I mentioned before that I was a vegetarian while I was an exchange student in France. Looking back, I still smile at that choice — and occasionally smack my head — because I missed out on some unforgettable French treats. No real regrets, but I do wish I had tried a few more of the local specialties.
My host mother used to make the most incredible breaded cheese “steaks” for me. They were crispy and crunchy on the outside, pan-fried until golden, and when I cut into one the cheese would stretch in long, satisfying strings. She served them with a grainy mustard sauce, and I could have happily eaten my weight in them back then. After a nostalgic 40th birthday, I decided it was time to recreate those memories at home.
To capture that ooey-gooey, stringy texture, fresh mozzarella was an obvious choice. I wanted the cheese to be delicate in flavor like I remembered, so I used fresh mozzarella balls. Fortunately I found beautiful fresh mozzarella at my local Aldi at a great price.
Because these are fried, I was careful to make the breading stick and fully cover each slice. The worst outcome would be molten cheese leaking into hot oil — a meltdown both literal and emotional. The double-breading method is simple, a little messy, but very effective at keeping the cheese where it belongs.
These Crispy, Gooey Fresh Mozzarella Steaks turned out exactly as I remembered: a crisp, golden shell and a perfectly melty center. I found myself ripping one apart with my fingers and savoring the stringy cheese like a kid.
Serve them with a grainy mustard sauce as my host mother did, or offer marinara for a classic fried-mozzarella style—either way, they’re heavenly.
The breading step will be messy — there’s no avoiding it. The upside: you can make a large batch and freeze the uncooked, breaded steaks. Freezing them before cooking is actually important to prevent the cheese from escaping into the oil. Once frozen solid, transfer the steaks to a zipper-seal bag and keep them in the freezer for up to three months without losing quality.
A freezer full of ready-to-cook mozzarella steaks means you can have a hot, cheesy dinner in minutes. It also makes it easy to use these breaded steaks in other dishes — I’m already planning a sandwich recipe using them soon.
Fried Mozzarella Steaks
For best results, bread and freeze your mozzarella steaks at least 24 hours before cooking. Freezing ensures the cheese stays firmly inside the crust while the outside browns to a beautiful golden color. The goal is to have the crust crisp up perfectly at the same moment the cheese melts.
The breading process is inherently messy, so set up a clean, organized assembly line before you start. Line a tray with parchment or a silpat for freezing. Put seasoned flour in one shallow dish, whisked eggs and milk in another, and panko crumbs in a third. Arrange everything left to right in the order you’ll use it: cutting board with cheese, flour plate, egg plate, panko plate, lined tray.
To bread the steaks: dredge a slice in seasoned flour, shake off excess, dip in the egg mixture, then press into panko crumbs. Repeat the flour–egg–panko sequence a second time for extra protection. Place each twice-breaded slice on the lined tray and freeze at least 8 hours, ideally overnight. Once rock solid, transfer them to a sealed freezer bag and store for up to three months.
When frying, don’t crowd the pan. Frozen steaks will lower the oil temperature when added, so give the oil room to recover. Use tongs, a slotted spoon, or a spatula to turn them gently to avoid breaking the crust and releasing cheese prematurely.
Crispy, Gooey Fresh Mozzarella Steaks
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 2 balls fresh mozzarella
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 3/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cups plain panko bread crumbs
- 4 eggs
- 1/4 cup milk
To Fry the Steaks:
- oil for deep frying or pan frying
Instructions
To Prepare the Fresh Mozzarella Steaks:
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Slice the mozzarella balls into 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick slabs. Set aside. Use a fork to toss the flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, garlic, onion, and Italian seasoning together in a cake pan or pie plate. Set that to the right of the cheese on the cutting board.
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Crack the eggs into another cake pan or pie plate, add the milk, and use a fork or whisk to combine the two until they’re even in colour. Set that to the right of the flour.
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Use another fork to toss together the panko crumbs and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Set that to the right of the egg/milk mixture and then set a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat to the right of that.
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Dredge one slice of the mozzarella through the flour, flipping and making sure the whole thing has been coated. Gently shake off any excess. Dip it into the egg/milk mixture, flipping to coat the whole thing, lift it, and let the excess drip away before dredging it through the panko mixture. Lift the mozzarella slice and gently shake to let any panko crumbs that didn’t adhere fall way. Now repeat the process, beginning with the flour, moving to the egg/milk, and finishing with the panko. When the entire cheese steak has been coated twice, lay it on the lined pan and repeat with the remaining cheese slices. Set the pan in the freezer at least 8 hours, but preferably 24 hours before serving. After they’re frozen solid, they can be transferred to a zipper top freezer bag and stored for up to 3 months without any loss of quality.
To Deep-Fry the Crispy, Gooey Fresh Mozzarella Steaks:
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Preheat oil to 345°F. Carefully lower 2 or 3 mozzarella steaks into the oil. If there are any ice crystals on the steaks, they may sputter as they’re lowered into the oil. Fry for 3 minutes, or until the outside is a beautiful golden brown. Use a slotted spoon, basket, or tongs to lift the cheese steaks from the hot oil and transfer them to a paper towel lined plate. Let rest for 3 minutes before serving.
To Pan-Fry the Crispy, Gooey Fresh Mozzarella Steaks:
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Pour 1/2-inch of oil into a heavy-bottomed, high-sided frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil looks shimmery, use tongs to carefully lower 2 or 3 steaks into the pan (taking care not to overcrowd them.) Fry for 2 minutes on one side, or until golden brown. Slide a spatula under each steak and use tongs or another spatula to hold the cheese steak against the first spatula while gently turning it over. This should prevent splattering of the oil. Fry the second side for 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Use a spatula or slotted spoon to transfer the fried cheese steak to a paper towel lined plate and let it rest 3 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Originally published August 11, 2014