Air-Fried Mozzarella Sticks

These ooey, gooey mozzarella sticks are sure to impress. The best part: because they are air fried, they're better for you than their fried cousin! Season with garlic salt and serve with marinara sauce for dipping.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 35 mins
• Calories: 246 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• ¼ teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• 5 tablespoons cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon parsley flakes
• cooking spray
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, or as needed
• 5 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch strips

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place water, flour, cornstarch, cornmeal, garlic powder, and salt in a wide, shallow bowl; mix into a batter the consistency of pancake batter. Adjust ingredients if needed to get the right consistency.

Step 2

Stir panko, salt, pepper, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and basil together in another wide, shallow bowl.

Step 3

Lightly coat each mozzarella stick with flour. Dip each stick in the batter and toss in the panko mixture until fully coated. Place sticks in a single layer on a baking sheet. Freeze for at least 1 hour.

Step 4

Heat an air fryer to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) according to manufacturer's instructions. Place a row of mozzarella sticks in the fryer basket. Spray with a light coat of cooking spray. Cook sticks for 6 minutes. Open fryer and flip the sticks with tongs. Continue cooking until golden brown, 7 to 9 minutes.