Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks - They are Delicious and not Hard at all to Make
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Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks - They are Delicious and not Hard at all to Make
You can make mozzarella sticks in your deep fryer. And you, and anyone who loves the cheese you share them with, will be so glad you did.
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It's not difficult, but it does require a lot of attention to detail, so you can have pizza-worthy mozzarella sticks right in your own kitchen whenever you want.
How does the air fryer work?
So the deep fryer is a bit of magic. It is basically a convection oven that sits on the countertop.
But because it's small and powerful, it heats up to temperature faster than the oven, and it cooks pretty quickly, too.
The air fryer works from the outside in, which means if you don't do the prep work for these mozzarella sticks well enough, you'll literally have a hot mess on your hands.
The sticks will explode and stick to the inside of the fryer.
(Covering the basket with foil will make the mess easier, but the sticks won't cook evenly because air doesn't circulate through the foil. Use some nonstick spray instead.)
The secret to great mozzarella sticks
It is true that it is a somewhat painstaking process, but not for nothing, as my grandmother used to say.
TRUST ME. You do NOT want to go to that length and have those cheese sticks explode all over the fryer.
Here's the secret: DOUBLE COATING your mozzarella sticks
You have to dip the mozzarella stick into the lightly beaten egg and then into the breadcrumbs; freeze for a short time and repeat the process again to add a second layer before frying.
These steps are crucial.
Otherwise, the coating will slide right off the cheese stick as soon as you place it in the fryer. The cloak comes off violently, like it's an exoskeleton or something.
The mozzarella stick is edible. And also messy.
The double layers also provide an extra crunch and extra security that all parts of the stick are coated in the panko egg mixture.
Have you ever tried dipping cheese into an egg? That's a slippery proposition.
There's a lot more freezing time than you might think, but I promise they won't taste like the ones you make in a box you buy in the frozen section of the grocery store. Worth it.
Tips for Making Mozzarella Sticks
- Choose your cheese sticks wisely – not all cheese sticks are created equal. I used regular and full fat mozzarella sticks. You can also make it with low-fat chopsticks, but I found the texture to be slightly rubbery. I cannot guarantee what will happen to the fat-free mozzarella sticks.
- Freeze completely before frying – make sure they are frozen before frying; if they're a bit soggy in the freezer, they won't fry evenly. The coating will fall off immediately. The sticks should be dry to the touch.
- Use nonstick spray: Coat the basket and fryer sticks with a little nonstick cooking spray before placing them in the basket. That way they don't stick to the basket and a little more oil helps them brown.
- Work in batches if necessary. I didn't like the way they sometimes stuck together if I did all eight at once, so I divided the process into two batches.
- If you have a combination toaster/fryer, place an extra rack under the fry basket and cover it with aluminum foil to prevent mozzarella from dripping onto the heating elements.
How to fill your freezer with mozzarella sticks!
If you want to freeze the mozzarella sticks for later, cover them according to the recipe and let them freeze after the second layer.
Once frozen, transfer to a resealable plastic bag and freeze for up to three months.
When you are ready to bake a batch, reduce the fryer temperature to 360°F and increase the cook time to 8 to 10 minutes.
This will ensure that the frozen cheese sticks cook through and become sticky.
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 8 whole milk (or low-fat) mozzarella sticks
Method
Do the prep work:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly beat the egg in a wide, shallow bowl.
Combine the Italian seasoning, salt, and breadcrumbs in a second wide, shallow bowl.
Cover the mozzarella sticks and freeze them:
Dip a mozzarella stick into the beaten egg, covering completely. Dip toothpick into bowl of breadcrumbs and cover completely.
This is going to be confusing. It's okay.
Transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and line them up so they are not touching.
Freeze for 1/2 hour minimum, 1 hour maximum.
Cover the mozzarella sticks again and freeze them again:
Take the mozzarella sticks out of the freezer, dip them in the egg and then in the breadcrumb mixture and freeze for another 1/2 hour minimum, 1 hour maximum.
Fry the mozzarella sticks:
Set your fryer to 390°F. Spray the fryer basket and mozzarella sticks with nonstick cooking spray.
Fry the mozzarella sticks (in batches if desired or needed as space allows) for 6 to 8 minutes until the outside is golden brown and crisp.
Attend:
Remove from the fryer, allow to cool long enough to avoid burning your tongue, and eat immediately.
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