Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks

Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks are crispy on the skin, melty within the center, and ideal for dipping (no deep fryer required). Pair with homemade marinara sauce or a creamy ranch dressing for a chunk you may’t resist.

Holly’s Recipe Highlights: Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks

Taste: Crispy, golden breading with a savory garlic crunch on the skin and heat, stretchy, gentle mozzarella that’s completely salty and melty inside.
Why Make It: This recipe is straightforward to make with string cheese and a handful of pantry substances. They’re straightforward to prep forward of time, and solely take minutes to cook dinner!
Method: Freezing the mozzarella sticks earlier than air frying is the important thing step that retains the cheese locked inside so it will get completely melty with out leaking out throughout cooking.
Serving Ideas: I like to serve them sizzling and melty with marinara sauce for dipping, creamy ranch, zesty pizza sauce, or a wealthy garlic aioli for an additional hit of taste.

Complete Time: 1 hour (solely 20 minutes hands-on!) Servings: 16 Mozzarella Sticks Cooking Technique: Air Fryer

Ingredient Notes for Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks

panko , eggs , bread crumbs , oil , garlic powder , flour , string cheese with labels to make Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks

Mozzarella Cheese Strings: Cheese strings (any taste works) are the simplest alternative since they’re already completely portioned and maintain their form nicely when cooked; merely minimize every one in half for bite-sized, party-ready items.
Eggs: Eggs act because the binding layer that helps the flour and breadcrumb coating keep on with the cheese. Whisking them with a bit of water helps create an excellent, clean coating for crisp outcomes.
Breadcrumbs: Seasoned breadcrumbs carry the principle savory taste to the coating. Panko breadcrumbs add additional lightness and provides the mozzarella sticks a crisp, ethereal texture when air-fried.

Favourite Variations

Italian-style: Use Italian breadcrumbs and add a pinch of dried oregano or basil.
Flavored: Combine in Taco Seasoning, Cajun Seasoning, or add a pinch of cayenne or crushed purple pepper to the breadcrumb combination.
Additional tacky coating: Add finely grated Parmesan to the breadcrumbs.

Utilizing Frozen Mozzarella Sticks

Skip the prep work and use store-bought frozen mozzarella sticks. They will cook dinner for about 5-7 minutes at 390°F.

Double Dip: Dip the cheese sticks within the egg combination twice for one of the best seal and crunch (see recipe under).
Don’t Skip the Freezing: Freeze the breaded cheese sticks for at the very least half-hour so the coating corporations up earlier than cooking and helps to maintain all of it intact whereas cooking.
Do Not Skip Preheating: Preheat the air fryer as a result of the short blast of warmth helps crisp the coating.
Verify Early: Verify round 4 minutes, since air fryers can cook dinner in another way.
Don’t Overcook: Pull them out as quickly as cheese begins to bubble by the coating.

top view of baked Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks on sheet pan with marinara

Saving the Crunch

Leftovers: Preserve cooked mozzarella sticks in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days. Reheat them within the air fryer at 350°F for 3 minutes or till crisp and warmed by.
To Make-Forward: Prep then freeze the breaded raw mozzarella sticks on a baking sheet till stable. Switch them to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and freeze for as much as 6 months. Prepare dinner from frozen when able to serve!
Serving: These are finest served instantly. The coating softens as they sit, however the air fryer brings again the crunch higher than the microwave.

Extra Crispy Air Fryer Snacks

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image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Servings 16 Mozzarella Sticks

Prep Time 10 minutes

Prepare dinner Time 10 minutes

Freeze Time 40 minutes

Complete Time 1 hour

Minimize mozzarella sticks in half.
Whisk eggs with 1 tablespoon water. In a separate bowl mix bread crumbs, Panko bread crumbs, vegetable oil, and garlic powder. Place flour in a third bowl and season with salt & pepper.
Dip every mozzarella stick into the eggs after which into the flour combination. Dip again into the eggs and at last into the bread crumb combination.
Place on a baking sheet and freeze at the very least half-hour (or as much as 6 months).
Preheat air fryer to 390°F.
Generously spray mozzarella sticks with oil or cooking spray. Place within the air fryer basket in a single layer and cook dinner for five to 7 minutes or till crisp.
Serve instantly.

No Air Fryer? No Downside! These could be baked in a preheated oven at 400°F for 9 to 11 minutes.
These are frozen earlier than cooking to permit the crumbs to crisp up with out the cheese melting out.
You should definitely preheat the air fryer and needless to say air fryers can differ. Verify them early at about 4 minutes. When you see cheese beginning to bubble, they’re prepared.
Bought frozen mozzarella sticks will cook dinner for about 5 to 7 minutes at 390°F.
Preserve leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days. Or make forward, freeze for as much as 6 months, and cook dinner within the air fryer.

Diet data supplied is an estimate and can differ based mostly on cooking strategies and types of substances used.

Course Appetizer, Social gathering Meals, Snack

Delicacies American

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Recipe Tailored from this cheese sticks recipe initially posted in 2013.