Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks
String cheese double-breaded in Italian panko and frozen solid, then air fried for a few minutes until crunchy outside and stretchy inside.
Ingredients
Ingredients for servings
Enter a number of at least ½, in steps of ½.
Original recipe serves 4. Ingredient amounts adjust automatically. Cooking times and pan size may need adjusting separately.
- 12 mozzarella string cheese sticks, cut in half for 24 bites
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- cooking spray
- 1 cup marinara sauce, warmed, for dipping
Gear
- Air fryer
- Three shallow dishes
- Sheet pan and parchment
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Steps
Step 1: Set up three shallow dishes: flour; eggs beaten with milk; panko, Italian breadcrumbs, Parmesan and garlic powder mixed together.
Step 2: Roll each cheese stick in flour, dip in egg, then roll in crumbs. Dip in the egg again and roll in crumbs a second time, pressing so it's fully sealed. No cheese should show.
Step 3: Lay the sticks on a parchment-lined sheet pan and freeze at least 1 hour, until solid.
Step 4: Spray the air fryer basket. Arrange the frozen sticks in a single layer with space between them. Spray the tops with cooking spray.
Step 5: Air fry at 390°F for 5 to 7 minutes, until golden. Watch closely after 4 minutes; pull them as soon as you see any cheese peeking out.
Step 6: Let them sit 1 minute, then serve with warm marinara.
Swaps
- Cheese: Pepper jack or cheddar sticks.
- Dip: Ranch, pizza sauce, or a sweet chili sauce.
- Make ahead: Store breaded, frozen sticks in a freezer bag up to 2 months. Cook straight from frozen.
Tips
- The double breading and freezing are not optional. They keep the cheese from escaping.
- Low-moisture string cheese melts stretchy without getting watery.
The story
HAM Cooking. Let’s fire it up.
Mozzarella sticks are the appetizer that never comes back from the table. You put out a plate, turn around to grab napkins, and it’s empty. The only evidence left is a long string of cheese hanging off someone’s chin.
The challenge with homemade mozzarella sticks is that cheese melts faster than breading browns. In a hot air fryer, that means the cheese can blow out of the crust before it turns golden. Freezing the breaded sticks solid gives the crust a head start. By the time the cheese softens, the outside is already crispy. The double coat of crumbs is the backup plan, building a thicker wall to hold the cheese in.
Watch them like a hawk once they’re in. The second you see a little cheese bubbling through, they’re done. Pull them, wait a minute so nobody burns the roof of their mouth, and dunk.
HAM out.
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