Air Fryer Keto Mozzarella Sticks make for a delicious and simple melty, cheesy, and crunchy no-carb appetizer or snack. Since the carbs are in the breading, this keto-friendly recipe uses almond flour substituted for regular flour. They are tasty and may even be better than traditional mozzarella sticks. All you need to serve them with is your favorite marinara sauce or ranch dressing, and you will undeniably have yourself a hit! From start to finish they can be ready to serve in less than 25 minutes.
What makes a dish keto?
A dish that uses flour can be made keto simply by switching regular flour and or breadcrumbs to keto-friendly substitutes such as almond flour or pork rind panko. All types of cheese are fair game if you are the keto diet. Mozzarella sticks are one of the simplest appetizers to make keto.
Are air fryers keto-friendly?
Air fryers are a great option of keto diets because they are so versatile. You can simply substitute regular flour in a recipe with almond flour and cook in the air fryer.
Ingredients for keto mozzarella sticks:
- Mozzarella string cheese sticks
- Eggs
- Finely grated parmesan cheese
- Almond flour
- Italian seasoning, garlic power, sea salt, and dried parsley
- A small amount of oil for air frying
- Marinara sauce and ranch dressing
Step by step directions for cooking mozzarella sticks in the air fryer:
- Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, blend the parmesan cheese, almond flour, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and salt.
- In a second medium bowl, beat the eggs.
- Dip each cheese stick in the egg wash, then roll it in the breading mixture.
- Repeat dipping into the egg wash a second time, then rolling again in the breading mixture.
- Place the keto mozzarella cheese sticks on a tray with parchment paper and place in the freezer for about 2 hours to freeze completely.
- Spray the air fryer basket with oil. Place tin foil in the basket and spray with oil as well.
- Place the keto mozzarella sticks in the air fryer in a single layer and spray each with cooking oil, and cook at 375 degrees F. for 8-10 minutes. After the halfway point check the cheese sticks as some air fryer brands are stronger than others. Don’t overcrowd the cheese sticks and don’t let them touch each other so they will cook consistently.
- Remove, sprinkle with dried parsley, and serve immediately while hot with your favorite marinara sauce or ranch dressing.
- Enjoy!
What temp do you use to air fry mozzarella sticks?
Mozzarella sticks cook well at 375 degrees F depending on the brand of air fryer you use. Some brands of air fryers cook hotter than others. It is recommended to check the mozzarella cheese sticks at the halfway point. If the cheese is starting to ooze out of the crust, they are done and ready to eat.
How do you know when mozzarella sticks are done?
When cooked at 375 degrees F. for 8-10 minutes, keto mozzarella sticks are done when the breading has turned into a crunchy, golden brown. If the cheese starts to ooze out of the cooked breading early, they are done and ready to serve.
Can you use frozen mozzarella sticks in an air fryer?
It is recommended to freeze the breaded keto mozzarella sticks for at least 2 hours before cooking them in the air fryer. This helps the breading to adhere to the cheese when cooking in the air fryer. You can use frozen mozzarella cheese sticks before preparing them in the egg wash and keto breading mixture but the breading may not stick so well to frozen mozzarella cheese sticks. It is recommended to use thawed cheese sticks when preparing them to bread and cook in the air fryer.
Can you freeze mozzarella sticks after cooking them?
You can freeze air fryer keto mozzarella sticks after cooking them. Cool them to room temperature and place in an air-tight container. They can stay in the freezer up to 2 months.
How long can you safely store mozzarella sticks after cooking?
You can safely store cooked air fryer keto mozzarella sticks in the refrigerator, in an air tight container for up to 4-5 days.
How do you reheat mozzarella sticks in an air fryer?
To reheat air fryer keto mozzarella sticks in an air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Leave space in between the cheese sticks and do not layer them so that they will not stick together during reheating.
What sauces go well with mozzarella sticks?
The best sauce to dip keto mozzarella sticks into is traditional marinara sauce. Crispy cheese sticks and marinara sauce simply go well together. If you want to stay away from sugar, just read your labels. One very good marinara sauce that is low in carbs and sugars is Rao’s Marinara sauce and you can find it on Amazon. Another favorite dipping sauce is ranch dressing. Some ranch dressing brands do contain a high amount of carbs.
What are the best cheeses to use for fried cheese?
Cheeses that have a high melting point are best to use for fried cheese. Popular fried cheese options are mozzarella, queso blanco, cheese curds, and provolone.
Tips to making great mozzarella sticks:
- Use low moisture, part-skim mozzarella string cheese or it may become too messy. Kraft and Lucerne make a good mozzarella string cheese.
- Cut the mozzarella cheese sticks in half before dipping into the egg wash and breading them to cook in the air fryer.
- Freeze the breaded cheese sticks for at least 2 hours. Freezing the cheese sticks helps make them easier to air fry without the cheese melting too quickly.
- To help press the breading onto the mozzarella cheese sticks, try rolling the breaded cheese sticks between your palms before freezing them.
- If you have a mesh basket, place tin foil in the bottom of the basket to prevent sticking.
Air Fryer Keto Mozzarella Sticks
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 mozzarella string cheese sticks low moisture, part skim
- 1-2 eggs large
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese finely grated
- 1/3 cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Sprinkle of dried dried parsley
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 375°F.
- In a medium bowl, combine and blend the parmesan cheese, almond flour, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and sea salt.
- In a second medium bowl, beat the eggs.
- Dip each cheese stick in the egg wash first, then roll it in the breading mixture.
- Repeat dipping the cheese sticks into the egg wash a second time, then rolling again in the breading mixture.
- Place the breaded keto mozzarella cheese sticks on a tray covered with parchment paper and place in the freezer for about 2 hours to freeze completely.
- Spray the air fryer basket with oil. Place tin foil in the basket and spray with oil as well.
- Place the keto mozzarella sticks in the air fryer in a single layer and spray each with cooking oil, and cook at 375°F for 8-10 minutes. After the halfway point check the cheese sticks as some air fryer brands are stronger than others. Don’t overcrowd the cheese sticks and don’t let them touch each other so they will cook consistently.
- Remove the cheese sticks, sprinkle with dried parsley, and serve immediately with your favorite marinara sauce or ranch dressing.
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