Air-fryer mozzarella Sticks are ooey, gooey party appetizers and snacks made with minimal pantry staple ingredients in less than 30 minutes! These gooey mozzarella sticks are made with string cheese, Panko breadcrumbs, seasonings, and air-fried to perfection. It takes no time to make these air fryer mozzarella sticks from scratch.
The seasoned panko coating and fast-frying action of the air fryer give these cheese sticks a crispy outer coating. This offers a healthier way to enjoy your favorite fried foods and snacks. Homemade mozzarella sticks are great for snacking during the game, game day entertaining, or for a party appetizer. Dip in a marinara sauce or even a ranch dressing.
Do you love making delicious food and snacks in your air fryer? Try out these air fryer Shake N Bake pork chops, crispy tortellini, and air fryer pigs in a blanket.
Why You’ll Love Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks
- Easy appetizers or party snacks that are excellent served with warm marinara sauce.
- These mozz sticks take minimal effort or ingredients to make.
- They have an ooey, gooey cheese center and a crispy outer coating, just like your favorite frozen sticks, which you buy and heat up.
- This is a healthier option than a deep fried mozzarella stick. Skip deep-frying and try this crispy air fryer mozzarella sticks recipe.
Ingredients Needed
- Mozzarella cheese sticks are the perfect melty cheese that is perfect for this easy appetizer.
- Cornstarch is needed to help the breading station ingredients to stick to the cheese sticks.
- Flour is needed, and I recommend using all-purpose flour for coating the tasty snack.
- Panko or plain breadcrumbs can be used for the best mozzarella sticks. Panko offers a crunchy coating.
- Eggs are used for making an egg wash, which will help the mixture stick.
- Nature’s seasoning or Italian seasoning is used to add flavor to the coating.
- Parsley adds a nice pop of color to the game day snacks.
How to Make
Halve the cheese sticks. Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl with parsley and panko. Then, beat the eggs in another small bowl.
Coat the cheese sticks in the beaten eggs, followed by the flour mixture. Coat the sticks again in the egg mix and then the panko mixture.
Add the coated cheese sticks to the air fryer basket and lightly spray them with cooking oil.
Cook for 5 minutes at 400F or until the coating is golden brown and fully melted gooey cheese sticks in the center.
Allow the fried Mozzarella sticks to cool before serving for a few moments, and then serve them up.
Tips & Tricks
- Chilling the mozzarella sticks in the refrigerator can make it easier to slice the sticks in half and preserve the cheese while the assembled snack fries are being prepared.
- Add freshly fried Mozzarella sticks to a paper towel to absorb excess oil before serving.
- Enjoy these air fryer mozzarella sticks as is or with your favorite dipping sauces.
- Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket with too many Mozzarella sticks. Otherwise, they won’t get an excellent outer crisp due to a lack of air circulation. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to fry these cheese sticks in batches. A single layer is a must.
- You want a thick coating of the breadcrumb mixture to protect the cheese, and you end up with crispy mozzarella sticks. Pair with any of your tasty dips.
How Can I Store Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks?
Refrigerate: These Mozzarella sticks can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them in the air fryer for 1-2 minutes before serving again.
Freezer: You can freeze the mozzarella sticks as well. You can place them in a freezer-friendly container and freeze them for 2-3 months. Then you can reheat them straight from the freezer to the air fryer.
Reheat: Reheat the mozzarella sticks in the air fryer at 400 degrees F for 2-3 minutes. If frozen, fry for 5 minutes or until the mozzarella sticks are warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
These mozzarella sticks are not gluten free. You are welcome to swap out the breadcrumbs and the type of flour used to swap to gluten free options.
Yes, they do taste very similar to buying frozen sticks. The best part is you are in control of the ingredients used, and there are fewer processed ingredients used. Just grab your ingredients, spray with cooking spray, and get a nice crispy golden coating.
Making sure you are pressing the coating into the cheese is going to help the mixture to stick. Then, lightly spray it with cooking spray, and you can use that to press it into the cheese stick.
You can bake the sticks by placing them on a lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees and cook for 10-12 minutes. You will want to rotate the cheese sticks halfway through the cooking.
More Air Fryer Recipes
Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks
Ingredients
- 10 mozzarella cheese sticks
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon Nature’s Seasoning or Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon parsley chopped finely
Instructions
- Halve the cheese sticks. Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl with parsley and panko and beat the eggs in another bowl.
- Coat the cheese sticks in the beaten eggs and then in the flour mixture. Coat the sticks again in the egg mix and then the panko mixture.
- Add the coated cheese sticks to the air fryer basket and lightly spray them with oil. Cook for 5-7 minutes at 400F. Or until the mozzarella sticks are fully cooked. Allow the fried Mozzarella sticks to cool before serving.
Notes
Add freshly fried Mozzarella sticks to a paper towel to absorb excess oil before serving.
Enjoy these air fryer mozzarella sticks as is or with your favorite dipping sauces.
Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket with too many Mozzarella sticks otherwise, they won’t get a good outer crisp due to lack of air circulation. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to fry these cheese sticks in batches.
did you make this recipe?
Make sure to follow on Pinterest @bakemesomesugar and on Instagram @bakemesomesugar
Leave A Reply!