Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks (Printable)

Golden mozzarella sticks with a zesty marinara dip, cooked in the air fryer for a crispy texture.

# What You Need:

→ Cheese

01 - 12 mozzarella string cheese sticks

→ Breading

02 - 1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
03 - 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
04 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
06 - 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
07 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Coating

09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 2 tablespoons milk
11 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

→ Marinara Dip

12 - 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
13 - 1 clove garlic, minced
14 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
15 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
17 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
18 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Unwrap mozzarella sticks and cut each in half to create 24 bite-sized pieces if desired. Arrange on a parchment-lined tray and freeze for at least 1 hour until completely firm.
02 - Arrange three shallow bowls in order: first with all-purpose flour, second with eggs whisked together with milk, and third with combined Italian-style breadcrumbs, panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, oregano, basil, black pepper, and salt.
03 - Working quickly with frozen cheese, coat each piece thoroughly in flour, then dip in egg mixture, and roll in breadcrumb mixture. For enhanced crispiness, repeat the egg and breadcrumb coating steps a second time.
04 - Place all breaded mozzarella pieces on a parchment-lined tray and return to freezer for 30 minutes to prevent cheese from leaking during air frying.
05 - Set air fryer to 400°F and preheat for 3 minutes.
06 - Arrange breaded mozzarella pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket without overlapping. Lightly spray with cooking oil and air fry at 400°F for 6 to 8 minutes, shaking basket halfway through cooking, until golden brown and crispy. Remove immediately and keep warm.
07 - Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic until fragrant, approximately 30 seconds. Add crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes if using. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Transfer hot mozzarella sticks to serving platter and serve immediately with warm marinara dip on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They come out impossibly crispy without a single drop of deep frying oil, which means you can eat them guilt-free.
  • The homemade marinara tastes so fresh and garlicky that store-bought dips suddenly feel pointless.
  • Once you nail the freezing step, these become your secret weapon for impressing people at parties.
02 -
  • If you skip the second freeze, your cheese will leak out during cooking and you'll have a tragic situation on your hands—I learned this the hard way.
  • The double coating really does make a difference between good and show-stopping, so don't cheap out on this step even though it feels excessive.
  • Remove the sticks immediately when they're done because they continue cooking slightly from residual heat, and overcooked mozzarella sticks get rubbery fast.
03 -
  • Buying a pack of mozzarella sticks and keeping them frozen means you're always four minutes away from impressing someone.
  • The double-coat technique is what restaurants use, and it's the secret nobody talks about—it creates a craspy shell that stays intact.
  • If you're reheating leftovers the next day, give them two minutes in the air fryer at 350 degrees to restore the crispiness without overcooking the cheese.
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