How To Cook Cheese Sticks In An Air Fryer For A Crispy Yet Gooey Bite

Have you ever pondered over making cheese sticks in an air fryer? The mystery is now unveiled! It’s simple to prepare, incredibly tasty, and far superior to any store-bought frozen options.

You read that correctly.

If you have an air fryer, you can make mozzarella sticks. And you and anyone else who likes cheese will be delighted that you shared them with them. In addition to paying attention to detail, it does not require much effort. in order to make mozzarella sticks at home that rival pizza shops.

Air Fryer: How Does It Work?

There’s something magical about air fryers. It’s a countertop convection oven. As a result of its size and power, it will heat up very quickly and cook pretty quickly as well.

You will literally have a hot mess on your hands if you don’t do your prep work carefully enough for these mozzarella sticks in the air fryer. Your air fryer will become stuck with sticks after they explode. (Although aluminum foil reduces messes, the sticks won’t cook evenly, since the air can’t circulate through it. Instead, spray the basket with nonstick spray.) New to the air fryer?

The Secret to Great Mozzarella Sticks

As my grandmother used to say, it’s not for nothing that this is a perplexing process. You don’t want to go through all of the trouble and have your air fryer ruined by cheese sticks that explode.

Double-coating your mozzarella sticks is the key.

To prepare the mozzarella sticks, dip them in the egg, then cover them in bread crumbs and freeze them for a few moments before air frying them. This is an essential step.

Once you pop the cheese stick into the fryer, the coating will slip right off. Sort of violently, it separates itself from the layer as if it were an exoskeleton. The mozzarella stick becomes inedible. In addition to being messy.

A double layer of egg and panko will provide even more crunch and ensure that every bit of the stick gets coated. (Have you ever attempted to dip cheese in egg? It’s slippery.) They take much longer to freeze than you expect but it’s worth it: they taste nothing like those that you buy in the freezer section at the grocery store. You’ll be glad you did.

Mozzarella Sticks: Tips For Making Them

Cheese sticks come in different shapes, sizes, and flavors. Cheese sticks that were full-fat and regular were used in this recipe. Low-fat sticks can also be used, but the texture is a bit rubbery. I cannot guarantee that nonfat mozzarella sticks will be fine.

Be sure they are completely frozen before you air fry them. Even a tiny bit of moisture in the freezer will cause them not to fry evenly. You will be able to peel off the coating immediately. Feel the sticks to make sure they are dry.

Before you put the sticks and basket in the air fryer, spray some nonstick spray oil on them. A little bit of extra oil helps brown them, so they don’t stick to the basket.

Consider working in batches if necessary. When I made all eight of these at once, they sometimes got stuck together, so I split the process into two.

Placing an additional rack under the fry basket and lining it with foil will prevent mozzarella from dripping onto your toaster oven/air fryer combo’s heating elements.

Mozzarella Sticks: How to Stock Your Freezer!

The mozzarella sticks can also be frozen for later use if you coat them according to the recipe a second time after they are coated. You can freeze them for three months once they are frozen.

When you’re ready to bake a batch, reduce the air fryer’s temperature to 360°F and increase the cooking time to 8-10 minutes. Solid, frozen cheese sticks will become gooey when cooked this way.

How To Cook Cheese Sticks In An Air Fryer

Those can be made and frozen in advance if you wish. Let the sticks freeze solid completely in the freezer after the second coating. You can store frozen sticks for up to 3 months in a zip-top bag. Make sure they are air-fried for 8 to 10 minutes at 360°F (instead of 390°F).

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• panko breadcrumbs,1 cup
• 1 large egg
• 8 mozzarella sticks
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Put wax paper on a baking sheet with a rim. In a shallow bowl, lightly beat the egg.
2. Make a second wide bowl by mixing together breadcrumbs, salt and Italian seasoning.

You can coat and freeze mozzarella sticks as follows:

1. Coat a mozzarella stick completely with beaten egg. Dip the stick completely into the bowl of breadcrumbs. We’re in for a mess. But, I’m okay with that.
2. Line them up so they don’t touch on a rimmed baking sheet covered with wax paper. Freeze for at least 1/2 hour, but no more than 1 hour.

Repeat the process of coating the mozzarella sticks and freezing them:

1. Coat a mozzarella stick completely with beaten egg. Dip the stick completely into the bowl of breadcrumbs. We’re in for a mess. But, I’m okay with that.
2. Line them up so they don’t touch on a rimmed baking sheet covered with wax paper. Freeze for at least 1/2 hour, but no more than 1 hour.

Repeat the process of coating the mozzarella sticks and freezing them:

1. Coat a mozzarella stick completely with beaten egg. Dip the stick completely into the bowl of breadcrumbs. We’re in for a mess. But, I’m okay with that.
2. Line them up so they don’t touch on a rimmed baking sheet covered with wax paper. Freeze for at least 1/2 hour, but no more than 1 hour.

How To Cook Your Cheese Sticks In An Air Fryer

1. The temperature should be set at 390°F for your air fryer. Spray nonstick cooking spray on the air fryer basket and the mozzarella sticks.
2.  Depending on the number of mozzarella sticks (and space), you may air fry them in batches until the exterior becomes golden and crispy.
3. Cool completely after removing from the fryer; eat right away!

Final Thoughts

If you have an air fryer, you can make mozzarella sticks. And you and anyone else who likes cheese will be delighted that you shared them with them. Having pizza shop-quality mozzarella sticks at home is not difficult, but it requires attention to detail.

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