Air-Fryer Pizza Balls: Quick, Easy, And Delicious!

Pizza balls are a fun and easy snack to make in an air fryer. They are perfect as a side or a snack and can be made with a variety of fillings and sauces. You can use store-bought pizza dough or make your own, and the air fryer will give you a crispy, golden finish. The cooking time will depend on the size of your pizza balls and the type of air fryer you are using, but they generally cook in under 10 minutes.

Choosing the right air fryer

Air fryers are a great way to cook crispy food with minimal oil, reheat leftovers, and cook a variety of dishes. When choosing an air fryer, consider the following factors:

Price

Air fryers range in price from $30 to $260, with most models hovering around $100. You don't have to spend a fortune to get a high-performing air fryer.

Capacity

Most air fryers are designed to fit neatly on your countertop and are not meant to cook for a crowd. However, there are larger models available that can accommodate substantial batches of food, multiple cuts of meat, or even a whole chicken. Consider the size of your household and how much food you typically cook at once.

Advanced features

Look for models with settings that you know you will use. Some air fryers have dehydration, baking, and rotisserie cooking functions, combining the functionality of multiple appliances into one device. Presets for specific foods and indicators for when to check on your food can also be helpful.

Warranty

Warranties for air fryers can vary from 60 days to three years. Longer warranties indicate more confidence in the product's durability and performance.

Type of air fryer

There are two primary types of air fryers: those with baskets (or drawers) and those with mesh trays or racks. Basket air fryers are more common and typically have a tub that you slide in and out to put your food in. Mesh tray air fryers cook food on a flat or shallow receptacle, similar to a countertop toaster oven, and often have clear glass doors.

Controls

Consider whether you prefer digital or manual controls. Digital models allow for more precise control of temperature and time with the press of a button and often include presets for common foods. Manual models tend to be less expensive and are controlled by analog dials.

Noise

Air fryers can vary in terms of how loud they are during operation. If a quiet appliance is important to you, look for models that are specifically designed to be quiet.

Ease of cleaning

Cleaning your air fryer should be hassle-free. Look for models with removable, dishwasher-safe parts, and consider the ease of accessing and cleaning the interior and exterior of the air fryer.

Preparing the dough

To make the dough from scratch, you'll need a bread maker or a mixing bowl, depending on your preferred method. For a bread maker, simply add the pizza dough ingredients and let it knead the dough for you. This usually takes about 30 minutes. If you're making the dough by hand, you'll need to mix and knead the dough yourself. This can be a bit more time-consuming, but it's a fun and rewarding process.

Once you have your dough, it's important to let it come to room temperature before using it. This makes it easier to work with and gives it a softer texture. At this stage, you can also add a little flour to the dough and knead it for a couple of minutes to get that perfect, just-made dough feeling.

If you're using store-bought biscuit dough, simply open the can and separate each biscuit. You can then pull them in half again to get thinner pieces of dough. This will give you more surface area to work with when filling and shaping your pizza balls.

Whether you're using homemade or store-bought dough, the next step is to roll it out. You can use a rolling pin on a cutting board or flatten each portion of dough by hand. The goal is to get the dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. This ensures that your pizza balls will cook evenly and have a nice, fluffy texture.

Now you're ready to start shaping your dough into balls! For pizza bombs or dough balls with fillings, you'll need to add your desired fillings first. This could include pizza sauce, cheese, pepperoni, or any other toppings you desire. Be careful not to overfill, as you don't want the filling to leak out. Once you've added your fillings, bring the edges of the dough together and seal them tightly. Then, shape the dough into a small round pillow or ball.

At this point, you can also brush your dough balls with extra virgin olive oil to give them a crispy coating. This step is optional but recommended for a delicious, golden finish.

Remember, when placing your dough balls in the air fryer, do not cook them directly in the air fryer basket as they will stick and be difficult to clean. Instead, use an air baking sheet or an air fryer grill pan to prevent sticking and make cleanup a breeze.

Filling the pizza balls

Cheese

Cheese is a must-have for any pizza, and the same goes for pizza balls. You can use mozzarella, parmesan, feta, cheddar, or even tear up some mini mozzarella balls (Bocconcini). Grate or cut the cheese into cubes, depending on the consistency of your chosen cheese.

Pizza Sauce

Add a teaspoon or two of pizza sauce to the centre of your flattened dough before adding the cheese and other toppings. You can use marinara, pesto, or a simple tomato sauce.

Meat

If you're a meat lover, try adding some pepperoni, salami, mortadella, prosciutto, sausage, or bacon. Just be sure to cut the meat into small pieces so it fits nicely inside the dough ball.

Vegetables

You can also add some veggies to your pizza balls. Try mushrooms, chopped tomatoes, spinach, or broccoli. Just be aware that the cooking time is short, so if you want your veggies to be cooked through, you might want to sauté them first.

Spices and Herbs

To add some extra flavour, include some fresh or dried herbs like thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, or basil. You can also add spices like black pepper, ancho chile powder, red pepper flakes, chipotle powder, or cayenne pepper for a kick.

Sweet Options

For a sweet twist on pizza balls, fill them with curd, pudding, or jelly. You can also coat them in powdered sugar or dip them in a sugar glaze for a delicious dessert option.

Remember, the key is not to overfill the pizza balls, or the filling might leak out. So choose your favourite ingredients and enjoy experimenting with different combinations!

Cooking the pizza balls

Once you have prepared your pizza dough, it is time to cook your pizza balls. Here is a step-by-step guide to cooking pizza balls in an air fryer:

• Prepare your air fryer basket by lining it with an air fryer baking mat or greasing it with oil. This is important as it will prevent your dough from sticking to the basket.
• Take your pizza dough out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. This will make it easier to work with.
• Add a small amount of flour to the dough and knead it for a couple of minutes until it becomes soft and pliable.
• Divide the dough into eight equal-sized pieces. Flatten each piece into a pancake shape.
• Place your desired filling in the centre of each piece of dough. This could be a variety of ingredients such as cheese, pizza sauce, pepperoni, garlic puree, or soft cheese.
• Seal the edges of the dough, enclosing the filling to create a secret compartment. Form the dough into balls.
• Brush the dough balls with extra virgin olive oil. This will give them a crispy coating.
• Place the pizza balls into the air fryer basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook them in batches.
• Set the air fryer temperature to 180 degrees Celsius or 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook the pizza balls for 10 minutes at this temperature.
• After 10 minutes, lower the temperature to 160 degrees Celsius or 320 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
• Remove the pizza balls from the air fryer and allow them to cool slightly before serving.

Your pizza balls are now ready to be enjoyed! You can serve them as a snack, appetizer, or even a meal. They are perfect for game days, parties, or whenever you're craving a tasty treat.

Serving suggestions

Pizza balls cooked in an air fryer are a great snack or meal, and can be served in a variety of ways.

Firstly, you can serve them as a side dish. For example, if you have leftover pizza dough, you can make pizza dough balls to accompany a main course. You could also serve them as a side dish with lunch or dinner.

Secondly, they can be served as a snack or appetiser, especially if you are hosting a party or game day. You can fill each pizza ball with a variety of fillings, so there is something for everyone.

Thirdly, they can be a fun meal to make with friends or family. If you are getting hungry and want something quick and easy, pizza balls are a great option. You can get creative and experiment with different fillings and toppings.

Finally, they can be served as a dessert. For example, Zeppole fried dough balls are a traditional Italian treat that can be filled with curd, pudding, or jelly. They are usually coated in a simple powdered sugar and milk glaze, but you can also dust them with powdered sugar for a twist.

• Serve with a harissa dipping sauce, as they do at Pizza Express. You can make this by adding a 1/4 teaspoon of harissa paste to some tomato ketchup and mixing it in.
• Serve with pizza sauce or ranch for dipping.
• If you are serving the Zeppole fried dough balls, you can coat them in a simple powdered sugar and milk glaze, or just dust them with powdered sugar.
• Serve with a standard pizza parlour salad, such as a simple Caesar salad, or a cucumber and tomato salad.
• Serve with buffalo wings for a hearty meal.

Frequently asked questions