How To Make Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks: Tips And Tricks

You can use your air fryer to make mozzarella sticks. Moreover, you will be overjoyed that you did, as will any cheese-loving person you share them with. It is not difficult, but it does require some meticulous attention to detail to make pizza shop-worthy mozzarella sticks whenever you want in your own home.

How Does the Air Fryer Work?

As a result, the air fryer is a little piece of magic. It essentially functions as a countertop convection oven. However, because it is compact and powerful, it will get up to temperature and cook faster than your oven.

Because the air fryer works from the outside in, if you do not perform your prep work properly for these mozzarella sticks, you will have a hot mess on your hands. The sticks will explode inside your air fryer and stick to the inside. (Using aluminum foil to line the basket will prevent a mess, but the sticks will not cook evenly because the air will not flow through the foil.) Instead, spray a little nonstick spray on the pan.)

The Secret to Great Mozzarella Sticks

Coat your mozzarella sticks twice. Dip the mozzarella stick in the barely beaten egg, then the breadcrumbs, freeze for a bit of time, and then repeat the process to create a second coating before air frying. These actions are significant. Otherwise, the coating will slide right off when you put the cheese stick in the fryer. It violently detaches itself from the layer as if it were an exoskeleton or something. The mozzarella stick has been turned into a delectable snack. Also, it is a bit of a mess.

The added crunch and assurance that all stick sections are coated with the egg and panko mixture comes from double stacking. (Have you ever attempted to dip the cheese in an egg? It is a tricky situation. There is a lot more freezer time than you might think, but we promise they will not taste like ones you make from a box from the grocery store’s freezer area. It is well worth the effort.

***Refer to more: Best Recipe to Fry Corn Dogs in Air Fryer [Details Guideline]

Tips for Making Mozzarella Sticks

Pick your cheese sticks carefully.

Before air-frying, make sure everything is thoroughly frozen. Before air frying, make sure they are completely frozen; if they are even slightly wet in the freezer, they will not fry evenly. The coating will peel away. To the touch, the sticks should feel dry.

Make use of a nonstick spray. Before putting the sticks in the air fryer basket, spray them with nonstick spray oil. They will not stick to the basket this way, and the added oil will help them brown.

If you have a toaster oven/air fryer combo, place an extra rack underneath the fry basket and wrap it with foil to keep the mozzarella from dripping on the heating elements.

How to Stock Your Freezer With Mozzarella Sticks!

If you want to save mozzarella sticks for later, coat them as directed in the recipe, then freeze them solid after the second coating. Transfer to a zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to three months once frozen.

Reduce the temperature of your air fryer to 360°F and extend the cooking time to 8-10 minutes when you are ready to bake a batch. The solid, frozen cheese sticks will cook all the way through and become gooey due to this.

Ingredients Needed

– Mozzarella cheese sticks: use any brand you choose. Whole milk mozzarella cheese sticks have the most stringy cheese pull, although part-skim mozzarella cheese sticks will still work.

– All-purpose flour: this is the first stage of breading.

– Seasonings: kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, oregano powder, and paprika. For a wonderful twist, use smoked paprika.

– Eggs aid in the adhesion of the bread crumbs to the mozzarella sticks.

– Panko bread crumbs: Panko crumbs are used to add crunch to your dish. If desired, regular bread crumbs can be used instead.

– Olive oil spray: sprayed on the sticks before putting them in the air fryer to crisp them up.

How To Make Mozzarella Sticks In An Air Fryer

Breading bowls should be prepared ahead of time. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk the eggs thoroughly in a separate shallow bowl. Mix the Panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, oregano, and paprika in a third shallow bowl or pie plate until well blended.

Sticks of breaded mozzarella. Each mozzarella stick should be cut in half. Place a mozzarella stick in the flour, one at a time, and turn to coat thoroughly. Remove any extra flour before dipping the cheese stick into the egg mixture and covering it completely. Allow any remaining egg mixture to drip away. Place the cheese stick in the Panko breading and push the crumbs in.

Freeze. Freeze for 30 minutes after lining the coated cheese sticks onto a parchment-lined pan. Keep the egg mixture refrigerated between uses.

Continue the breading procedure. Remove the sticks from the freezer and re-dip them in the egg mixture before coating them in Panko crumbs. Return the ice cubes to the freezer for another 30-60 minutes.

Preheat the air fryer to 350°F. Preheat your air fryer for 5 minutes at 390°F (199°C). Using olive oil spray, coat the air fryer basket.

Sticks fried in the air Place the mozzarella sticks in a single layer in the bottom of the basket, leaving space between each stick. You will have to work in groups. Lightly mist the mozzarella sticks with olive oil spray. Cook for 5-8 minutes in the air fryer, or until the cheese has melted and the breading has crisped.

Tips and tricks

– Spray the basket with cooking spray. This keeps the cheese sticks from adhering together.

Spray with a non-aerosol product. Aerosol products might damage the lining of the air fryer basket.

– Cook everything in a single layer. The air must be able to circulate around the cheese sticks. They will be soggy rather than crispy if they are heaped on top of one another.

– Spray the cheese sticks with cooking spray. Before frying the cheese sticks,  always sprinkle the outsides with cooking spray. This allows them to turn a delicious golden brown and crispy.

– Experiment with seasonings. Season the breading with taco spice, cajun seasoning, or a dash of cayenne pepper to increase the heat.

***Read More: Can You Cook Two Things At Once In An Air Fryer? – An Informative Guidance

FAQs

#1. Why do I have to double-bread the sticks?

It is crucial to bread the cheese sticks twice for the most excellent crisp and get as close to fried mozzarella sticks as possible.

#2. How do I keep the breading from falling off?

When breading the cheese sticks, press the breading into the sticks firmly. After breading the cheese sticks, freezing them helps the breading stick.

#3. Can I skip the freezing steps?

The mozzarella sticks can be frozen to keep the cheese solid until the breading is crispy enough to hold the cheese within. Your cheese will flow out if you omit the chilling steps.

#4. I froze the mozzarella sticks but the cheese still melted out. What happened?

The sticks must be thoroughly coated with both the egg and the breading mixture. The coating is a sealant. The cheese will seep out if any parts are left untreated. A small amount of cheese may escape, but a good coating on the cheese stick will keep the majority of the cheese inside.

#5. How do I reheat the mozzarella sticks in an air fryer?

Place your mozzarella cheese sticks in the air fryer at 390°F for 3 minutes to warm.

#6. Can I freeze the mozzarella sticks to cook at a later time?

Uncooked mozzarella sticks can be frozen for up to three months. Please place them in a freezer-safe container once frozen in a single layer. They do not need to be thawed before cooking. Place frozen mozzarella sticks in an air fryer and cook according to the recipe card’s instructions, starting with step 10.

#7. How long should you air fry mozzarella sticks?

The mozzarella sticks only need 5-10 minutes to turn golden brown and tasty in the air fryer. People usually cook them for 5 minutes and then check to see if they require more time. Users flip them over and air fry for a further 5 minutes if the bottoms are browning faster than the tops.

#8. Do you need to preheat the air fryer?

Yes! Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit before adding the cheese sticks. This ensures that the outside begins to crisp up immediately. If you do not preheat the air fryer, the cheese will drip out before the outsides are crispy.

#9. Can you bake these mozzarella cheese sticks instead of air frying them?

Totally! If you do not have an air fryer, the mozzarella cheese sticks can be baked instead. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, then set the breaded cheese sticks on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.

***Read More: Home Tips: Can You Put Frozen Raw Meat In An Air Fryer?

Conclusion

The perfect appetizer, made healthier in the air fryer, is those Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks. Mozzarella cheese sticks are breaded and air fried till golden and crispy on the exterior and warm and gooey in the middle. Let’s give it a shot!