Eric here: I’m obsessed with pizza, which is why I was determined to make air fryer pizza sliders my own way.
They’re an easy way to turn pizza night into a quick snack or party appetizer because all you need are slider buns, sauce, cheese, and pepperoni (or other toppings of your choice)! We turn it up a notch by brushing an oil-seasoning-Parmesan mix on the tops.
The tops of the buns and the pepperoni get slightly crispy while the cheese inside gets nice and gooey. The sliders are small and snackable, which makes them great for sharing and dipping!
Ingredients
- Slider buns – We used King’s Hawaiian sweet rolls, but you can use any joined slider buns/dinner rolls of your choice.
- Pepperoni slices – We use deli pepperoni, which is larger, thinner, and milder in flavor compared to regular pizza pepperoni.
- Mozzarella cheese – Sliced mozzarella cheese makes it easy.
- Pizza sauce – You can use store-bought or homemade pizza sauce, it’s up to you. We’d recommend not choosing an overly sweet sauce, though.
- Oil – We use avocado oil, but canola oil, sunflower oil, or another oil of your choice also work.
- Parmesan cheese – We like to use freshly grated Parmesan for the best taste.
- Italian seasoning – Adds extra flavor, but you can also skip it or add some dried basil, thyme, and/or oregano if you have it on hand.
- Salt – Adjust to taste.
- Garlic powder – Optional for some extra flavor; adjust to taste.
Recipe Tips
- You can add toothpicks if you’re worried about pepperoni flying around in the air fryer.
- You can add the top and air fry everything together from the beginning, but we find starting with the top off helps get the inside nice and melty.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer (no double stacking of slider buns).
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Step-by-Step Instructions
Keep the rolls connected and slice them horizontally (make sure the block fits in your air fryer).
Add half of the pizza sauce to the bottom part.
Then add a layer of mozzarella cheese and pepperoni slices.
Next, add the rest of the sauce to the top half of the buns (the cut side).
In a small bowl, stir together the oil, grated Parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt, and garlic powder (if using).
Preheat air fryer to 325°F (160° Celsius).
When it’s hot, place the bottom half of the sliders (with the cheese and pepperoni) into the air fryer basket and air fry for 3-4 minutes, or until the cheese is mostly melted and the pepperoni begins to crisp.
Then add the top half of the rolls and brush the tops with the Parmesan seasoning mixture.
Air fry for another 3-5 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown (but not burnt) and the sliders are fully heated through with the cheese melted.
Remove the pizza sliders from the air fryer and let them cool for a minute. Then cut them into individual sliders and serve as is or with a dip like ranch or marinara sauce. Enjoy!
Storage Tips
I find these pizza sliders taste best when they are freshly made. I wouldn’t recommend making them ahead and warming them up.
They can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge overnight and reheated in the air fryer (I usually do 325 degrees Fahrenheit), but it’s not quite the same.
By the time the inside gets warm (let alone hot), the outside bun is much too crispy. It works in a pinch, but they’re nowhere near as good as made fresh.
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Air Fryer Pizza Sliders
Ingredients
- 6 slider buns, we used King’s Hawaiian rolls, but other joined buns also work
- 4 tablespoons pizza sauce
- 2-4 slices mozzarella cheese
- 4-6 slices deli pepperoni, more if using regular pizza pepperoni
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 1/2 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, optional, more to taste
Instructions
- Keep the rolls connected and slice the block of rolls in half horizontally.6 slider buns
- Spread half of the pizza sauce over the cut side of the bottom half, then add a layer of mozzarella cheese and pepperoni slices. Spread the remaining sauce over the cut side of the top half and set it aside.4 tablespoons pizza sauce, 4-6 slices deli pepperoni, 2-4 slices mozzarella cheese
- In a small bowl, mix the oil with grated Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and garlic powder (if using).2 teaspoons oil, 1/2 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- Preheat the air fryer to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (160 degrees Celsius).
- Place the bottom half of the sliders (with the cheese and pepperoni) into the air fryer basket. Air fry at 325 degrees Fahrenheit (160 degrees Celsius) for 3-4 minutes, or until the cheese is mostly melted and the pepperoni begins to crisp.
- Add the top half of the rolls and brush the tops with the Parmesan seasoning mixture. Air fry for another 3-5 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown (but not burnt) and the sliders are fully heated through with the cheese melted.
- Remove the pizza sliders from the air fryer and let them cool for a minute. Then cut them into individual sliders and serve as is or with a dip like ranch or marinara sauce.
Notes
- You can add toothpicks if you’re worried about pepperoni flying around in the air fryer.
- You can add the top and air fry everything together from the beginning, but we find starting with the top off helps get the inside nice and melty.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer (no double stacking of slider buns).
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
