The Ultimate Air Fryer Pizza Toast

Thinking about satisfying that craving fix but don’t want to make your own pizza dough? Open up the pantry, grab your favorite bread, and cook up some Airfryer Pepperoni Pizza Toast. All made in under 20 minutes.

This pizza toast recipe always has me coming back for more. Ever since I tried it, it’s been my go-to during game nights, movie marathons, or on days when I just need something to munch on. Now, if you’re curious, read on!

The Ultimate Air Fryer Pizza Toast

Recipe by Heizo
5.0 from 2 votes
Course: SnacksCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

8

minutes
Calories

218

kcal
Total time

23

minutes

This quick and cheesy Air Fryer Pizza Toast layers bread with pepperoni, Italian sausage, bell peppers, and fresh basil over a spread of pizza sauce. Topped with mozzarella and air-fried to crispy perfection, it’s a fast, customizable snack or light meal that’s ready in minutes.

Ingredients

  • 4 Slices bread (any bread of your choice)

  • 12 Slices Pepperoni

  • 80 grams Italian Sausage

  • 1 cup Pizza Sauce

  • 1 piece Medium Bell Pepper, sliced

  • 1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste

  • 1 cup Mozzarella, shredded

  • 12 pieces whole leaves Fresh Basil

Directions

  • Preheat your Air fryer to 175°C 350°F for 3 minutes.
  • Lay your bread on a flat surface or plate. Make sure it’s level so it’s easier to assemble your toppings without them falling off.
  • Scoop a tablespoon of pizza sauce and spread it evenly across the bread. Apply the sauce carefully, don’t add too much if your bread can’t handle it. But if you’re a fan of extra sauce, you can lightly toast the bread first to help it hold up better.
  • Scatter a handful of mozzarella, enough to blanket the surface. Make sure the cheese covers the bread so it cooks evenly.
  • Now comes the fun (and sometimes annoying) part: assembling your veggies, herbs, and meat toppings. While it’s tempting to pile everything on, try not to overcrowd. As for the pepperoni, feel free to overlap a few slices as they’ll shrink as they cook anyway.
  • Sprinkle a bit of mozzarella, parmesan, pepper and other dried herbs that you have.
  • Spray the air fryer basket with a little oil and carefully transfer the pizza toast onto it.
  • Cook for 7 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and lightly browned. Keep an eye on it to avoid overcooking.
  • Take it out of the basket, transfer it onto a plate, and garnish with fresh basil for added aroma and color.

Notes

  • Adjust time and temp: Note that air fryer models vary, and some may require or lower or higher cooking times and temperatures.
  • Do not overcrowd: If cooking multiple Pizza Toasts, arrange them in a single layer with enough space in between to allow even airflow.
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Why you’ll love this Air Fryer Pizza Toast recipe

Pizza is something most of us love and can easily munch on in a few seconds, and there should be no reason it takes hours before you get to taste it. Here’s what I love about this dish!

Quick to make: Pick up some toast, spread some pizza sauce, assemble your toppings, and pop them into your air fryer. All you actually need to serve this godsend is 10 minutes. It’s faster than using an oven, and you won’t have to deal with the mess of making your own dough.

Your pizza, your rules: What’s good about making pizza toast is that you have full control over everything that goes on top. There are no rules, so pick up anything you like. The world is your oyster.

You can follow this recipe or make it gluten-free and even vegan.

Faster cooking time: I’m a huge pizza fan, and ever since I bought an air fryer, I’ve never gone back to cooking pizza in an oven, unless I’m serving a large pizza for multiple people. But if I’m by myself or with a friend, Air Fryer Pizza Toast is always the way to go. Compared to an oven, an air fryer cooks much faster, and the hot air crisps up the toast nicely.

What is Pizza Toast?

Pizza Toast is just as simple as the name suggests. Instead of dough, a slice of toasted bread serves as the crust.

Pizza Toast is the perfect lazy-day snack when you’re craving pizza but don’t want to bake an entire pie. It also gives everyone the freedom to choose their bread, whether they want sourdough, French, or something else. You can treat Pizza Toast as an open canvas. Mix and match

All Ingredients for the best Air Fryer Pizza Toast

Here are the key ingredients for your Air Fryer Cheesy Pizza Toast.

  • Bread – Bread is considered the base of your pizza toast. Sourdough, white bread, ciabatta, Italian bread, or even a burger bun will work.
  • Pizza sauce – You can choose any pizza sauce to go on top of your toast. Alternatively, tomato sauce or marinara can work if there are no other options. Make sure your sauce is thick enough so it won’t soak through the bread and make it soggy, not too thick, though, as it should spread nicely. If it’s too thin, let it simmer for at least five minutes. If it’s too thick, you can add some water, tomato juice, or oil.
  • Meat – Like most pizzas, I used a mix of pepperoni and Italian sausage. But you can add or replace them with chicken, bacon, ham, meatballs, or salami.
  • Vegetable toppings – To make it a bit healthier and add some flavor and aroma, toss in some bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, or spinach.
  • Seasonings – Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, dried herbs, and garlic powder.

In this recipe, I used Pepperoni, Italian Sausage, Mozzarella Cheese and Bell Peppers, but feel free to customize your own. Here’s some of the common pizza toppings that you can try:

Meat:

  • Sausage
  • Bacon
  • Ham
  • Ground Beef
  • Chicken
  • Anchovies

Vegetable toppings

  • Mushroom
  • Onion
  • Olives
  • Spinach
  • Tomatoes
  • Pineapple

What to Serve with Pizza

Enjoy this cheesy Pizza Toast with the following dishes:

Tips for Perfectly Crispy Toast

Here are some tips that can help you get that crispy pizza toast!

  • In this recipe, I used soft bread without pre-toasting them. The air fryer crisps the edges, with a center that’s a bit soft. But if you want it medium, well or dark-toasted, pre-toast the bread 350°F or 175°C for about 2 to 3 minutes or until you’re satisfied.
  • When using thin and soft bread, avoid overloading it. Use just enough pizza sauce and toppings so the toast can hold everything without falling apart.
  • Grate your own cheese! In my experience, pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt as well as freshly grated cheese.

How to store your Air Fryer Pizza Toast

Before storing your pizza, let it cool to a warm temperature. It shouldn’t be hot when stored, as it might turn soggy. Place it in an airtight container, then into the fridge. You can store it there for two to three days, but for best quality, be sure to consume it within 24 hours.

However, if you want to prepare some make-ahead pizza toast, you can freeze the uncooked ones. They’ll last for about a month in the freezer.

How to reheat your Pizza Toast

Here are the instructions for reheating pizza toast.

  • Air fryer: Generally my favorite, as it results in a crispier crust and faster reheating time. Set your air fryer to 160°C or 320°F for 3–5 minutes.
  • Oven: Arrange your slices on foil or directly on the rack. Preheat to 180°C or 350°F and bake for 7 minutes.
  • Microwave: Place your pizza on a plate or paper towel. Microwave for 30 to 60 seconds, until the pizza is warm enough or the cheese has melted.

Estimated Nutrition

Note: The nutrition details provided are based on general calculations and may not reflect exact results. Actual values can differ depending on the ingredients used, portion sizes, and how the food is prepared. Use this as a general guide, not a medical or dietary recommendation.

Nutrition Facts

4 servings per container

Serving Size163 servings


  • Amount Per ServingCalories218
  • % Daily Value *
  • Total Fat 7.7g 11%
    • Saturated Fat 1.9g 5%
    • Trans Fat 0.1g
  • Cholesterol 11mg 4%
  • Sodium 1394mg 59%
  • Total Carbohydrate 20g 7%
    • Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
    • Sugars 5g
  • Protein 18g 36%

  • Vitamin A 18%
  • Vitamin C 103%

* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Can I use any type of bread for pizza toast?

Yes! White, whole wheat, sourdough, multigrain, or even gluten-free bread all work. Just keep in mind that softer bread may toast faster in the air fryer.

Can I make it without pepperoni or sausage?

Yup! You can swap them with veggies, mushrooms, pineapple, or any toppings of choice for a vegetarian version.

Can I make this dairy-free?

As said, this pizza toast is an open canvas and you’re completely free to add, remove or replace any toppings of your vhoice. You can use dairy-free cheese alternatives!

Can I prepare pizza toast ahead of time?

You can assemble it in advance, store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours, then air fry right before serving for best texture.


Thanks for giving this recipe a try! Hope it brought as much flavor to your table as it did to mine. If you enjoyed it, don’t forget to share your creation, tag me on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook so I can see your delicious version. While you’re at it, follow us on these platforms to stay updated on every new recipe we share.

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