Meatloaf Mozzarella Sticks
A stick of mozzarella wrapped in a thin layer of meatloaf, coated in breadcrumbs, and deep fried. Also known as a meatzzarella stick! The crispy golden delicious breadcrumbs give way to a tender and flavorful meatloaf, and a molten mozzarella center! The thin meatloaf is the perfect vessel for this flavorful cheese stick!
The inspiration for this recipe
Sometimes ideas just come to me from thin air. I was brainstorming about Korean style corn dogs and how to have both cheese and hot dog in the middle, instead of one or the other how they normally are, or half and half the long way. Somehow it turned into this meatloaf mozzarella stick! Once I thought of it, I knew I had to try it immediately.
Make the meatloaf mixture first
Ground beef, egg, Worcestershire, garlic, onion, breadcrumbs, hot sauce, and lots of seasonings.
Mix it up really well! I always try and do this with a fork and spoon but end up needing to use my hands to really get in there. Put this into the fridge to firm up a little before the next step.
Form the meatloaf mozzarella sticks
It’s like breading a normal mozzarella stick, but instead of egg, it’s meat. Well the meat does have egg in it, so really if you think about it, it’s the same. Dust the cheese with flour first, then the meat, then the breadcrumbs. Really press the meat tight onto the cheese, and similarly press the breadcrumbs into the meat.
Fry the meatloaf mozzarella sticks
You can see in the picture on the right, the ones in the back are a little too brown. I thought they would be better at a higher temp, but realized they need a slightly lower and slower approach. I fried them at 325 for about 3-5 minutes. Start them slightly hotter to account for a temperature drop. Take them out when you can see that the cheese is about to explode from the stick. You can see it in the front meatloaf mozzarella stick in the picture on the right.
Serve the meatloaf mozzarella sticks
The sauce was a cross between tomato sauce and meatloaf glaze. I used a jarred tomato sauce and added ketchup, Worcestershire, honey, vinegar, and hot sauce.
These were so fun and SO tasty! These with a football game on? Come on! The sauce complimented them perfectly too! The perfect cross between what you would have with meatloaf and what you would have with mozzarella sticks.
Twists and tips for this recipe
I always suggest people to use their own recipes in conjunction with mine. The premise of my recipes is for them to taste like a new twist on your nostalgia. So use the meatloaf you are familiar with, and you will get better results. The only thing I would mention is that I used double the egg to meat ratio I would have in a normal meatloaf, and added some extra breadcrumbs to balance it. This ensured the meatloaf mixture would be a good crust for the mozzarella sticks.
If you don’t have your own, this one looks pretty good. Growing up my family used to have one similar to this, it was basically meatballs, but in a loaf format.
For more fun twists on meatloaf, check out my tater tot meatloaf, meatloaf burrito, or lasagna meatloaf!
Meatloaf Mozzarella Sticks
Equipment
Ingredients
Meatloaf
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 medium onion minced
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Dipping sauce
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce store bought jar, or homemade
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
The rest
- 8 sticks string cheese
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Make the meatloaf- Mix all the meatloaf ingredients in a bowl. Mix really well to combine. Allow to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes before forming the sticks.
- Make the sauce – While the meatloaf rests in the fridge, mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust the ingredients to suit your personal tastes. Store in the fridge.
- Add the flour to a bowl and the breadcrumbs to another. Place the meat onto a sheet of parchment paper.
- Coat the mozzarella in the flour and shake the excess off. It will be a pretty light coating.
- Grab a little of the meat and spread it very flat on the parchment paper. Place the cheese stick onto the flat bit of meat, and roll the meat around the cheese. Seal the ends, and cut off any excess meat, It should be a thin and equal coating around the cheese. Pick it up and use your hands to apply even pressure making sure the meat is firmly and tightly secured to the cheese.
- Add the stick to the bowl of breadcrumbs and roll it around to fully coat. Press the breadcrumbs into the meat so they are secured. Place onto a plate or sheetpan, and repeat with all the sticks.
- Store in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm.
- Pour the oil into the fryer or a pot on the stove with a thermometer. Preheat to 325. (depending on your fryer situation, you may want to start with a slightly higher temp anticipating the temperature drop when the food is added)
- In batches of 2 – 4 depending on your frying situation, fry the sticks for about 3-5 minutes until golden and cooked through. The way I knew they were finished was to check them often and pull them out when you see a seam of cheese threatening to explode from the stick.
- Add the cooked sticks to a wire rack and sprinkle with some salt immediately. Repeat with the remaining sticks.
- Warm up the sauce in the microwave or in a small pan. Serve the sticks with the sauce.