Mozzarella sticks are a quick and easy snack that you can pull out of the freezer and make at a moment's notice if you have company. The best way to cook frozen mozzarella sticks is in the oven, but if you're short on time, you can microwave them instead.
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Can You Microwave Mozzarella Sticks?
When cooking breaded cheese sticks, the goal is to get the cheese to melt, while still keeping the outer crust nice and crispy. In fact, a November 2017 study published in the Journal of Food Science and Technology notes that meltability and stretchability are key properties of mozzarella cheese that make it a good choice of cheese for breaded cheese sticks.
The best way to cook frozen mozzarella sticks is in the oven because you get the perfect combination of melted cheese and crispy crust. Microwaving them may not be the best way to cook frozen mozzarella sticks because they could get soggy instead. However, if you're pressed for time or don't have an oven, you can make do with the microwave.
Brands like Snapps, Farm Rich and TGI Fridays mozzarella sticks have cooking instructions that explain how you should cook them and whether you can put them in the microwave at all. For instance, TGI Fridays mozzarella sticks cooking instructions state that they should only be cooked in the oven, so avoid putting them in the microwave.
Some brands of mozzarella sticks can be microwaved, and the cooking instructions list the directions you need to follow. The settings might need to be adjusted, depending on the make and model of your microwave.
How to Microwave Mozzarella Sticks
Follow these steps to microwave mozzarella sticks:
Place them on a microwave-safe plate: Take the mozzarella sticks out of the freezer and open the packaging. Place the sticks on a microwave-safe plate. Try to spread them out so that they're not touching and have enough space to cook. Don't cover them; you don't want the sticks to steam in their own moisture and get soggy.
Heat them in the microwave: Put the mozzarella sticks in the microwave and cook them on high power for 30 seconds. Turn them over and cook them for another 30 seconds. Keep repeating this cycle until the mozzarella sticks are cooked.
Check whether they're done: The crust may not get very crispy but the cheese should melt completely. When you think they're done, cut open one of the sticks to check. The cheese in the middle of the stick should have melted. Be careful though; it may be dangerously hot.
Serve hot: Serve the sticks hot with marinara sauce. Brands like TGI Fridays mozzarella sticks cooking instructions also include instructions on how to thaw the sauce. The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy suggests serving mozzarella sticks with jalapeno jelly, plum sauce or honey mustard sauce. Or try our recipe for tangy Sriracha Skyr "Ranch" Dressing
Mozzarella sticks are fine for the occasional treat, but they're probably not the best idea for your everyday snack. Given that they're fried and contain cheese, they're very calorie-dense; according to the USDA, a single stick has 143 calories and the calories add up pretty quickly if you eat more than one. Each stick also has 11.1 grams of carbs, 8.06 grams of fat and 6.49 grams of protein.
Read more: Can Eating Cheese Cause Weight Gain?