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My bagel bites in the air fryer make the best snack or fun appetizer. It needs just 3 ingredients and cooks in under 5 minutes.
If you love fun air fryer recipes, try my air fryer biscuits, air fryer potstickers, air fryer grilled cheese, and air fryer pizza rolls next.
Table of Contents
Air fryer bagel bites are my-go instant snack of choice. If you aren’t familiar with them, they are mini bagel halves topped with pizza sauce, cheese, and pepperoni. You can buy them pre-frozen but I love making them myself because they are so easy. Instead of waiting for the oven to heat up, I’m obsessed with cooking them in the air fryer in a fraction of the time.
Why I love this recipe
- Quick to make. One batch of these bite-sized bagels will take only 4-5 minutes.
- Great for making ahead. You can prep a large batch of these mini treats and keep them in the refrigerator. When the guests arrive, pop them into the air-fryer and serve hot!
- 3-ingredient wonder. Gooey cheese, crispy bagel base, and a flavorful sauce- et voila! That’s all you need. You can even take them up a notch by using my air fryer bagels for the base.
Key Ingredients
- Mini bagels. Look for premade plain mini bagels in your local supermarkets, or you can use my simple 2 ingredient bagel dough and just make them smaller.
- Pizza sauce. Get your favorite brand of pizza sauce or any flavorful tomato sauce (try sugo or pomodoro sauce).
- Mozzarella cheese. I love using fresh mozzarella cheese as it melts so much better than the pre-shredded kind.
- More toppings. I like to add a meaty element like sausage, pepperoni, or bacon bits, but that is completely optional.
How to make air fryer bagel bites
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Assemble: Slice the bagels into halves and spread the pizza sauce on each side. Sprinkle mozzarella and any other toppings.
Step 2- Air fry: Place the bagel bites in the air fryer basket and fry for 3 1/2-4 minutes.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Do not overcrowd. Ensure the bagels are arranged in a single layer for uniform cooking and a crispy base so they cook evenly and completely. If your air fryer isn’t large enough, cook them up in batches.
- Avoid overcooking. No one likes burnt or overly crispy bagels. Check on these bites around the 3-minute mark and cook in 30-second spurts until the cheese is perfectly melted. My air fryer takes exactly 3 1/2 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Depending on the size of your air-fryer, you should be able to make 4-6 bagel bites in one go.
Substitute dairy cheese with dairy-free shredded cheese and pepperoni with your favorite vegetarian topping.
Yes! Use you can standard bagels for a more substantial meal or larger serving. Increase the air frying time by two minutes.
More fun recipes to try in the air fryer
- Air fryer quesadilla.
- Air fryer donuts
- Air fryer cinnamon rolls
- Air fryer cookies
- Air fryer onion rings
Air Fryer Bagel Bites
Video
Ingredients
- 4 mini bagels halved
- 1/4 cup pizza sauce
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese freshly grated
Instructions
- Spread pizza sauce on each bagel half, sprinkle with the cheese, and top with mini pepperoni.
- Place the bagel halves in the air fryer basket and air fry at 180C/350F for 4 minutes or until the cheese has melted nicely.
- Repeat the process if needed.
Notes
- Use a different base sauce. Not a fan of traditional pizza sauce? No problem! Use a pesto, BBQ, basil, or ranch dressing instead.
- Cheesy bagel bites. Make a mini version of 4-cheese pizza using a blend of mozzarella, gorgonzola, parmesan, goat, or cheddar cheese.
- Sweet bagel bites. Enjoy dessert-style bagel bites with cream cheese, almond butter, strawberry jam, banana, and Nutella toppings.
Nutrition
Originally published September 2023, updated and republished February 2025
What is meanimg here of pizza sauce? Can I buy it or make my own?