Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks

5 from 10 votes

Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks

These mozzarella sticks will appeal to even the pickiest eaters you know. I make mine with mozzarella cheese, whole wheat breadcrumbs, and simple seasoning. They come out crisp on the outside with that iconic gooey cheese pull that everyone loves.

Prep Time10

Cook Time8

Freeze3 10

Total Time3 28

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 150kcal

Author: Anjali Shah

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

Instructions

Freeze the mozzarella cheese sticks, either still in their individual package or on a cookie sheet. Freeze until fully firm (about 3 hours) or you can also freeze overnight. Leave in the freezer until you're ready to prepare.
Pour the flour, panko breadcrumbs, and eggs into three separate bowls. Add pinch of salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning into the breadcrumbs.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking oil spray, set aside.
Roll each frozen mozzarella stick in the flour making sure to thoroughly coat it on all sides. Then dip into the lightly beaten eggs, again making sure it’s completely coated. Next, dredge in the seasoned breadcrumbs and making sure to fully coat the entire cheese stick. Lay on baking sheet and continue until all of the cheese sticks have been breaded.
Place in the freezer for 10 minutes, do not discard breading ingredients. After freezing for 10 minutes, make sure your air fryer is ready to go and that the basket is on the counter. Dip the cheese stick into the remaining beaten eggs, then into the breadcrumbs and then lay inside the air fryer basket. (It’s not necessary to spray the battered cheese stick again with the oil spray, but you can if you’d like.) Continue until you have enough sticks to fit comfortably in the basket but without overcrowding.
Set air fryer to 390 F and 5 minutes. Cook the sticks for 5 minutes, flip and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes until golden. Remove from air fryer and place on a serving dish. Continue air frying the remaining mozzarella sticks until all have been fried. Serve with your favorite marinara sauce or any other dipping sauce of choice.

Notes

My #1 Secret Tip for this air fryer mozzarella sticks recipe is to freeze the cheese completely before breading and again after coating. I never skip this step, and it is what sets my cheese sticks apart. This freezing process prevents the cheese from melting too quickly and leaking out during cooking.
Double coat: I always coat twice, even if the first coating seems like enough. This creates a thicker crust, which holds everything together and is less likely to lead to leaking cheese.
Serve immediately: I serve these sticks immediately while the cheese is still warm and stretchy.
Keep warm: If I am making a large batch, I keep cooked mozzarella sticks warm in a low oven until they are ready to be plated and served.
Watch timing: I keep a close eye during the last few minutes to prevent the cheese from bursting out.

Nutrition