Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks with Marinara Dipping Sauce
Soft, gooey, melted mozzarella cheese inside a crispy and lightly crunchy golden brown exterior is what you have with this quick and EASY mozzarella cheese sticks recipe! Pair them with my herb-flavored marinara sauce for dipping! The perfect appetizer for your next game day party, casual entertaining event, or just a tv night at home because everyone LOVES these!
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time8 minutesmins
Chill Time30 minutesmins
Total Time48 minutesmins
Course: Air Fryer
Cuisine: Appetizers
Keyword: air fryer cheese sticks, air fryer mozzarella sticks, homemade mozzarella sticks air fryer, how long to cook mozzarella sticks air fryer, how to cook mozzarella sticks air fryer, mozzarella sticks recipe air fryer, sauce for mozzarella cheese sticks
Servings: 24
Calories: 102kcal
Author: Averie Sunshine
Ingredients
Mozzarella Sticks
12mozzarella low-moisture string cheese stickshalved (I like the Sargento brand)
½cupall-purpose flour
1tablespooncornstarch
2large eggsbeaten
1cupbreadcrumbsI use regular, panko may be substituted for extra crunchy sticks
½cupgrated Parmesan cheese
1teaspoongarlic powder
1teaspoononion powder
1teaspoondried oregano
1teaspoondried basil
½teaspoonsaltor to taste
½teaspoonfreshly ground black pepperor to taste
Cooking spray
Marinara Dipping Sauce
1tablespoonolive oil
2clovesgarlicminced
1cupmarinara sauce
1teaspoondried oregano
1teaspoondried basil
½teaspoonsaltor to taste
½teaspoonfreshly ground black pepperor to taste
Instructions
Mozzarella Sticks
Unwrap the cheese sticks and cut them in half so you have 24 pieces.
To a medium shallow bowl, add the flour, cornstarch, and mix to combine; set aside.
In a separate medium shallow bowl, add the eggs, and lightly beat them; set aside.
In a separate medium shallow bowl, add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and stir to combine.
Take one piece of cheese and dip it through the flour mixture to coat all sides, then a brief dip in the egg, and then dip in the breadcrumbs mixture. Tip - Make sure to really get a nice even coat especially with the breadcrumbs. This will keep the cheese from exploding in the air fryer and will keep it in the stick shape. If there are a lot of patches then the cheese will ooze out.
Place the coated piece of cheese on a plate and repeat with the remaining 23 pieces.
Place the plate in the freezer for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours. Tip - Do not skip this step because if you try to air fry without doing it, the cheese will become so warm it will melt so much it will ooze out before the outer coating would have a chance toc crisp up to a nice golden browned color, so do not skip chilling! Make-Ahead and Freeze - If you want to make a double batch and freeze half (or are putting half of one batch into the freezer rather than air frying all 24 pieces), simply add the cheese sticks to a ziptop freezer bag or freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Remember, you should freeze cheese sticks that have NOT yet been airfried. When you do go to air fry them, you'll want to add 2-3 minutes of total air frying time, or as necessary, since they will be very cold.
When you're ready to air fry, preheat your air fryer to 400F, spray the air fryer basket well with cooking spray, place the chilled cheese sticks in an even, single layer (do not crowd), spray with cooking spray, shut the basket drawer, and air fry for about 6 to 8 minutes, stopping to check and flip once midway through. Tips - Since all air fryers have a slightly different heat output, cooking time will vary. You will likely need to air fry in TWO batches because even an XL air fryer basket likely isn't large enough to accomodate all 24 pieces at once. If you crowd them, the air can't circulate, and then the cheese sticks won't crisp up nicely. Make sure to use cooking spray, sprayed generously, because that little bit of oil is necessary to really allow the breadcrumbs and cheese coating mixture to turn golden and crispy. If in doubt, give another spray, and remember to spray again when flipping.
While the cheese sticks are air frying, optionally (but recommended), make the herb marinara sauce.
Marinara Dipping Sauce
To a small saucepan, add the olive oil, garlic, and saute over medium-high heat for about 1 minute, or until garlic is fragrant; stir nearly continuously.
Add the marinara sauce, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and simmer over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until warmed through and slightly thickened.
Serve the cheese sticks warm and fresh with the warm herb marinara dipping sauce, or as desired. Ranch or blue cheese dressing are also good options for dipping.
Notes
Storage and Reheating - Cheese sticks are best warm and fresh. Leftovers will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days. I reheat them in the. microwave on high for about 15-30 seconds. However, note that they will not stay crispy and crunchy after sealed in a container and then reheated. You can try to "revive" them and re-crisp them by placing them in the air fryer again for a few minutes, or oven-baking them at 350-400F for a couple of minutes, or as necessary. Extra marinara sauce will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days. Making Without an Air Fryer - Please read the blog post but you can do it, and if you have a convection oven, that's preferred to a regular oven, but both will work. Dredge, batter, and chill the cheese sticks exactly the same. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400F, and bake on a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet for easier cleanup. Spray both the baking sheet and the cheese sticks with cooking spray, and baked for about 8 minutes, or as necessary. Flip once halfway through.