Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, these air-fried bites turn four basic ingredients into a highly requested snack. Store-bought pizza dough wraps around savory meatballs and melted Italian cheese for a golden, handheld treat. The air fryer does all the heavy lifting, giving you that classic pizzeria crunch without heating up the oven. Grab a bowl of warm marinara for dipping, because you'll definitely want an extra dunk of sauce.
Prep
20 min
Cook
20 min
Total
40 min
Servings
8
Course
Category Pizza
Cuisine
American
Ingredients
½ pound pizza dough, at room temperature
1½ cups shredded Italian cheese blend
16 fully cooked frozen meatballs, thawed
1 cup pizza sauce, heated
1. Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, with a floured rolling pin, roll one piece of dough to a 14 × 4-inch strip. Sprinkle ½ cup cheese over the dough, up to 1 inch from 1 long edge. Place 8 meatballs evenly down the long side of the cheese-topped dough, with about ½ inch in between. Brush the uncovered part of the dough with water. Cut the dough crosswise between the meatballs into strips. Starting at the meatball side, roll up dough and press seam to seal. Pinch 1 side of dough to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough half, meatballs, and ½ cup cheese.
Instructions
1Divide the room-temperature dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll one piece into a 14 by 4-inch strip. Room-temperature dough is much easier to stretch and won't snap back as you roll.
2Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the Italian cheese blend over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border along one long edge. Space 8 thawed meatballs evenly down the cheese-covered side, leaving about 1/2 inch between them.
3Brush the bare dough edge with water. Cut the dough crosswise between the meatballs to create individual strips. Starting from the meatball side, roll each strip up and pinch the seams tightly to seal. The water helps the dough stick to itself so the rolls don't burst open while cooking.
4Repeat the rolling and filling process with the remaining dough half, 8 meatballs, and another 1/2 cup of cheese.
5Preheat your air fryer to 370°F and lightly oil the basket. Place 8 rolls seam-side down in the basket, leaving space between them for air to circulate. Air-fry for 8 minutes until the dough turns golden brown.
6Scatter 1/4 cup of cheese over the browned rolls. Air-fry for 1 additional minute until the cheese melts completely. Carefully remove the rolls with a spatula, then repeat the cooking process with the second batch of rolls and the remaining cheese. Serve warm with heated pizza sauce for dipping.
Notes
Make ahead: You can assemble the rolls up to a day in advance and store them tightly covered in the fridge until you're ready to air-fry.
Storage: Keep leftover rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Pop them back in the air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 4 minutes to restore their crispy exterior.
Swap: Feel free to use turkey meatballs or a spicy sausage variety instead of traditional beef meatballs.