Frozen Mozzarella Sticks in the Air Fryer

Name: Frozen Mozzarella Sticks in the Air Fryer
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 8 min
Ingredients: 8 frozen breaded mozzarella sticks; Oil spray or olive oil

Cooking frozen mozzarella sticks in the air fryer is the quickest and easiest way to get your cheese fix! The breading comes out so crispy and the inside is gooey, melty, and stringy! These are ready in just 8 minutes from start to finish!

Two rows of cheese sticks in an air fryer basket.

Fried cheese is my jam. I love it. All shapes and all sizes of fried cheese are good with me.

I have made lots of fried cheese in my air fryer before. Air fryer cheese curds and air fryer mozzarella sticks (from scratch) are a favorite around here.

But sometimes, you want fast and easy. For fast and easy, you go with frozen foods. For frozen foods, you go with the air fryer. Simple rules to live by, right?

This is exactly the reason I am sharing how to make air fryer frozen mozzarella sticks. It is a critical life skill, in my opinion! 😉

Table of Contents

Ingredient Notes:

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Cheese sticks – We’ve tested a few brands and they all work well. Just shop the freezer section and grab a box that looks good to you.

Oil Spray – We use an oil mister to spray olive oil on the frozen mozzarella sticks. It helps crisp them up in the air fryer.

Air Fryer Recommendation:

We’ve tested multiple air fryers to find the absolute best and the one that we keep coming back to is the Cosori. It cooks quietly, it doesn’t force a preheat cycle, and it just works time and time again. We find this 5.8 qt size to be the perfect size for our family of 4. It doesn’t take up a ton of space on the counter, but the basket is a good size and can easily fit enough chicken breasts or frozen french fries for the 4 of us.

You can also purchase this accessory kit for your air fryer, to allow you to cook all kinds of things like egg bites, casseroles, and more.

How to Make Frozen Cheese Sticks in the Air Fryer:

Arrange – Place the mozzarella sticks in a single layer.
Spritz – A light spritz of oil will help things crisp up.
Air Fry – 390 degrees for 5-7 minutes.

Helpful Tip- You’ll know the insides of the frozen mozzarella sticks are hot and melty when you start to see little bits of cheese oozing out of the breading. Once you see a few spots of that, you’re good to pull your air fryer frozen mozzarella sticks out and serve them up.

Mozzarella sticks and marinara on a small black plate.

FAQ:

What dip is best for mozzarella sticks?

Traditionally you would use marinara sauce. Second to that, is ranch dressing for sure. I am going to offer up a couple of different options for you though, with chili sauce and Southwestern ranch dressing. Both options are different from “normal” but absolutely amazing!

What are mozzarella sticks made of?

Mozzarella sticks are made by coating string cheese in a mixture of flour, breadcrumbs, and seasoning.

Should I thaw frozen mozzarella sticks before cooking?

No, you want the mozzarella sticks to be fully frozen before placing them in the air fryer. This will ensure that the cheese doesn’t melt before the breading has crisped up.

How long to cook mozzarella sticks in the air fryer:

If your air fryer is NOT preheated, it should take about 7 minutes at 390 degrees. When making subsequent batches or with a preheated air fryer, it’ll take closer to 5 minutes.

You’ll know when the mozzarella sticks are done when little bits of cheese start to pop through the breading.

Woman dipping a cheese stick in marinara.

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