Description
Mozzarella Dreams brings crispy, golden cheese magic straight from your air fryer to the plate. Melty, irresistible bites promise pure comfort with minimal effort for cheese enthusiasts seeking quick culinary satisfaction.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 8 mozzarella cheese sticks
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Cooking Accessories:
- Non-stick cooking spray
Instructions
- Prepare cheese sticks by unwrapping and positioning them on a parchment-lined tray, ensuring they are not touching.
- Freeze cheese sticks for a minimum of 60 minutes until completely solidified, preventing potential melting during cooking process.
- Create three distinct preparation stations using shallow dishes: first with flour, second with whisked eggs, third with seasoned breadcrumb mixture containing panko, parmesan, garlic powder, Italian herbs, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Individually coat each frozen cheese stick by first rolling in flour, removing excess, then thoroughly dipping in egg wash, and finally generously rolling in seasoned breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to ensure complete coverage.
- Return coated mozzarella sticks to parchment tray and return to freezer for an additional 15-25 minutes to stabilize breading.
- Activate air fryer and preheat to 400F for approximately 5 minutes to ensure optimal cooking temperature.
- Lightly spritz air fryer basket with non-stick cooking spray to prevent potential sticking.
- Arrange breaded cheese sticks in a single layer within air fryer basket, maintaining space between each piece, and delicately mist tops with cooking spray.
- Air fry for 6-8 minutes, rotating halfway through cooking time, until exterior achieves a crispy, golden-brown appearance.
- Transfer immediately to serving plate and accompany with preferred dipping sauce like marinara or ranch for maximum enjoyment.
Notes
- Freeze cheese sticks thoroughly to prevent melting and maintain shape during cooking.
- Create a crispy, flavorful coating by using panko breadcrumbs mixed with Parmesan and seasonings for extra crunch and taste.
- Double-coating technique ensures a thicker, more robust breading that stays put during air frying.
- Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket to achieve maximum crispiness and even golden-brown color on each mozzarella stick.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg