Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks with Marinara Dipping Sauce

Unwrap the cheese sticks and cut them in half so you have 24 pieces.

To a medium shallow bowl, add the flour, cornstarch, and mix to combine; set aside.

In a separate medium shallow bowl, add the eggs, and lightly beat them; set aside.

In a separate medium shallow bowl, add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and stir to combine.

Take one piece of cheese and dip it through the flour mixture to coat all sides, then a brief dip in the egg, and then dip in the breadcrumbs mixture. Tip - Make sure to really get a nice even coat especially with the breadcrumbs. This will keep the cheese from exploding in the air fryer and will keep it in the stick shape. If there are a lot of patches then the cheese will ooze out.

Place the coated piece of cheese on a plate and repeat with the remaining 23 pieces.

Place the plate in the freezer for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours. Tip - Do not skip this step because if you try to air fry without doing it, the cheese will become so warm it will melt so much it will ooze out before the outer coating would have a chance toc crisp up to a nice golden browned color, so do not skip chilling! Make-Ahead and Freeze - If you want to make a double batch and freeze half (or are putting half of one batch into the freezer rather than air frying all 24 pieces), simply add the cheese sticks to a ziptop freezer bag or freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Remember, you should freeze cheese sticks that have NOT yet been airfried. When you do go to air fry them, you'll want to add 2-3 minutes of total air frying time, or as necessary, since they will be very cold.

When you're ready to air fry, preheat your air fryer to 400F, spray the air fryer basket well with cooking spray, place the chilled cheese sticks in an even, single layer (do not crowd), spray with cooking spray, shut the basket drawer, and air fry for about 6 to 8 minutes, stopping to check and flip once midway through. Tips - Since all air fryers have a slightly different heat output, cooking time will vary. You will likely need to air fry in TWO batches because even an XL air fryer basket likely isn't large enough to accomodate all 24 pieces at once. If you crowd them, the air can't circulate, and then the cheese sticks won't crisp up nicely. Make sure to use cooking spray, sprayed generously, because that little bit of oil is necessary to really allow the breadcrumbs and cheese coating mixture to turn golden and crispy. If in doubt, give another spray, and remember to spray again when flipping.

While the cheese sticks are air frying, optionally (but recommended), make the herb marinara sauce.

To a small saucepan, add the olive oil, garlic, and saute over medium-high heat for about 1 minute, or until garlic is fragrant; stir nearly continuously.

Add the marinara sauce, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and simmer over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until warmed through and slightly thickened.

Serve the cheese sticks warm and fresh with the warm herb marinara dipping sauce, or as desired. Ranch or blue cheese dressing are also good options for dipping.