These homemade pizza bagel bites are ideal for a fun lunch, a quick after-school snack, or a game-day appetizer on the go! They only require four simple ingredients and can be tailored to your family’s preferences!
Need a quick snack or appetizer that everyone will enjoy? The answer is these Air Fryer Bagel Bites. They are not only a crowd pleaser, but they will also impress you when cooked in the air fryer!
Air fryer food is generally healthier than deep-fried food. Air frying saves 70-80% of the calories and reduces the long-term effects of frying oil.
From the freezer section of your grocery store, select any of your favorite brands of frozen bagel bites. Mini pepperoni bagel bites and mini cheese bagel bites are two of the many delicious options.
You can also make your own air fryer bagel bites or frozen ones. I’ll include both recipes in this blog so keep on reading.
What Are Bagel Bites?
If you like pizza, you’ll adore these bagel nibbles. They’re small bagels with various toppings, much like a pizza. Toppings include mozzarella, various varieties of tomato sauce, and spices of your choice.
They’re split into quarters for handy bite-sized nibbling. Because of their small size, they are quite convenient, and they can be cooked in the microwave in less than three minutes. If you prefer to make bagel bites the old-fashioned way, use a microwave or an oven toaster.
How Do You Cook Frozen Pizza Bagels In The Air Fryer?
Simply insert the frozen small pizzas in your air fryer basket or air fryer tray to cook.
Air fryer frozen bagel bites are a quick and easy snack that the whole family will enjoy. Simply place them in the air fryer and you’ll be eating in less than 6 minutes!
What do you need to make bagel bites in an air fryer?
Making bagel bites are pretty easy, you can even make them from scratch, however, they only require four main ingredients.
Bagel Bites are available in three different flavors: Three Cheese, Cheese and Pepperoni, Cheese Sausage and Pepperoni, and Mozzarella Cheese.
However, regardless of the flavor, simply follow these simple steps and you will have the best snack around, let’s have a look at those ingredients:
- Bagels – Use any flavor variety you want. We used plain white bagels, but you can also use cheese bagels, everything bagels, whole wheat bagels, or any other variety you like.
- I just used a jar of store-bought pizza sauce. You can, however, make your own if you prefer.
- I used a pre-shredded pizza blend to keep things simple. You can shred your cheese and use pizza mozzarella, cheddar, marble, or any combination you like.
- Toppings – Use your imagination. Keep it simple with pepperoni or ham, or pile on all the vegetables. It is entirely up to you.
Instructions
As stated above, bagels are super easy to make, they can be ready in less than 10 minutes. So, begin by dividing the bagel in half and spreading each half with pizza sauce. As desired, add the cheese and toppings such as pepperoni, olives, chicken, or bacon.
Preheat the air fryer for 4 minutes at 370°F before placing the pizza bagel halves in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
Now, set the air fryer to 370°F and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the bagels are hot and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Keep on checking in your bagels so you don’t overcook them.
While I don’t always think preheating the air fryer is necessary, I found out that it helped melt the cheese faster and kept the air circulation from blowing the cheese or toppings off the bagels in this recipe.
Can you cook frozen bagel bites in an air fryer?
Yes, you can cook frozen bagel bites in the air fryer. All you have to do is get your hands on your favorite brand and thaw them for a minute or so.
However, depending on its power, each air fryer cooks differently. At 400°F, the pizza bagel takes about 6–8 minutes to cook. Check the bagel bites at 6 minutes to ensure they don’t overcook.
Cook the bagel bites until they are thoroughly warmed through and the cheese on top is melted and golden brown around the edges.
How do you cook frozen bagel bites in an air fryer?
Cooking frozen bagel bites is way more than easy; it saves you a whole lot of time in preparation. Now all you should do is, preheat the air fryer to 360°F (180°C). If necessary, spray the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray.
Place the frozen bagel pizza bites in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry bagel bites for 4-6 minutes at 360°F. Check the bagel bites around the 4th minute because each air fryer cooks differently.
Carefully remove the air fryer pizza bagels with a pair of tongs and serve.
Use cream cheese, parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, green peppers, diced onions, and any other pizza toppings you like.
Can I put a bagel bites tray in an air fryer?
Not really. If the tray is made of plastic material, it will melt due to the heat. However, placing them bare in the air fryer is safe.
But if you’d like to keep it clean you can always go for parchment paper. Parchment paper is heat resistant and it won’t let the crumbs through your air fryer basket into the tray beneath.
However, if you have a silicone mold that you’d like to lace in your air fryer, you can simply use that too.
How do you toast bagels in an air fryer?
Toasting bagels in an air fryer is pretty easy. You can even get rid of your toaster, which can eventually make your place more spacious.
It’s never been easier to toast your favorite bagels in the morning. Here are some easy steps to take.
- Take the bagel and cut it in half evenly.
- Fill the air fryer basket halfway with bagel halves (cut side up)
- For 3 minutes, preheat the air fryer to 370°F. You can always cook it for another minute or two if you like it extra toasted.
The table for the little nutrition facts of bagel bites is simple yet packed with a whole lot of essential nutrients in them. These are what 4 mini bagel contains in them:
| Nutritional value | Per serving |
| Calories | 190 |
| Saturated fats | 2.5g |
| Sodium | 420mg |
| Sugars | 2g |
| Proteins | 7g |
What are the best toppings for bagel bites?
You can use store-bought or homemade pizza sauce, marinara sauce, or pesto in a pinch to enhance the toppings of your bagel bites.
You can use any cheese or cheese combination you want. Use a pre-shredded pizza blend to keep things simple. Alternatively, use freshly shredded mozzarella, cheddar, marble, or a combination.
One of my many favorite pizza bagel toppings is the following:
- Slices of pepperoni
- Bacon, cooked and crumbled
- Sausage, cooked and crumbled.
- Ham
- Bell peppers, diced
- Sliced black olives
- Diced red onions
- Jalapeno slices
However, these are just a few, you can be as creative as you want with these little bagel bites.
Tips on making bagel bites better
- To make these bagel bites a little more special, spread a thin layer of garlic butter on the bagels and bake them for a few minutes before adding the pizza sauce, cheese, and other toppings. This will add a tasty layer of flavor!
- Allow your family to create their bagel bites! This way, you’d get time to spend with each other and everyone gets their favorite topping.
- Just don’t overdo it on the toppings. If you pile on too many toppings, the pizza will not be fully cooked. For the best results, limit yourself to a layer of cheese and a couple of other toppings.
Now check out these fantastic toppings that you can add to your breakfast routine:
How do I store leftover bagels?
Refrigerate any leftover bagel bites in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat the bagel bites, return them to the air fryer and cook at 350°F for 2-3 minutes, or until heated.
Summary
- Bagel bites are quite the rage when it comes to a party, an overnight stay, or snack time.
- Making bagel bites in an air fryer is by far the safest and quickest option available. They will be done in a short time and have a crispy outer.
- Bagels can have a lot of different toppings according to your preferences, you can have them with avocado, toast them with cheese or have cream cheese over them. You can even have a bagel sandwich with your favorite coffee.
- Frozen bagel bites are a good option too, this way you wouldn’t have to prepare. Al you would have to do is thaw them and place them in the preheated air fryer for over 4 minutes and keep checking on them for the next 2 minutes for the crispy brown layer.
- You can store your bagel bites in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. So do try my recipe and let me know how it goes for you. Until next time!