitute: We like to use Just Egg as part of our breading process for these mozzarella sticks. If you don’t want to use Just Egg or don’t have it in your area, you can also use unsweetened plant milk mixed with a tablespoon of flour.
• Sriracha: We will be mixing this into our egg mixture add some additional spice and flavor. We like both the Yellowbird and Fix Sriracha.
• Bread Crumbs: It can sometimes be challenging to find breadcrumbs free from eggs and dairy, but a few brands exist. The organic brand at Albertsons / Safeway stores is vegan-friendly, and so is the Good & Gather brand from Target. You can also use whole wheat, panko, or gluten-free bread crumbs in this recipe. 
• Spices: The spice combination for this recipe includes garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. 
• Dairy-Free Cheese: Since these cheese sticks are spicy, I like to use the Jalapeño Havarti-style block from Daiya. You can also use any dairy-free mozzarella cheese of your choice, cut into strips. If you end up using pre-cut mozzarella cheese sticks, aka “string cheese” from Daiya or Miyokos, I recommend cutting them in half before dipping them into the flour. Otherwise, they may not stay together after being fried.
• Oil: This is for frying. We prefer using a neutral high-heat oil to fry our mozzarella sticks. We recommend avocado, canola, vegetable, or sunflower oil. 

Equipment

• 3 bowls: To set up the breading station
• Forks: To help dip in the wet and dry mixtures
• 1 Plate: To place the finished sticks on
• Paper towels: To line the plate for the finished sticks, which will help drain the excess oil. 
• Large pot: For frying, we use a large cast iron pan. 
• Tongs or slotted spoon: To remove the sticks from the hot oil. 

Serving Your Mozzarella Sticks

We like to serve our mozzarella sticks with marinara sauce. If you want to stick to the spicy theme, you can use an arrabbiata sauce a zesty marinara sauce. If not, use a classic marinara. We always recommend using Rao’s sauce. Other dipping options include buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, or just serving them as is. A garnish of fresh parsley or basil will also help bring the flavor and presentation to the next level. 

Cooking Options

• Deep Frying: This is the traditional way of cooking mozzarella sticks and is what we recommend. Reaching the ideal temperature for the oil on the stovetop can be challenging to achieve, but keeping the oil over medium heat is recommended. If you have a thermometer, we aim for 350 degrees F. Before dropping your first stick in the oil, drop a bread crumb in first to see if the oil is hot and ready.
• Air Frying: An option with less oil is air frying. The mozzarella sticks will still be delicious but may not get as crispy and golden as the deep-fried version. If you decide to air fry your sticks, pop them in the freezer for 30-60 minutes to help them firm up. The full air-frying instructions can be found in the notes of the recipe card. 
• Baking: This option is recommended the least, but it will still work! The oven instructions can be found on the recipe card below. 

Looking For More Snack Recipes? 

• Easy 7-Layer Dip
• Vegan Ranch Kale Chips
• Vegan Big Mac Fries (aka McDonald’s Animal Style Fries)
• Baked Mushroom & Potato Taquitos
• 4-Ingredient Pesto Pinwheels
• Vegan French Onion Dip

Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you recreate any of our recipes, we love to see your photos!

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