Air Fryer Recipe
Bagel bites
A delicious and easy-to-make bagel bites recipe, perfect for air frying.
Ingredients
- 4 mini bagels, halved
- 1 cup of pizza sauce
- 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
- 100g sliced pepperoni or any topping of your choice
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of Italian herbs (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Slice mini bagels in half and brush with olive oil.
- Spread pizza sauce on each bagel half, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, and add toppings.
- Preheat air fryer to 180°C (350°F). Arrange bagels in a single layer and air fry for 5-6 minutes.
- Remove from air fryer, let cool slightly, and serve.
Why this works in an air fryer
The air fryer’s fast convection dries the cut bagel surface while the oil helps heat transfer and browning. A fairly dry, sturdy bagel base stops the sauce soaking through, while mozzarella melts quickly under circulating heat and pepperoni renders a little fat, helping the topping crisp at the edges.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5-6 litre basket holding 8 mini bagel halves in one layer with gaps; in a smaller single-drawer model cook in batches, while in a dual-zone fryer split the halves evenly and check the outer corners a minute early as they often brown faster.
Common pitfalls
- Soggy centres after cooking? The sauce layer is too thick or watery; use a heaped teaspoon per half and avoid spreading right to the cut edge.
- Cheese blown off or toppings shifted? The fan is catching loose shreds; press mozzarella lightly into the sauce and place pepperoni on top to weigh it down.
- Bagel edges dark but cheese still pale? The halves are too close to the heating element or too tall; lower to 170°C and cook 1-2 minutes longer.
- Bottoms hard and dry? Too much preheating or overcooking has driven off moisture; check at 4 minutes and remove as soon as the cheese is fully melted and bubbling.
Variations & substitutions
- Use cheddar instead of mozzarella for a sharper flavour; it browns faster and can go oily, so check from 4 minutes.
- Swap pepperoni for cooked mushrooms or peppers; pat them dry first because extra moisture will soften the bagel surface.
- Use pesto instead of pizza sauce; it contains more oil, so the edges brown quicker and may need 1 minute less cooking.
- Add sweetcorn or pineapple sparingly; high-moisture toppings should be well drained and kept to a thin layer to avoid a wet centre.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooled bagel bites covered in the fridge for up to 2 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 160°C for 3-4 minutes until the base is crisp and the cheese is hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
