These Keto Cheese Sticks are super easy to make. They're the perfect crispy and melty snack or keto appetizer you've been looking for!
We've been trying out recipes for keto mozzarella sticks for quite some time and never nailed the recipe until now. These are gluten-free, low-carb, and perfectly crispy on the outside, and melty in the middle. Just look at that cheese pull! 🤤
The key to the perfect fried cheese sticks turns out to be a double breading + freezing before frying. This ensures that the mozzarella sticks don't burst in the hot oil and that the breading stays put as well. Follow the instructions and these will be the best cheese sticks you've ever had, promise.
We love these as an easy snack or game-day appetizer but they're also great as a straight-up side dish. We love making a huge chopped Italian salad and adding diced mozzarella sticks as "croutons", pretty much perfection if you ask us. Who wouldn't love crispy melty cheese in a salad?!
Read on for the details on how to make this recipe with a bit more commentary than the recipe card at the bottom of the page. Have a question? Leave it in the comment section below and we'll try to be as helpful as possible!
Ingredients in Keto Cheese Sticks
- mozzarella sticks
- egg
- heavy cream
- coconut flour
- pork rind crumbs (the key to EXTRA crispy cheese sticks!)
- almond flour
- spices
- oil (we used avocado oil due to its ability to withstand high heat)
- fresh herbs (parsley + basil) for garnish, optional
- dipping sauces: ranch or marinara are both good options, see more below.
How to make this keto friendly recipe
Prep + Freeze
- Cut string cheese in half crosswise. Prepare 3 small bowls: one with whisked eggs and cream, one with coconut flour, and one with the remaining ingredients of pork rinds, almond flour, and seasonings. (You must double bread the cheese sticks, or else the cheese sticks will burst in the hot oil.)
- Dunk cheese in egg wash, then in coconut flour. Dunk back in egg wash, then pork rind crumb mixture. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for at least 2 hours. If you have time, freeze them overnight.
Cooking time!
- When it’s time to fry, heat avocado oil in a 10” or larger cast iron skillet (or large frying pan). You will need enough oil so that it’s about 2 inches deep in the skillet. You want the oil to reach 375°F before frying the cheese sticks.
- Once the oil has reached the proper temperature, add the cheese sticks in small batches to avoid dropping the temperature of the oil too quickly. You will want to maintain an oil temperature of between 350°F - 375°F the entire time the cheese sticks are frying. These fry quickly, about 3 minutes in total to get all sides crispy and golden brown. You want to work fast to avoid heating the cheese inside for too long, or else the cheese inside may begin to leak out and burst.
- Once fried, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off extra grease. Make sure to allow the oil temperature to return to 375°F before continuing with the next batch. Garnish with basil or parsley (optional) and serve with marinara, ranch or your favorite dipping sauce.
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container. To reheat, microwave at 50% power in 10-15 second increments.
Common Questions:
Can these easy keto mozzarella cheese sticks be baked or just deep fried?
We haven't tried it. If we did we would follow the prep + freeze instructions, pre-heat the oven to 425° F, place the sticks on a baking sheet, spray with cooking oil, and bake until golden. We can't say if that will work as again, we haven't tried it. If you give it a go, let us know how it worked out in the comments!
Can these be air-fried?
Maybe? Again, we haven't tested it. If you do, we would start by placing the frozen mozzarella sticks into the air fryer basket, spraying with cooking oil, and cooking for 6-8 minutes at 390° F.
What is the nutritional information?
As always, you can find the full nutrition info breakdown including the carb count (total carbs and net carbs) at the bottom of the recipe card (listed per serving). You can find the serving size/yield at the top of the recipe card. You should always double-check your ingredients since different ingredients may have different values.
To get a specific serving size you’ll want to weigh the final dish then divide it by the number of servings. We can’t provide this information as your cooking style will vary from ours as well as the brand ingredients you choose to use.
What to serve with low carb mozzarella sticks
The obvious sauce choices are ranch, marinara, buffalo, or BBQ. Or even buffalo mixed with BBQ, our personal favorite! We also love a shaving of fresh parmesan cheese over the top too.
In terms of what other meal components to serve these with, you could go the Italian route and do a big chopped salad with these on the side. Or even the appetizer to a pasta-themed meal. Check out our Keto Chicken Parm, Keto Italian Meatballs, or our Keto Stuffed Peppers.
Click HERE for other Keto recipes for snacks and appetizers you should check out
Keto Cheese Sticks
Ingredients
- 6 mozzarella sticks cut in half crosswise
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- ⅓ cup pork rind crumbs
- ⅓ cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- Avocado oil for frying about ½ cup
- Parsley and basil for garnish optional
- Marinara sauce or ranch for dipping optional
Instructions
- Cut string cheese in half crosswise. Prepare 3 bowls: one with whisked eggs and cream, one with coconut flour, and one with the remaining ingredients of pork rinds, almond flour and seasonings. (You must double bread the cheese sticks, or else the cheese sticks will burst in the hot oil.)
- Dunk cheese in egg wash, then in coconut flour. Dunk back in egg wash, then pork rind crumb mixture. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for at least 2 hours. If you have time, freeze them overnight.
- When it’s time to fry, heat avocado oil in a 10” or larger cast iron skillet.You will need enough oil so that it’s about 2 inches deep in the skillet. You want the oil to reach 375°F before frying the cheese sticks.
- Once the oil has reached the proper temperature, add the cheese sticks in small batches to avoid dropping the temperature of the oil too quickly. You will want to maintain an oil temperature of between 350°F - 375°F the entire time the cheese sticks are frying. These fry quickly, about 3 minutes in total to get all sides crispy and golden brown. You want to work fast to avoid heating the cheese inside for too long, or else the cheese inside may begin to leak out and burst.
- Once fried, transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain off extra grease. Make sure to allow the oil temperature to return to 375°F before continuing with the next batch. Garnish with basil or parsley (optional) and serve with marinara, ranch or your favorite dipping sauce.
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container. To reheat, microwave at 50% power in 10-15 second increments.
Kristin says
Hi! I hate to be "that person," but I am not a fan of coconut flour. Before I make these, any thoughts about whether they'd work with almond flour? And, if you haven't tried with almond flour, do you get any hint of coconut with these when made as-is?
Thanks so much!
Cast Iron Keto says
Hey Kristin! So, we don't like coconut flour either but it works perfectly in this recipe with the flour combo of almond flour and pork rind dust. With all three, you really can't notice the coconut flour taste or texture. We haven't tried it with just almond flour but if we were going to try to nix the coconut we'd swap in extra pork rinds. If you try that, let us know how it turns out!