With basically no prep & 4 minutes of cooking you can make delicious golden brown Air Fryer Frozen Mozzarella Sticks. Perfectly cooked and ready to serve with your favorite dipping sauces!
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Kids and adults all love the taste of mozzarella sticks - and I am definitely no exception! I love having a bag in the freezer for a quick snack together with my favorite barbecue sauce. And air fryer mozzarella sticks are even easier to make!
Why you will love this recipe
- It's the best way to cook frozen mozzarella sticks
- Quicker than making them in the oven
- Less greasy than frying
- Super easy and done in 4 minutes + 5 minutes of preheating
What you need to make them
Ingredient notes
- Frozen mozzarella sticks can be store bought or homemade. The thicker the breading, the easier to keep the cheese from oozing out. A few good store brands are TGI Friday's Mozzarella Sticks, Great Value Mozzarella Sticks and Farm Rich Mozzarella Sticks.
- Frozen mozzarella sticks can be swapped for other frozen cheese sticks
- Vegetable oil can be swapped for cooking spray, or skipped, and mainly adds a nice touch of color
How to Air Fry Frozen Mozzarella Sticks
- Brush the mozzarella sticks with oil
- Place mozzarella sticks in the basket, in a single layer
- Air fry 2 minutes at 360°F (180°C), then shake them around and air fry 2 more minutes
Tips & tricks
- Preheat your air fryer for the best result
- Don't defrost the mozzarella sticks but cook them straight from frozen
- Cook mozzarella sticks in one layer for an even cook. If making a lot, cook them in batches.
- Shake the mozzarella sticks around halfway for an even cook
- Cook time can vary with different air fryers
- Don't overcook them, to avoid the cheese oozing out
- To check if they are done, grab a mozzarella stick and squeeze it gently, if it's done it should feel a bit soft inside - like a stuffed animal!
- Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days - but I recommend not air frying more than you will finish
- Reheat leftovers in the air fryer at 360°F (180°C) for 2 minutes
Recipe FAQ
It will generally take 4 minutes, but the time can vary depending on the thickness of the mozzarella sticks and your specific air fryer model.
Do not to air fry them too long, or you risk the cheese oozing out. I recommend starting with one mozzarella stick to gauge the time, before air frying them all.
I recommend cooking frozen mozzarella sticks at 360°F (180°C).
If the air fryer is too hot it's more difficult to find the exact right spot where they are crispy and heated through, but the cheese has not started to ooze out.
This is prone to happen, any way you cook them. There are two main ways to avoid this:
1. Thicker breading to help keep that cheese inside
2. Not overcooking them since too-hot cheese is what breaks through the breading
This recipe has been tested with mozzarella sticks with a very thin breading, so the times recommended here should help avoid this regardless of which type you use.
However, all air fryers are different, so if you're worried about this, try air frying just one of them first to determine the optimal time for your air fryer.
Sauces to serve with mozzarella sticks
Looking for some delicious, quick, and easy to make sauces to dip your mozzarella sticks in? Here are a few of my favorites:
Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.
Recipe
Air Fryer Frozen Mozzarella Sticks
Print RateIngredients
- 6 frozen mozzarella sticks
- ½ teaspoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- Brush the frozen mozzarella sticks with oil, then spread them out in a single layer in the air fryer basket.6 frozen mozzarella sticks, ½ tsp vegetable oil
- Air fry at 360°F (180°C) for 4 minutes, shaking them around once halfway.
- Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce!
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
- Pastry brush* (optional)
Notes
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Frozen mozzarella sticks can be store bought or homemade. The thicker the breading, the easier to keep the cheese from oozing out. A few good store brands are TGI Friday's Mozzarella Sticks, Great Value Mozzarella Sticks and Farm Rich Mozzarella Sticks.
- Frozen mozzarella sticks can be swapped for other frozen cheese sticks
- Vegetable oil can be swapped for cooking spray, or skipped, and mainly adds a nice touch of color
Tips & tricks
- Preheat your air fryer * for the best result
- Don't defrost the mozzarella sticks but cook them straight from frozen
- Cook mozzarella sticks in one layer for an even cook. If making a lot, cook them in batches.
- Shake the mozzarella sticks around halfway for an even cook
- Cook time can vary with different air fryers
- Don't overcook them, to avoid the cheese oozing out
- To check if they are done, grab a mozzarella stick and squeeze it gently, if it's done it should feel a bit soft inside - like a stuffed animal!
- Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days - but I recommend not air frying more than you will finish
- Reheat leftovers in the air fryer * at 360°F (180°C) for 2 minutes
How do you keep the cheese from oozing out from mozzarella sticks in the air fryer?
This is prone to happen, any way you cook them. There are two main ways to avoid this: 1. Thicker breading to help keep that cheese inside2. Not overcooking them since too-hot cheese is what breaks through the breading This recipe has been tested with mozzarella sticks with a very thin breading, so the times recommended here should help avoid this. However, all air fryers are different, so if you're worried about this, try air frying just one of them first to determine the optimal time for your air fryer.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
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