Save My nephew was the one who sold me on bagel pizzas. He'd been watching TikTok videos at his friend's house and came home announcing that bagels were the solution to his after-school snack problem. I was skeptical until he dragged me to the kitchen one afternoon and we threw together our first batch in the air fryer. Three minutes in, the smell of melting mozzarella and toasted bagel changed my mind completely.
Last weekend I made a double batch for my daughter's friend group, and they devoured them so quickly I barely got a photo. One of them asked if I'd ordered them, which felt like the highest compliment possible. Now they're requested at every casual hangout.
Ingredients
- Mini plain bagels, halved (6 total): The foundation matters here—plain bagels stay neutral enough to showcase the toppings without fighting for attention, and halving them gives you 12 perfect little canvases.
- Pizza sauce or marinara sauce (1/2 cup): Use whatever brand you trust, but a good sauce carries the whole show; don't skimp or go too thin with the spread.
- Shredded mozzarella cheese (1 cup): Fresh shredded is worth seeking out because pre-packaged often gets clumpy, and you want that bubbly, melty finish.
- Mini pepperoni slices (1/4 cup, optional): The small ones brown beautifully without curling up into little grease bombs like full-size pepperoni sometimes do.
- Black olives, sliced (2 tablespoons, optional): A small amount goes a long way, so don't overload unless that's your preference.
- Diced bell pepper (2 tablespoons, optional): Keep pieces small so they actually cook through in six minutes rather than staying raw and crunchy.
- Dried oregano or Italian seasoning (1 teaspoon): A pinch on top adds a professional finish and makes these taste intentional rather than thrown together.
Instructions
- Warm your air fryer first:
- Set it to 375°F and let it preheat for about two minutes. A truly hot basket is the difference between cheese that crisps beautifully and cheese that stays pale and waxy.
- Lay out your bagel halves:
- Cut side up on a clean workspace, ready for toppings. This is actually satisfying to do because you can see the whole project coming together at once.
- Spread sauce evenly:
- Use about two teaspoons per half—too much and your bagel gets soggy, too little and it tastes dry. A small spoon makes this easier than you'd think.
- Add cheese generously:
- Don't hold back here; the cheese is what makes them special, and it all melts down beautifully rather than clumping up.
- Layer your toppings:
- Pepperoni, olives, peppers—whatever calls to you. Spread them out instead of piling them in one spot so every bite feels intentional.
- Finish with seasoning:
- A light sprinkle of oregano over each one lifts the whole thing. It's a small touch that feels fancy.
- Arrange in the air fryer:
- Fit as many as you can in a single layer without them touching, then work in batches if needed. Don't rush this step because crowding them prevents even cooking.
- Cook until golden:
- Five to six minutes at 375°F gets the cheese bubbly and the edges of the bagel lightly charred. Keep an eye toward the end because air fryers vary in personality.
- Let them rest:
- Pull them out carefully and give them a minute or two to cool slightly so you don't burn your mouth on molten cheese.
Pin it There's something genuinely fun about watching people bite into these for the first time. They expect a regular bagel pizza, then realize the bagel is actually crispy, and their whole face changes. That moment never gets old.
Making Them Your Own
The beauty of this recipe is that it's a template, not a rulebook. I've experimented with crispy bacon bits, caramelized onions, fresh basil after cooking, and even a drizzle of garlic oil. My partner swears by a combination of sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese, which sounds fancy but takes the same six minutes as the basic version. The ingredient list I gave you is just a starting point—trust what you like on pizza and build from there.
Storage and Reheating
Honestly, these are best enjoyed fresh while the bagel is still crispy and the cheese is at peak melt, but life doesn't always work that way. Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, they last about three days, and a quick two to three minute blast in the air fryer at 350°F brings them back to something close to their original glory. The bagel won't be quite as crispy as fresh, but the cheese perks right back up.
Why the Air Fryer Changes Everything
Before I owned an air fryer, I'd make these under the broiler and spend too much mental energy watching them so they didn't burn on top while staying soft underneath. The air fryer solved that problem completely—the circulating heat cooks them evenly from all sides without requiring supervision. It's genuinely one of those kitchen tools that makes something this simple feel effortless.
- If you don't own an air fryer, a toaster oven at 400°F for seven to eight minutes works, though you'll want to watch them more carefully.
- The six-minute timer is a sweet spot, but yours might cook slightly faster or slower depending on wattage, so peek at them around the five-minute mark the first time.
- These freeze beautifully before cooking, so assemble them, freeze them on a tray, then pop them in a freezer bag for a genuinely instant snack whenever you need it.
Pin it This recipe taught me that sometimes the best snacks aren't the ones that take hours or follow complicated rules. They're the ones that taste good, come together fast, and get people excited to eat. That's exactly what these bagel pizzas do.