Description
Homemade crispy mozzarella sticks deliver restaurant-quality appetizers with minimal effort. Golden breaded cheese melts perfectly when you follow simple steps for an irresistible snack.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 mozzarella string cheese sticks
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups (480 ml) seasoned panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup (240 ml) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 3 tbsps (45 ml) olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preparation: Unwrap mozzarella sticks completely, ensuring no packaging remains.
- Coating Setup: Whisk eggs in a shallow dish, then prepare seasoned Panko mixture by combining breadcrumbs, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and parmesan cheese.
- Initial Breading: Roll each mozzarella stick in flour, dip thoroughly in egg wash, and coat generously with seasoned Panko, repeating the egg and breadcrumb process for an extra crispy layer.
- Freezing Stage: Arrange breaded sticks on a chilled baking sheet, maintaining spacing, and freeze for one hour to prevent cheese leakage during cooking.
- Air Frying Preparation: Preheat air fryer to 390ºF, lightly mist basket with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Cooking Process: Place frozen sticks in air fryer basket, avoiding overcrowding, and cook in batches for 5-7 minutes, rotating midway to achieve uniform golden-brown crispiness.
- Serving: Remove when exterior is crisp and golden, with cheese melted but contained, and plate immediately with warm marinara sauce for optimal enjoyment.
Notes
- Freeze Before Frying: Freeze mozzarella sticks for at least one hour to prevent cheese from melting and leaking during cooking.
- Coating Technique: Double-coat the sticks with egg wash and Panko for extra crunchiness and a thicker, more protective layer.
- Batch Cooking: Air fry in small batches to maintain even cooking and prevent overcrowding, ensuring crispy golden exterior.
- Temperature Control: Heat air fryer precisely to 390ºF for optimal golden-brown crispiness without burning the breading.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5-7 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg