Mozzarella Marinara Recipes

CHICKEN MARINARA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350° and allow to come to temperature. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Have ready a 9x13" casserole dish.
• Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle over 1 tablespoon of seasoning, and rub to adhere.
• Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the heated pan, and allow to come to temperature. Add the chicken and sear for 3- 4 minutes, just until golden-brown. Flip the chicken and sear for 2-3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
• Add the onion and sauté 5-8 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute more.
• Add the canned tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper and stir. If using basil, add it to the pan, stir, and remove from the heat.
• If desired, for a smoother sauce, puree using an immersion blender or a blender with the feed tube removed and a dish towel covering its place.
• Add a thin layer of sauce to the bottom of the casserole dish and add the chicken breasts. Spoon a generous amount of marinara sauce over each chicken breast and divide the Mozzarella cheese amongst the chicken.
• Transfer to the oven and bake for 25-27 minutes, or until the chicken breasts are cooked through. Serve and enjoy.

FRIED MOZZARELLA STICKS WITH CREAMY MARINARA

Steps:

• Pour enough oil into a large Dutch oven or pot to come about 1 1/2 inches up the sides and fit the pot with a deep-fry thermometer. Bring the oil to 375 degrees F over medium-high heat.
• Meanwhile, mix the marinara, creme fraiche and red pepper flakes in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute until warm. Cover and set aside until ready to use.
• Place a wire rack inside of a baking sheet. Set up a standard breading station with 3 wide, deep plates (or pie plates). Place the flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in one plate. Mix the panko, plain breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt and a generous amount of black pepper into the second plate. Whisk the eggs into the third plate.
• Take each mozzarella stick through the breading procedure: first in the flour, then the egg and then the panko mixture, then repeat in the egg and panko mixture again for a double breading. Transfer to the wire rack.
• Working in batches, carefully drop 4 to 5 sticks into the oil and fry without touching until they are a deep golden brown and you can see some cheese starting to melt, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Serve immediately with the sauce on the side.

MARINARA-MOZZARELLA DIP

Steps:

• Pour marinara into a 1-1/2-qt. slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low about 2 hours, until hot. Stir in mozzarella and basil. Cook until cheese is melted, about 30 minutes longer. If desired, top with crushed red pepper flakes and additional basil. Serve with toasted baguette slices.

CHEESY BAKED ORZO WITH MARINARA

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 375 degrees and bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the orzo and cook according to package instructions until just al dente. Drain the orzo and set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a very large (12-inch) ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook until fragrant (don't let the garlic burn), about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the spinach and a pinch of salt and cook, tossing often, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the marinara, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat.
• Stir the cooked orzo into the sauce. Stir in the mozzarella, sprinkle the Parmesan on top, and bake, uncovered, until the Parmesan is melted and the pasta is heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with additional basil, and serve warm.

MOZZARELLA MARINARA

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in oil. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar, salt and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes or until thickened., Meanwhile, place an egg roll wrapper on a work surface with a point facing you. Place a piece of cheese near the bottom corner. Fold bottom corner of wrapper over cheese; roll up just until cheese is enclosed. Fold sides of wrapper over top. Using a pastry brush, wet the top corner with water. Roll up tightly to seal, forming a tube. Repeat., In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375°. Fry mozzarella sticks, a few at a time, for 1 minute or until golden brown, turning occasionally. Discard bay leaf from marinara sauce. Serve with the mozzarella sticks.

FRIED MOZZARELLA BALLS WITH MARINARA CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• For the mozzarella balls: Preheat a deep fryer to 375 degrees F.
• Drain the mozzarella and pat dry.
• Add the flour to a casserole dish, the beaten eggs to a second, and whisk together the panko, parsley, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper in the third casserole dish.
• Dredge the mozzarella through the flour, then the egg, and finally the breadcrumbs. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes then fry in batches in the hot oil until golden and crispy, about 1 minute per batch. Drain on paper towel-lined sheet trays. Season with salt. Serve with the marinara cream sauce.
• For the sauce: Mix the red sauce, heavy cream and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl and microwave until warm, about 2 minutes. Use for dipping. Yield: 1 cup.

GARLIC AND HERB MOZZARELLA STICKS WITH MARINARA DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat 1 inch of oil in a deep pan to 330 degrees F.
• Place the flour in a shallow dish, season with salt and pepper then stir. Beat together the egg with salt and pepper in a second shallow dish. Place the finely crushed garlic and herb pita chips in a third shallow dish. Dip each cheese stick half in flour, shaking off the excess, then in the egg, then repeat the flour and egg. Lastly, dip each in the pita chips, pressing to coat. At this point, freeze for 15 minutes to firm the sticks before frying.
• Combine the marinara, cream and pesto in a small sauce pot. Stir and heat through.
• Fry the mozzarella sticks in the hot oil, turning, until golden brown on all sides, about 30 seconds. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

MOZZARELLA MARINARA

Steps:

• In a large asucepan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar, salt and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes, or until thickened.
• Meanwhile, place an egg roll wrapper on a work surface with point facing you. Place a piece of cheese near the bottom corner. Fold bottom corner of wrapper over cheese; roll up just until cheese is enclosed. Fold sides of wrapper over the top. Using a pastry brush, wet the top corner with water. Roll up TIGHTLY, forming a tube. Repeat.
• In an electric skillet or deep fat fryer, heat oil to 375'. Fry mozzarella sticks, a few at a time, for 1 minute or until golden brown, turning occasionally. Drain on paper towels, or heavy brown paper bag. Discard bay leaf from marinara sauce. Serve with mozzarella sticks.