When I was little we went to the same restaurant every time we visited my grandparents. And every time I got the same meal – the fried chicken dinner.
I can’t say much has changed. I still love fried food. Chicken strips, French fries, fried fish, cheese sticks. You really can’t go wrong. Crispy, crunchy, salty…anyone else getting hungry?
But as much as I enjoy the taste of these foods, I don’t eat them often. And there are multiple reasons:
- Processed oils
- Refined flours
- Excess fat (hard to digest for a slow oxidizer like me)
- Overeating (it’s so hard to stop eating once you start!)
- Not stewarding my body well.
You get the idea.
What Is a Great Air Fryer Appetizer?
But there is an exception – when the fried food is homemade. Even better is when it’s made in the air fryer!
The air fryer makes cooking fried foods so easy, and you don’t have to break the bank on healthy fats to do it!
You can make many tasty snacks in the air fryer such as:
- Crispy chickpeas
- Salmon patties
- Sweet potato tots
- Chicken nuggets
- Brussels sprouts with bacon
- Veggie fries
But if you really want to wow your guests or make your kids really happy, then you need to make air fryer mozzarella cheese balls!
Healthy Mozzarella Cheese Balls
Fried cheese sticks are a popular appetizer at many restaurants. Salty, crunchy outside with a gooey cheesy inside. It doesn’t get much better.
Thankfully you can get the same effect at home using the air fryer.
These mini mozzarella cheese balls are prepared in advance and stored in the freezer. When you’re ready to eat, it only takes about five minutes to have delicious cheese balls on the plate.
You can make a big batch so that you can have cheese balls available anytime.
Kids Love These Mozzarella Cheese Balls
One of my personal favorite aspects of these mini cheese balls is the size. It’s perfect for kids (young and old!). Plus it’s really fun to pull the ball apart and see the melty cheese.
If you want to up the fun factor, serve mozzarella cheese balls with your favorite dipping sauces, such as:
- Marinara
- Pesto
- Ranch
- Honey mustard
Delicious Mozzarella Cheese Ball Recipe
Fresh mozzarella is the best option for air fryer cheese balls. It melts really well. I prefer to use the cheese that comes in mini balls. But you could definitely use a larger size and cut it into your preferred size and shape.
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Air Fryer Appetizer: Mini Mozzarella Cheese Balls Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 6 mins
- Total Time: 16 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Air fryer
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Easy and delicious homemade cheese balls in the air fryer.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup organic bran flakes, organic crackers, stale bread, or flour
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup flour (white rice flour, tapioca flour, AP flour, or freshly milled soft wheat flour)
- 1 8–oz. package fresh mozzarella cheese pearls
Instructions
- In a food processor blend flakes, crackers, or bread (skip this step if using flour) until they resemble bread crumbs.
- In three small bowls place the flour, beaten egg, and bread crumbs (or flour) (separately).
- Working in batches dip some of the cheese balls in the flour (gently shake the bowl to coat), then the egg (stir to coat), then the bread crums (gently shake the bowl to coat).
- Place the breaded cheese on a small, parchment lined baking sheet.
- Once all the cheese is breaded, place the baking sheet in the freezer for 30-60 minutes (this step is essential so the cheese doesn’t melt all over the Air Fryer).
- When ready to cook, preheat the air fryer (with insert) to 375 degrees F for 3 minutes.
- Remove the cheese balls from the freezer. Place them all on the insert in the air fryer.
- Cook for 3 minutes, until cheese is melty, but the balls are not falling apart.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
The breaded cheese balls can be prepared days or weeks in advance and stored in the freezer in an airtight container.
Use gluten-free flour and breading to make these gluten-free.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 oz
- Calories: 152
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 246mg
- Fat: 9g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 69mg
Air Fryer Appetizer for Parties/Holidays
When planning meals for parties and family gatherings, the main course is on your mind. Appetizers are often overlooked.
Quickly put some cheese and crackers on a plate and call it good, right?
No need to make it an afterthought. Prepare air fryer mini cheese balls days or even weeks in advance.
Coat the cheese balls, place them in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and toss them in the freezer. if you’ll be using them right away that’s all you need to do. If you are preparing them days in advance you can bag the frozen cheese balls so they don’t dry out.
The freezing is an essential step so you don’t have a melty cheesy mess in the air fryer.
My family likes organic, non-fortified, gluten-free bran flakes for the coating. It creates a really crunchy exterior, but your favorite cracker, stale bread, or flour will work too.
What Appetizers Can You Make in the Air Fryer?
While highly unlikely, in the event that you have a few leftovers, simply store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Leftover air fryer mozzarella cheese balls can be eaten cold or as a delicious salad topper. You can also reheat them for just a minute to warm.
Make your next party appetizer one that everyone will rave about. Serve homemade, healthy air fryer cheese balls.
Let me know what you think in the comments!
