Air Fryer Frozen Mozzarella Sticks: Quick, Easy, Crispy!

Making frozen mozzarella sticks in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to create a delicious snack. It's a simple process that yields crispy, gooey cheese sticks that are perfect for dipping. With an air fryer, you can achieve that deep-fried taste and texture without the need for a lot of oil. The key is to cook the frozen cheese sticks straight from the freezer, ensuring a crisp exterior and a melted interior. The cooking time is short, and you can customise your sticks with a variety of dips and sauces.

Preheat the air fryer to 360-390°F/183-198°C

Preheating your air fryer is an important step in the mozzarella stick-making process. It ensures your cheese snacks achieve the desired level of crispiness and doneness. While some recipes suggest preheating to 390°F/198°C, others recommend a slightly lower temperature of 360°F/183°C. This lower temperature can help prevent your mozzarella sticks from splitting open and oozing out gooey cheese.

The duration of the preheat cycle is also worth noting. Some recipes advise preheating for 5 minutes, while others omit this detail. However, it's important to ensure your air fryer reaches the desired temperature before adding your frozen mozzarella sticks.

Additionally, it's worth mentioning that not all air fryers are created equal. The size, brand, and model of your air fryer can influence the ideal preheat temperature and duration. Therefore, it's recommended to refer to your air fryer's instructions and perform a test run to determine the optimal settings for cooking mozzarella sticks.

By following these guidelines and adjusting as needed for your specific air fryer, you'll be on your way to enjoying delicious, crispy, and gooey mozzarella sticks in no time!

Use a non-stick cooking spray

Using a non-stick cooking spray is a great way to ensure your mozzarella sticks don't stick to the air fryer basket and helps them brown nicely. You can use any variety of non-stick cooking spray, such as olive oil or another variety of your choice.

Some people choose to line their air fryer basket with parchment paper or foil instead of using a cooking spray, but this can prevent the hot air from circulating properly and may result in uneven cooking.

It's important to note that using a non-stick cooking spray is not mandatory when making frozen mozzarella sticks in an air fryer. In fact, some sources say that there is enough oil in the crust of the mozzarella sticks that you don't need to add any extra. However, if you want to ensure your sticks don't stick to the basket and promote even browning, a light coating of cooking spray can be helpful.

Simply spray the air fryer basket and the mozzarella sticks themselves with a light coating of your chosen non-stick cooking spray before placing them in the air fryer. This will help ensure your sticks come out crispy and golden brown, without any sticking or mess.

Place the frozen mozzarella sticks in a single layer

Placing the frozen mozzarella sticks in a single layer is an important step in the air-frying process. This is because it allows the hot air to fully circulate around the cheese sticks, ensuring even cooking. If the cheese sticks are stacked or crowded in the air fryer basket, they will cook unevenly. Therefore, it is recommended to cook them in smaller batches if necessary, to allow for proper air circulation.

When placing the frozen mozzarella sticks in the air fryer, it is also crucial to ensure that they do not overlap. This is because overlapping can interfere with the browning and crisping process. As a result, the cheese sticks may not achieve the desired level of crunchiness.

Additionally, spreading the cheese sticks out in a single layer helps to prevent them from sticking together. This way, you can easily remove them from the air fryer basket once they are cooked.

By following these simple steps, you can ensure that your frozen mozzarella sticks cook evenly and achieve the desired level of crispiness.

Air fry for 4-7 minutes

So, you've preheated your air fryer, sprayed the basket with cooking spray, and laid out your frozen mozzarella sticks in a single layer. Now it's time to air fry!

Air fry your mozzarella sticks for 4-7 minutes. Flip them halfway through cooking to ensure they cook evenly. You'll know they're done when they're golden brown and crispy. If you want your cheese to be extra gooey, look out for some cheese starting to ooze out—this is your sign that they're ready!

Depending on your air fryer model, you may need to adjust the timing. If you're using a different brand to Cosori, for example, you might need to add or subtract a minute.

Serve with your favourite sauce

There are many sauces that you can serve with your mozzarella sticks. Here are some ideas:

• Marinara sauce
• Ketchup
• BBQ sauce
• Ranch dressing
• Blue cheese dip
• Buffalo sauce
• Honey mustard sauce
• Fry sauce
• Bang bang sauce
• Hot sauce
• Pesto
• Chili garlic sauce
• Cocktail sauce
• Tzatziki
• Alfredo
• Thousand island dressing
• Chili garlic crunch
• Gravy
• Salsa

Frequently asked questions