It’s official. I think I’ve outdone myself with these Vegan Pan Fried Mozzarella Sticks! And they’re made from scratch with ingredients you (probably) already have!
If I’m being honest, this was kind of a hopeful experiment on one of my childhood favourites — really did not think this was going to be possible, but boy was I wrong. This might just be my best vegan comfort food creation yet!

With an ooey gooey, stretchy cashew mozzarella and a crispy pan fried breading, these are sure to hit the spot. So I think it’s time I stop talking, and have you go make these.


Vegan Pan Fried Mozzarella Sticks
An ooey gooey stretchy cashew mozzarella coated in a crispy pan fried breading. These are vegan comfort food at its finest and you would never know they're 100% plant based.
Ingredients
Cashew Mozzarella
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 1⅓ cups hot water
- juice of ¼ lemon
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp miso paste
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup tapioca flour
For the Batter
- ⅓ cup oat milk
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (or sub potato starch)
- salt (to taste)
For the Coating
- ⅔ cup cornstarch (or sub potato starch)
For the Breadcrumbs
- 1¼ cup Italian breadcrumbs (or sub 2 slices toasted bread blended with Italian seasoning)
Instructions
- Soak the cashews in hot water for at least 45 mins.
- Prepare the cashew mozzarella: Combine all ingredients in a blender. Transfer the mixture to a pan over medium heat. Stir until a stretchy cheese is formed. Transfer to a lined loaf pan and freeze a minimum of 3-4 hours.
- Prepare 3 bowls: One with the batter, one with the starch coating, and one with the breadcrumbs.
- Remove the mozzarella from the loaf pan and cut into rectangles. These should be slightly smaller than the size you want your mozzarella sticks to be.
- One stick at a time, quickly coat in milk batter, in cornstarch, back in the milk batter, then in the breadcrumbs.
- Transfer to a large pan and pan fry with a generous amount of oil over medium heat. once the bottoms are golden brown, flip and fry again until all sides are nicely browned and crispy.
- Optional: Serve with marinara sauce.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Cashew Mozzarella adapted from Nora Cooks.
CategoriesDinner