When it comes to savory frozen snacks, nothing beats a good mozzarella stick. They’re good as an appetizer before frozen pizza or just as an after-class pick-me-up. There’s never a time when I don’t have a box or two in my freezer. The problem is that a good frozen mozzarella stick — crunchy, flavorful, and stuffed with soft mozzarella — is hard to find. Too many frozen mozzarella sticks are bland, tasting like absolutely nothing. I would know, because when I see a mozzarella stick, I try it, whether that’s in a restaurant or the frozen aisle at the grocery store. Most of the time, I’m severely disappointed, but that makes finding good ones all the better.
A good frozen mozzarella stick starts with the exterior — a salty, seasoned, flavorful breading that audibly crunches. Inside has to be filled with tasty mozzarella with a smooth texture. Cheese pulls are great, but not required since these aren’t from a restaurant and just can’t achieve the same results as a mozzarella stick fresh from the fryer can. That said, a good frozen mozzarella stick shouldn’t have that frozen aftertaste you get with some frozen foods. Lastly, a good frozen mozzarella stick should be good on its own without a sauce. If a mozz stick requires marinara, it’s not a good mozzarella stick.
Here’s which frozen grocery store mozzarella sticks deserve a spot in your freezer, and which ones you should not even think about buying.
8. Lidl
Somehow, Lidl’s frozen mozzarella sticks manage to be worse than flavorless. The pale, skimpy little sticks look as bad as they taste (they do not look like they do on the box, at all), which is like chewing flavorless puddy. They come with an alright sweet chili sauce, but it just tastes like you’re eating textured sauce. Even if you’re desperate for a mozzarella stick, don’t bother, because this doesn’t count as a mozzarella stick.
7. Walmart/Wegmans/Giant
These brands are exactly what I know and hate about frozen mozzarella sticks. They all taste exactly the same — like flavorless cheese stuffed into a weak crust with a frozen aftertaste. Giant’s crust is super thick, Giant and Wegmans are super expensive, and Walmart has zero crunch. So in general, beware of grocery store brand names when on the hunt for mozz sticks, because they’re pretty much the same. Tasteless.
6. Target’s Market Pantry
Target doesn’t hit the bullseye with their Market Pantry Mozzarella sticks. They’re honestly just fine — truly a mid mozzarella stick. There’s a slight herbaceous flavor, but they’re nothing special. And they come in a massive 32-ounce box, which is unfortunate. A 32-ounce box of this list’s number one mozzarella sticks would be great, but 32 ounces of Target mozzarella sticks is not.
5. Farm Rich
Farm Rich mozzarella sticks aren’t rich in flavor, just edging out Target thanks to a decent crunch and a touch more salt. If you’re in dire need of a mozzarella stick, these will satisfy the craving, especially since you can find them at nearly every grocery store. Otherwise, there are better options.
4. TGI Fridays
Thank God these mozzarella sticks are good. These mozzarella sticks are solidly flavorful and nicely salted inside and out. The rectangular shape offers a higher cheese-to-crust ratio, and the crust is decently crunchy. Plus, these are at a lot of stores, so if you aren’t close to the next 3 mozz sticks, these are a great option. Oh, and they come with a nice punchy marinara too.
3. Aldi’s Appetitos
Aldi is the dark horse in the frozen mozzarella stick business. Their golden mozz sticks are nice and flavorful, especially in the cheese, which is hard to do with typically bland mozzarella, and are pretty crunchy. They taste as good as they look. Just don’t use the dipping sauce — it’s not good and you don’t need it.
2. Costco’s Petite Cuisine
Costco’s mozzarella sticks are almost perfect. They’re super tasty, with a crisp, flavorful, bready crust and a salty, cheesy inside. These are easy to eat 10 of without realizing it. Costco’s mozz sticks are ideal for the most extreme mozzarella stick enthusiasts, coming in 2.5 or 5 pound boxes (which by ounce, at .20 cents per ounce, are the cheapest on the list if you’re OK buying bulk). With these you certainly won’t have to worry about being unsatisfied or running out, though casual consumers might be a little intimidated.
1. Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s never fails to impress, so I can’t even say I’m surprised they have the best mozzarella sticks. TJ’s mozz sticks are the most delightful, most flavorful frozen mozzarella sticks on the market. The crust is perfectly crunchy, and super tasty with seriously good herbaceous flavor. Stuffed inside the perfect crust is buttery, gooey, delicious mozzarella that produces a solid cheese pull. I would just advise keeping an eye on them, because they get a little over-eager and burst sometimes (relatable, since I do the same while preparing to eat them). But it doesn’t really matter if they explode a bit because they’re just that good.