Air-Fried Mozzarella Cheese Bites with Spicy Marinara Sauce

1. Whisk egg and water together in a shallow dish. Stir flour, salt, and Italian seasoning together in another shallow dish. Place bread crumbs in a third shallow dish.

2. Dip cheese sticks into egg mixture, then coat with flour mixture. Dip again into egg mixture, then into bread crumbs until coated. Place on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.

3. Preheat an air fryer to 360 degrees F (180 degrees C). Lightly coat the air fryer basket with cooking spray.

4. Place frozen cheese bites in a single layer in the air fryer, working in batches if necessary, being careful not to crowd.

5. Cook in the preheated air fryer until golden brown and cheese just begins to melt, 4 to 6 minutes. Repeat with remaining bites.

6. Meanwhile, stir together marinara sauce and crushed red pepper.

7. Serve mozzarella bites with marinara sauce.

Cook's Note:

To make ahead, instead of cooking in the air fryer, transfer frozen cheese bites to a freezer container and freeze up to 1 month. Remove from freezer and cook in air fryer, as directed.

Editor's Note:

Nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of breading ingredients. The actual amount of breading consumed will vary.