Vegan “Mozzarella” Sticks (Gluten-Free, Allergy-Free, Oil-Free)

Name: Vegan "Mozzarella" Sticks (Gluten-Free, Allergy-Free, Oil-Free)
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 (14oz) Jar of Whole Hearts of Palm; "Egg" Wash:; 1/4 Cup Corn Starch; 2 TB Milled Flax Seed; 6 TB Water; "Panko" Coating:; 2 Cups Rice Chex; 1-2 TB Nutritional Yeast; 1 Tsp Dried Parsley; 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder; 1/2 Tsp Onion Powder; 1/4 Tsp Black Pepper; Marinara Dipping Sauce:; 1 Cup Plain Tomato Sauce; 1 Tsp Dried Parsley; 1 Tsp Dried Oregano; 1 Tsp Dried Basil; 1 Tsp Dried Thyme; 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder; 1/2 Tsp Onion Powder; 1/4 Tsp Black Pepper

September 27, 2017 by Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine 76 Comments

The solution for the best Vegan “Mozzarella” Sticks you’ll ever find! Not only is this unique appetizer gluten-free and top-8 allergy-free, but oil-free too, since it’s baked and not fried! You’ll never guess what’s under the crispy coating in this healthy recipe!

You may want to take a seat for this one. Brace yourself for one interesting creation, or should I say, one interestingly delicious creation! Don’t be scared, this is totally vegan, totally “not processed”, and totally (creepyly) similar in texture and look or “real” mozzarella sticks. Halloween is coming up in a month or so; the more “creepy” recipe like this, the better! But really, don’t be scared, it will make sense in a moment and your life will be forever changed.

In a modern world of so many various foods we now have access too and so many creative ideas and alternatives running around in our heads (and social media), there is always a way to “recreate” just about any recipe to fit and resemble your dietary guidelines. What’s the magical “mozzarella” imposter we have here? I hope you didn’t cheat and scroll down to the recipe already….but can you guess?

HEARTS OF PALM! Yes! Those funny canned sticks that look like short little string cheeses without any of the dairy. So what exactly are hearts of palm? Also known as “palmitos”, it’s the silky, ivory, core of the stem of a palm plant from Costa Rica originally. They’re high in fiber, zinc, vitamin C, iron, and vitamin B2. There is only about 25 calories per 4 hearts and you’ll typically find them canned or jarred as “salad cut” rounds or whole sticks.

Look at that stringy texture! Can’t forget a little marinara, either! The hearts are simply coated in a quick little gluten-free Rice Chex “panko” breading I “smashed” together and a slurry of corn starch so the coating stuck. I was so impressed by the results though and I’ve made these many times now. I made them for the first time last summer, 2016, after my friend posted an Instagram picture of “vegan mozzarella” sticks she had at a restaurant. I was intrigued and knew I had to tryout my own recipe for them! The photos from my first go-round were terrible and then I kept forgetting to reshoot…until now…

They aren’t even complicated to make. Fun, weird, and delicious, but super easy! No fried cheese here! Mozzarella sticks are such a classic you’ll find on restaurant menus as an appetizer. I did enjoy some when I was younger, but my mom always deterred my brother and I for ever ordering or eating them due to the choking hazard of that super stringy cheese. Probably one of the worst appetizers you could order at a restaurant too. I mean…like I said…FRIED CHEESE. O, American food 😉

Vegan “Mozzarella” Sticks