Air Fryer Pizza Toast (Print Version)

Crispy garlic butter bread topped with marinara, cheese, and savory toppings, cooked quickly in an air fryer.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread & Garlic Butter

01 - 4 slices thick-cut bread (sourdough, Italian, or sandwich bread)
02 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
05 - Pinch of salt

→ Sauce & Cheese

06 - 120 milliliters marinara sauce
07 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - 25 grams grated Parmesan cheese

→ Toppings (optional)

09 - 12–16 slices pepperoni or vegetarian alternative
10 - 60 milliliters sliced black olives
11 - 60 milliliters diced bell pepper
12 - 60 milliliters sliced mushrooms
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
14 - Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Preheat the air fryer to 370°F (190°C) for 2 minutes.
02 - In a small bowl, combine softened butter, minced garlic, chopped parsley, and salt until well mixed.
03 - Spread the garlic butter evenly onto one side of each bread slice.
04 - Place bread slices, buttered side up, in a single layer in the air fryer basket; work in batches if needed.
05 - Spoon approximately 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce evenly onto each bread slice.
06 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the sauce layer.
07 - Top with desired toppings such as pepperoni, olives, bell peppers, mushrooms, then sprinkle with dried oregano or Italian seasoning.
08 - Air fry at 370°F (190°C) for 6 to 8 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden, and bread is crisp.
09 - Remove carefully from the air fryer, let cool slightly, garnish with fresh parsley or red pepper flakes if desired, then serve hot.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like authentic pizza but comes together faster than ordering delivery, with a crispness that toasted bread in the oven simply can't match.
  • The air fryer does all the work while you relax, and cleanup is so minimal you'll actually want to make this again tomorrow.
  • It's flexible enough to work with whatever you have in your fridge, from fancy charcuterie to just cheese and sauce.
02 -
  • Butter temperature matters more than you'd expect; cold butter creates gaps instead of an even layer, while melted butter turns greasy, so softened is the precise sweet spot.
  • Don't skip preheating the air fryer because those first two minutes make the difference between crispy and chewy bread, and there's no coming back once you've started cooking.
03 -
  • Keep parchment paper in your air fryer basket to catch any cheese drips and make cleanup literally effortless, which is the entire point of using an air fryer in the first place.
  • Make your garlic butter the night before and store it covered so you can literally just spread and cook when hunger strikes, turning this into a true 8-minute meal.
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