Air Fryer Mozzarella Bites (2024)

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I love the idea of cooking with less oil and fat. And, the added bonus of not having to turn on the oven especially during the heat of summer, really appeals to me.

Check out my Air Fryer Tortellini for another great appetizer idea!

I have many people ask me about my favorite Air Fryer. And, my answer is always, the COSORI 5.8 quart.

I have two styles of air fryer, this drawer COSORI one, and a Breville counter top toaster oven style. Though I love them both, I do think that if you just want an Air fryer, the COSORI is the way to go!

For starters, this countertopappliance is a sturdy and sizeable tool, with a sleek elegant brushed matte black finish. Thisheavy-duty machine can accommodate5.8 quarts inside, making servings for 3-5 people, and has temperature settings from 170° to 400° F.

The COSORI Air Fryer 5.8-quart has an easy to read and use control panel.

This air fryer will be a lifesaver when the football starts again. I mean, delicious crispy foods with 85% fewer calories than deep-frying.

Just think of all the goodies I can make for tailgating snacks month, like Southwestern Egg Rolls, Crispy Tortellini, and Vegetable Egg Rolls all done in the Air Fryer!

It’s easy to adapt oven recipes to the Air Fryer.

Simply lower the temperature by 25° F, and cut the cooking time down by 20%.

For example, if a recipe calls for 350° F for 20 minutes, simply air fry at 325° F for just 16 minutes.

Of course, you’ll want to check this and make sure your food is done to your liking.

I did a second test of the COSORI Air Fryer with store-bought tater tots.

The package directions called for 425° F for 20 minutes. I set the Air Fryer to 400° F and cooked the tots for only 10 minutes.

They were crispy, crunchy, and delicious! Amazing!

The air fryer is a 1700 watt machine, whereas my oven is a 7800 watt machine. That’s a significant difference in electricity usage.

Plus the fact that I only had to cook the tots for half as long as I would’ve in the oven. Another significant electricity savings.

And, the air fryer definitely doesn’t heat up the house the same way the oven does.

With rapid air circulation both preheating and cooking are faster than the oven.

Looking for a healthy low carb tot? Try my Cottage Cheese Cauliflower Tots.

I decided that the best way to test out the appliance was to cook a recipe from the cookbook that’s included with the machine.

I chose the “Fried” Mozzarella Bites from page 64.

They were amazing. Crunchy on the outside. Cheesy on the inside. Not greasy at all (like so many you get at restaurants).

I actually prefer these homemade air fryer mozzarella balls to those that you get at restaurants. These were way better!

After spending some time withtheCOSORIair fryer I can confidently say that I’m in love with this machine!

This 5.8-quart model is a great product at an affordable price. You can buy this (affiliate link) COSORI 5.8-quart Air Fryer on Amazon.

Who doesn’t love a good stringy crunchy on the outside, gooey on the inside Cheese Stick!

And, when they’re made in the Air Fryer with no mess, way less fat and calories, and no greasy taste, this is a win-win!

This recipe is an easy to make, super tasty side dish, appetizer, or snack that your whole family will love!

These are also a great make ahead recipe.

Simply cut up the cheese, bread it, and pop them in the freezer. They can hang out there until you’re ready to cook them up.

This makes them great for serving at parties!

They make a great cheesy treat for tailgating, game day, birthday parties, summer pool parties, or holiday gatherings.

How to make cheese bites in the air fryer! These are really easy. Just grab a handful of those packaged cheese sticks, (you know the ones you toss into the kids’ lunches) and cut them into thirds.

The full printable recipe ingredients and instructions are available in therecipe card at the bottom of the post.You can find important tips and tricks in the post.

I always have the low-fat string cheese sticks around for my husband to snack on, so that’s what I went with for this recipe!

Mix up three bowls of coatings.

One for the flour mixture. One for the egg mixture, and a third bowl for the Panko breadcrumbs.

Panko is Japanese breadcrumbs. It’s lighter and flakier than regular breadcrumbs, and they absorb less oil. They are perfect for the air fryer, because after “frying” they result in an incredibly crunchy texture.
Mix up three bowls of coatings.

One for the flour mixture. One for the egg mixture, and a third bowl for the Panko breadcrumbs.

Panko is Japanese breadcrumbs. It’s lighter and flakier than regular breadcrumbs, and they absorb less oil. They are perfect for the air fryer, because after “frying” they result in an incredibly crunchy texture.

If you don’t have Panko and don’t want to buy any, yes, breadcrumbs will work.

Dip the cheese in the flour, then in the egg, in the breadcrumbs, and then double dip into the egg and breadcrumbs again.

Set the coated cheese on a parchment lined baking sheet immediately after coating it, and set the coated cheeses in the freezer while you preheat the air fryer, or until you’re ready to cook them.

Some people from other countries may not have or be familiar with the string cheese in this recipe.

Manufacturers package mozzarella into one ounce packages so they are a single serving. And, most kids peel the cheese apart making it “string” cheese.

Here’s a link to Amazon that hopefully will work in your country so you can see what I mean.

But basically it’s just mozzarella sticks. If you can’t find those prepackaged sticks, just chop a block of mozzarella into about 1 or 2 inch cubes.

Babybels are mini rounds or balls of Edam cheese.

Edam, which is of Dutch origin, is a creamy semi-hard cow’s milk or sometimes goat’s milk cheese, with a nutty grassy flavor.

Mini Babybel comes in a net bag, with each piece wrapped in red wax coating. Side note, when I was a kid and got Babybels in my lunch box I always saved the red wax and molded it into little figures; the heat from your hands melts the wax so it’s nicely moldable.

I grabbed the original flavor at the store. The net bag has six balls of cheese in the 4.5-ounce bag, and I followed the recipe as it was.

I am very impressed with the fried Babybel cheese in the air fryer. That soft creamy cheese inside the crunchy bread coating was amazing. These were perfect! I suspect that any of the flavors would work well in this recipe.

So, yes, you can air fry Babybel, and with great success! I’ll be making these again and again. I think it’d be fun to try all the Babybel flavors.

I’ve been asked by readers if you can air fry those pre-made frozen mozzarella bites. I hear that the most popular brand is Farm Rich mozzarella bites.

Yes, you can cook those frozen premade ones in the air fryer from frozen.

Preheat the air fryer to 350° F.

Simply arrange the mozzarella balls in a single layer in the air fryer. This should be anywhere from 4 to 8 pieces depending on the size of your air fryer. And cook at 350° F for 6-7 minutes.

That is, of course, if you want to cook the pre-made bites, and not make air fried mozzarella balls from scratch. The homemade from scratch bites are economical and so tasty!

Don’t forget to serve your Mozzarella Sticks with some optional dipping sauces. Try homemade marinara sauce, Cottage Cheese Ranch, or Skinny Ranch dressing!

Or try a new flavor and go with my Candied Jalapeno Ranch!