The Unexpected Downside You'll Find With Costco's Frozen Mozzarella Sticks

With a crispy seasoned breading and an amazing cheese pull, Costco's Petite Cuisine Mozzarella Sticks hit the spot whenever you need some deep-fried goodness. Easy to bake in the oven, and one of the many frozen Costco foods that turn out perfectly in the air fryer, they're delicious on their own as a snack, appetizer or girl dinner. They can also be turned into showstopping appetizers, like a jazzed-up caprese salad skewer or a toasty grilled cheese roll-up. Golden brown and gooey, these Costco frozen finds are practically perfect in every way — except for one. These tasty mozzarella sticks don't come with a marinara dipping sauce.

Naturally, some fans are perplexed by this omission. "I want to know why things like this don't come with their own sauce. Shouldn't it come with some sauce?" says 5 Minutes Eats in their video review of the Costco Petite Cuisine Mozzarella Sticks. "They tell you to have it with sauce, but then they don't give you any sauce." 

Perhaps one reason for this is to keep the mozzarella sticks affordable and to be able to pack the box solely with the cheese sticks. Another could be to entice fans to purchase Rao's Marinara Pasta Sauce (the pasta sauce Ina Garten recommends) at Costco instead. Either way, this gives customers an opportunity to choose whichever sauce they'd like with their mozzarella sticks, which is the best option in the end.

When it comes to dipping sauces for mozzarella sticks, you have a lot of choices. Store-bought marinara sauce is convenient and does well in a pinch, but making your own marinara sauce is also a fantastic option for Costco's mozzarella sticks. Though there are a multitude of marinara sauce recipes out there, we found that the best-tasting marinara sauce recipes include tomatoes, olive oil, fresh garlic, and fresh basil. Simple yet extremely versatile, marinara sauce is a match made in heaven with mozzarella sticks.

But what if you want to broaden your horizons and dip mozzarella sticks in different sauces? Luckily, there are many options to choose from. If you're looking for something creamy, consider dipping your mozzarella sticks in ranch dressing or garlic aioli. For those with a smokier palette, consider using barbecue sauce or chili sauce to spice it up.