Air Fryer
Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks
Mozzarella sticks from frozen in six minutes, with a two-minute garlic tomato dip. Includes the reason you must never thaw them first.
Ingredients
- 1 x 350g bag frozen breaded mozzarella sticks
- 200g passata or shop-bought marinara
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- Small handful basil leaves
- Grated parmesan, to serve
Method
- Do not thaw. Take the mozzarella sticks straight from the freezer. Thawed sticks split open in the basket and the cheese runs out.
- Air fry. Arrange in a single layer with space between each stick and cook at 195°C (385°F) for 5-7 minutes, until the crumb is deep gold and the cheese is just starting to bulge.
- Warm the dip. Warm the passata with the grated garlic and oregano in a small pan for 2 minutes.
- Serve. Serve immediately with the dip, torn basil and a little grated parmesan.
Notes
- Never thaw them. Frozen is not a shortcut here, it is the technique - the crumb has to set before the cheese melts.
- Pull them the moment the cheese starts to bulge. Thirty seconds more and it escapes.
- Single layer only. Stacked sticks fuse together.
- Air fryer models vary. Treat the times as a guide, go by colour and crispness, and adjust the seasoning to your taste.
Watch it
More Air Fryer Cheese
Air fryer models vary in power and basket size, so treat the times here as a guide — go by colour and crispness rather than the clock, and adjust the seasoning and glaze to your taste.
Recipe source: Method corroborated across published air-fryer recipes (Air Fryer World, Foolproof Living, Paint The Kitchen Red and others): frozen mozzarella sticks cooked straight from frozen at 195°C (385°F) for 5-7 minutes in a single layer. Every source agrees they must not be thawed.