Description
Crispy air fryer mozzarella sticks bring Italian-style comfort to snack time with golden, melty goodness. Breaded cheese melts perfectly inside a crunchy exterior, delivering irresistible flavor you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 8 mozzarella string cheese sticks
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup (240 ml) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (480 ml) seasoned panko breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Liquid and Binding Ingredients:
- 3 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
Instructions
- Meticulously unwrap each mozzarella stick, ensuring they are completely free from packaging.
- Whisk eggs in a shallow vessel until thoroughly blended, creating a smooth egg wash.
- Transfer flour into a spacious freezer bag or wide container, preparing for initial coating.
- Craft a seasoned Panko mixture by combining breadcrumbs, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and parmesan cheese, mixing until ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Roll each mozzarella stick generously in flour, thoroughly covering the entire surface.
- Submerge the flour-coated cheese into the egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off.
- Carefully enrobe the egg-drenched stick with the prepared Panko mixture, ensuring complete and even coverage.
- For enhanced crunchiness, repeat the egg and Panko coating process, creating a thick protective layer.
- Arrange the breaded mozzarella sticks on a chilled baking sheet, maintaining space between each piece.
- Transfer the sheet to the freezer and allow sticks to solidify for approximately one hour, preventing cheese from leaking during cooking.
- Warm the air fryer to 390ºF, creating an optimal cooking environment.
- Lightly mist the air fryer basket with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Carefully position the frozen sticks in the basket, avoiding overcrowding.
- Cook in batches for 5-7 minutes, rotating midway to ensure uniform golden-brown crispiness.
- Remove when exterior is beautifully crisp and golden, with cheese melted but contained.
- Plate immediately alongside warm marinara sauce for a delectable dipping experience.
Notes
- Freezing ensures these cheesy delights maintain their shape, preventing messy cheese explosions during air frying.
- Double-coating creates an irresistibly crunchy exterior that locks in the gooey mozzarella goodness.
- Room temperature cheese might leak, so keep sticks super cold before breading for perfect results.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 37g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 17g
- Cholesterol: 150mg