How long to cook mozzarella sticks in air fryer & THE BEST Homemade Air Fryer Mozzarella Stick RECIPES
Do you need a quick, easy and delicious appetizer?! Are you a fan of gooey cheese? Homemade mozzarella sticks can be made with things you likely already have on hand and take no time at all to cook!
We love a good appetizer and homemade Mozzarella Sticks are an absolute favorite! We have been big fans of adding Mozza sticks to our meals at restaurants and even grabbing them as snacks at times going through fast food drive thrus, but nothing beats the fun and flavor of making them at home.
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What are Mozzarella sticks?
Mozzarella sticks (otherwise known as Mozza sticks, cheese sticks, or fried cheese sticks) are essentially pieces of mozzarella cheese, coated in an egg mixture, all purpose flour, bread crumbs, and/or panko breadcrumbs, and a little oil, or olive oil spray.
How long to cook mozzarella sticks in air fryer?
The cook time for Mozzarella sticks will vary depending on the strength of your air fryer, however, typical cook times in the air fryer are 5 to 7 minutes. Be sure to cook your cheese sticks from frozen for the best results.
This cook time is common for ready-made frozen mozzarella sticks that you buy from the grocery store as well as homemade mozzarella sticks.
WHY COOK MOZZARELLA STICKS IN THE AIR FRYER?
I grew up making cheese sticks in the deep fryer. They were a delicious snack but incredibly unhealthy. We have also made them in the oven many times over the years, carefully laying them in a single layer on our aluminum foil or prepared baking pan only to have the gooey cheese break out of the coatings as they cooked.
Cooking in the hot air of the air fryer seems to prevent the melty cheese from bubbling out, creates crisp and crunchy mozzarella sticks without drying them out, and overall has been the best way to ensure they come out just right.
Our Favorite Air Fryers:
TIPS FOR COOKING MOZZARELLA STICKS IN AIR FRYER
- When making homemade air fryer frozen mozzarella sticks, make sure to do roll them in your breadcrumb mixture a second time.
- Rather than seasoning with just garlic powder, salt and pepper, consider using Italian seasoning (maybe try different batches and see what you like best!)
- If you are looking for the easiest way to make mozzarella cheese sticks, use string cheese!
- Prepare your favorite marinara sauce (or other dipping sauce) ahead of time because you won’t want to wait to eat them once you catch sight of your delicious mozzarella sticks!
- An important thing to remember is to make sure to freeze your uncooked mozzarella sticks before placing them in the air fryer basket! This will help them end up as beautiful golden brown gooey mozzarella sticks, without them breaking as easily.
BEST TIME TO SERVE MOZZARELLA STICKS
Mozzarella sticks are the perfect easy snack for game day (or even the whole football season!), a perfectly paired appetizer before pizza, or on their own for happy hour! We serve them for:
- Game Day
- New Year’s Eve
- Christmas Eve (when we do a full buffet of finger foods!)
- Pasta meals
- Appetizers with pizza
- Sleepovers
If you love finger foods, you may like these: Bite Size Banana Bread Snacks
Our favorite homemade air cheese sticks recipes:
1. Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks – This is our favorite recipe (probably because it is the closest to our own!). Using seasoned breadcrumbs and cheese sticks simplifies the whole process! We do tend to use egg whites, as opposed to whole eggs, and that works just fine.
How long to cook mozzarella sticks in air fryer? Spend With Pennies says 4-7 minutes (checking at 4 minutes, but expecting 5-7 for frozen cheese sticks that were purchased.)
2. Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks – Another excellent recipe option for homemade Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks. This recipe has a super simple ingredient list and their double coating makes for a beautifully crisp coating!
How long to cook mozzarella sticks in air fryer? Amanda’s Cookin says 5 minutes!
3. Homemade Mozzarella Sticks – Another yummy option from recipethis.com. This is an easy recipe and we love the information showing the contrast between homemade and fast food!
How long to cook mozzarella sticks in air fryer? RecipeThis says 3 minutes!
4. Mozzarella Balls – A fun alternative to typical cheese sticks, these Mozzarella Balls are a yummy pop-in-your-mouth appetizer!
How long to cook mozzarella sticks in air fryer? Simply Stacie says 8 minutes!
5. Keto/Low Carb Mozzarella Sticks – This is a wonderful appetizer option for those who prefer a Keto or Low Carb appetizer! Keto air fryer mozzarella sticks use pork panko for a taste that’s out of this world! Learn the secrets for making deliciously melty mozzarella sticks without making a mess in the air fryer!
How long to cook mozzarella sticks in air fryer? Summer Yule says 6 minutes!
6. Vegan “Mozzarella” Sticks – The solution for the best Vegan “Mozzarella” Sticks you’ll ever find! Not only is this unique appetizer gluten-free and top-8 allergy-free, but oil-free too, since it’s baked or air fried but not “fried”! You’ll never guess what’s under the crispy coating in this healthy recipe!
How long to cook mozzarella sticks in air fryer? Strength and Sunshine says 15 minutes (but remember, this recipe is not using traditional breadcrumbs, so that is why it takes a bit longer!)
7. Frozen Mozzarella Sticks – Just wanting to cook some pre-made frozen mozzarella sticks?
How long to cook Mozzarella sticks in air fryer? Blue’s Best Life says cooking store bought frozen mozzarella sticks takes 7 minutes!
We absolutely love these recipes. We would love to tweak them and make them our own, and add different spices to the breadcrumb mix depending on our mood. We hope you have found the perfect recipe for your family!
Tag us on Instagram @momofkids so we can see how yours turned out!
How long to cook MozZarella Sticks in air fryer (and our favorite recipes!)
PIN FOR WHEN YOU’RE HUNGRY:
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