Mom used to make these on Sunday afternoons. Only 3 ingredients to get that perfect, melty bite without the heavy carbs.

If you’d like a bit more flavor, you can stir in a pinch of dried Italian seasoning, garlic powder, or black pepper into the Parmesan before coating, keeping the recipe effectively three core ingredients. For a smokier taste, use half Parmesan and half finely grated aged Asiago or Romano. If your mozzarella balls are on the larger side, cut them in half for more bite-sized pieces and slightly shorter cooking time. These also work with low-moisture mozzarella cut into 1-inch cubes instead of fresh balls; just be sure to dry the cubes well before dipping. For extra crisp edges, give the coated bites a light mist of cooking spray before baking or air frying. Leftovers can be cooled, refrigerated, and reheated in the oven or air fryer until warm and melty again—though in my house, there were never many left after a Sunday afternoon.