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–+ servings
A pile of golden brown, crispy air fryer mozzarella sticks served with a side of marinara sauce.

Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks

Make crispy mozzarella sticks in your air fryer without deep frying. This recipe is quick and easy.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Freezing Time 15 minutes
Total Time 33 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Mozzarella Sticks
  • 1 pound Mozzarella string cheese cut into halves
  • 1/2 cup All-purpose flour
  • 2 Large eggs beaten
  • 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
For Serving (Optional)
  • Marinara sauce for dipping

Equipment

  • Air Fryer
  • Baking sheet
  • Shallow bowls

Method
 

  1. Cut each string cheese stick in half. Place the cheese sticks on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for at least 15 minutes. This helps prevent them from melting too much during cooking.
  2. Set up three shallow bowls. In the first bowl, place the flour. In the second bowl, whisk the eggs. In the third bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
  3. Take the frozen cheese sticks and coat each one first in flour, then dip it into the beaten eggs, and finally coat it thoroughly with the seasoned panko breadcrumbs. Press the breadcrumbs onto the cheese to ensure a good coating.
  4. Preheat your air fryer to 380°F (190°C).
  5. Arrange the coated mozzarella sticks in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Do not overcrowd the basket; cook in batches if necessary.
  6. Air fry for 6-8 minutes, or until the breading is golden brown and crispy. Flip them halfway through cooking if desired for even browning.
  7. Carefully remove the mozzarella sticks from the air fryer. Serve immediately with marinara sauce for dipping.

Notes

For best results, ensure the cheese sticks are well-frozen before breading and cooking. Adjust cooking time based on your air fryer model.

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