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These baked mozzarella bites are better than the fried version and perfect to keep in the freezer for a snack anytime of the day.
The Utah Dairy Council has sponsored this post
You guys, I am a little embarrassed to tell you something. No judgments please. When I was growing up I had a few things that I would eat after school as a snack. Here goes… Mozzarella Sticks-the frozen ones from Costco, Bagel Bites (remember those?!), Pizza Rolls (seriously.), deviled eggs, and, ehem, croutons with ranch. Oh and don’t forget a drink, I’d fill a huge glass with ice, a little water and I’d eat the ice with a spoon. Yeah. That happened. These Baked Mozzarella Bites are at least a little healthier and I just know that kids everywhere would love them as an after school snack. That is, when you aren’t making this fried inside out pepperoni pizza. Plus, you can make a ton, freeze them, place them in a ziploc and pull out as many as you want to eat each day without any fuss.
You may remember our berry quinoa salad recipe or our heirloom tomato tart that we posted a few weeks ago. Both are seriously so easy, and both feature these marinated mozzarella balls that we found at Costco. Stinking Costco. We love that place. We seriously get so sucked in. You’d almost think that Costco would want to invite us for some private party or give us a complimentary account considering how much money we spend there. Anyway, this summer we discovered their tub of marinated mozzarella and we’ve been making all sorts of crazy delicious recipes with them ever since.
These baked mozzarella bites totally take me back in time to when I was a kid and I would walk home from school (which means I would hurry home because I always had to go to the bathroom when school got out. Haha, TMI? Too late.) with my awesome bungee bracelet with my house key dangling from the zipper. I would run to the kitchen and pull out a few mozzarella sticks for my mom to bake up for me. Then I would take my huge mug of ice and water (see the first paragraph) up to my room, lay on my bed and do my homework. Dude, I miss being a kid. And I miss that metabolism. And strangely, I miss homework. Truly. I miss learning and working hard on what I know. Oh, and SSR. Who know’s what that stands for?
Is Mozzarella Cheese Low Fat?
Commonly used types of cheese all contain similar amounts of saturated fat.
Mozzarella and feta are on the low end of the scale for saturated fat.
Is Spaghetti Sauce the Same As Marinara Sauce?
In the US, the terms “marinara sauce” and “spaghetti sauce” are used almost interchangeably.
They are both a tomato-based sauce used in Italian cooking.
Baked Mozzarella Bites
Baked Mozzarella Bites
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Mozzarella Balls, Marinated, found at Costco or the specialty cheese section of your store
- 2 1/2 Cups Panko Bread Crumbs
- Cooking spray
- Marinara Sauce, you can use your own or store bought
Instructions
- Roll each mozzarella ball in panko and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.2 Cups Mozzarella Balls, 2 1/2 Cups Panko Bread Crumbs
- Freeze for 2 hours or overnight. You can then either place the mozzarella in a ziploc or cook immediately.
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Place the mozzarella on a parchment lined baking sheet, spray the breadcrumbs liberally to help with browning and bake for 6-10 minutes or until lightly golden and gooey.Cooking spray
- Serve with warm marinara sauceMarinara Sauce
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
very beautiful and good looking
Mmmmmm…..yum. This looks totally amazing. I’m just starring at the screen looking at how delicious they look.
Thank you so much Shilpa!
You have listed cooking spray…not mentioned in the instructions. Is the parchment paper to be sprayed before baking?
Oh!! Barbara thank you for catching that. You actually use it to spray the mozzarella bites so it’s a healthier way to make them turn golden versus frying or drizzling with oil. I’ve corrected the mistake.
Oh my gosh this looks so good! I am over here drooling over this dish right now. I am all over this. I can’t even stop starring.: )
Thank you so much!
A friend, leaving for vacation gave me marinated mozzarella. I never had it and didn’t know what to do with it. Now I’ve got some great things to try!
Oh and SSR stands for Standardized Student Reading!
ahhhhh! That’s right!! Oh ssr, I loved it. Try the marinated mozzarella in salads, pastas, or quinoa with some berries too. It’s so good!
So excited to try these! I have a couple tubs of these balls to use up and this will be perfect to make ahead and freeze and then we can enjoy as needed! Thank you!
Yay! That’s perfect! Enjoy!
Mine melted in to a flat cheese mess. Followed directions exact. So disappointed 😔
Hello! I am making this for Thanksgiving appetizer. I am traveling 2 hours on Thursday morning and I need to bake when I arrive at my destination. Can I prepare and freeze Wednesday night? I don’t want them to all get stuck together in freezer..any suggestions? Thank you!
Christina, that’s what I do. I make them, set out on a baking sheet and freeze them until solid and then place in ziplocs which I lay flat in a cooler with ice packs above and below. Works every time!
Ooooh…droooool!
I love cheese bites and these looks incredibly delicious!
Oh yummmm! These look awesome….if I made these for an after school snack my kids would adore me 🙂
I would like to call this Exhibit A in the case of Carrian is an amazing photographer! These are such beautiful pictures, I can practically smell the melty cheese! And {ahem} my husband still eats Bagel Bites. Regularly. #foodbloggershame
and I cringe every time I look at it!! you’re the best
We love cheese in all it forms! My kids have even taken to putting a string cheese on a plate and melting it in the microwave. Your baked mozzarella bites look fantastic!