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American

Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks

String cheese is breaded, frozen so it holds together, then air-fried until the crust is brown and the center is just molten.

Prep
20 min
Cook
8 min
Total
28 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
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Golden mozzarella sticks on a plate with a small bowl of marinara

Why you’ll love it

  • Freeze the breaded sticks or the cheese leaks.
  • One layer in the basket.
  • 390°F is hot enough to set the crust.
  • Marinara is for dipping, not a sauce bath.

Ingredients

Servings4

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

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Instructions

  1. 1

    Cut each stick in half. Set up three bowls: flour, egg beaten with the water, and breadcrumbs mixed with Parmesan, garlic powder, and salt.

  2. 2

    Coat each piece in flour, egg, then breadcrumbs. Press the crumbs on. Freeze 20 minutes.

  3. 3

    Heat the air fryer to 390°F. Spray the basket and the sticks lightly with oil.

  4. 4

    Cook 6 to 8 minutes, turning once, until deep gold. The cheese should be soft, not running out.

  5. 5

    Rest 1 minute. Serve with warm marinara.

Pro tips

  • If cheese leaks, the sticks needed more freezer time.
  • Do not stack them. Crowding steams the crust.
  • Panko gives a rougher crust than fine breadcrumbs.

Easy substitutions

String cheese
A firm block of mozzarella cut into batons
Marinara
Pizza sauce or a garlic yogurt dip

Storage and reheating

Storage

Best the day they are fried. Refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days.

Reheating

Air-fry at 370°F for 3 to 4 minutes. The crust will not be as crisp as the first fry.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
290
Protein
16 g
Carbs
20 g
Fat
16 g
Fiber
1 g

Moderate · Air Fryer

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From the kitchen

Kitchen tools we love

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

    Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.

  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

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Ingredients