Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks (Printable)

Golden, crispy mozzarella sticks with crunchy coating, cooked quickly in an air fryer for a cheesy snack.

# What you need:

→ Cheese

01 - 12 mozzarella string cheese sticks

→ Breading

02 - 1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
03 - 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

→ Coating

04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 2 tbsp milk
06 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

→ Seasonings (optional)

07 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
08 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
09 - 1/4 tsp salt
10 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ For Serving

11 - 1 cup marinara sauce, warmed

# How to make it:

01 - Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice each mozzarella stick in half to yield 24 shorter sticks, if preferred.
02 - Arrange three shallow bowls: one with flour, one with beaten eggs combined with milk, and one with mixed Italian-style breadcrumbs, panko, and seasonings.
03 - Dredge each mozzarella stick in flour, shaking off excess. Dip into the egg mixture, then coat evenly with the breadcrumb mixture.
04 - For added crispness and to prevent cheese leakage, repeat dipping in egg mixture and breadcrumb coating a second time.
05 - Arrange the coated sticks on the prepared baking sheet and freeze for at least one hour until solid.
06 - Preheat the air fryer to 390°F.
07 - Place frozen mozzarella sticks in a single layer inside the air fryer basket. Lightly spray with cooking oil. Air fry for 6 to 8 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and crisp but cheese is just beginning to melt without oozing.
08 - Serve immediately accompanied by warmed marinara sauce.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're legitimately crispy on the outside without any of the grease or mess of deep frying.
  • You can make a huge batch ahead and freeze them, so you're always ready for unexpected guests or cravings.
  • At under 10 minutes of actual cooking, they're faster than delivery.
02 -
  • The freezing step is absolutely essential—I learned this the hard way when my first batch leaked cheese everywhere because I skipped it to save time.
  • Double breading really does make the difference between good and incredible; it's the one thing that separates homemade from subpar.
03 -
  • Use a light hand with the cooking oil spray—too much and they get greasy, too little and the coating can stick to the basket, so just a quick 2-second pass is perfect.
  • The moment they come out of the air fryer is the best moment; resist the urge to eat one immediately because the cheese is molten inside and will burn your mouth, but the wait is somehow worth it.
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