Description
Crispy golden mozzarella sticks from the air fryer deliver irresistible Italian-style comfort straight to your plate. Melted cheese wrapped in a crunchy breaded exterior makes these appetizers a perfect crowd-pleasing snack you won’t be able to resist.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 8 sticks mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
Coating and Seasoning:
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp italian seasoning
Preparation Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (for spraying)
- 1 cup marinara sauce (for dipping)
Instructions
- Prepare a workstation with three shallow dishes: one for flour, one for beaten eggs, and one for seasoned breadcrumbs.
- Unwrap mozzarella sticks and place them in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up, preventing cheese from melting during cooking.
- Mix breadcrumbs with salt, black pepper, and italian seasoning in one dish, creating a flavorful coating.
- Roll each frozen mozzarella stick first in flour, ensuring complete and even coverage.
- Dip the flour-coated cheese stick into beaten eggs, allowing excess to drip off.
- Carefully roll the egg-dipped stick in seasoned breadcrumbs, pressing gently to create a thick, even layer of coating.
- Place breaded cheese sticks on a plate and return to freezer for 15 minutes to set the coating.
- Preheat air fryer to 390°F and lightly spray basket with vegetable oil to prevent sticking.
- Arrange cheese sticks in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they do not touch each other.
- Air fry for 6-8 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown and crispy exterior develops.
- Remove from air fryer and let rest for 2-3 minutes to allow cheese to stabilize.
- Serve immediately with warm marinara sauce for dipping, enjoying the crispy exterior and melted cheese interior.
Notes
- Freeze mozzarella sticks solid before breading to prevent cheese from leaking during air frying, creating perfect crispy exterior and gooey center.
- Double-coat breadcrumbs for extra crunch by repeating egg and breadcrumb dipping process, ensuring thick and uniform coating that stays crisp.
- Store unused breaded cheese sticks in freezer for up to one month, individually wrapped, for quick and convenient appetizer preparation anytime.
- Experiment with different seasoned breadcrumb variations like panko, herbs, or parmesan cheese to customize flavor profile and add exciting texture variations.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-8 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg