Air Fryer Garlic Knots are the ultimate easy side dish when you’re craving warm, buttery bread without turning on the oven. Made with simple refrigerated pizza dough and finished with a garlicky herb butter, these knots come out perfectly soft on the inside and golden on the outside. The air fryer gives them that bakery-style texture in a fraction of the time.
Whether you’re serving them alongside pasta, soup, pizza, or a big family dinner, these garlic knots fit right in. They’re quick enough for busy weeknights but indulgent enough for game day spreads or holiday meals. Best of all, you don’t need any fancy ingredients or baking skills to pull them off.
Using the air fryer makes this recipe faster, easier, and more reliable than traditional oven-baked garlic knots. There’s no long preheat time, and the circulating heat ensures even browning every time. Plus, they stay light and fluffy instead of dense or dry.
Once tossed in garlic butter and sprinkled with Parmesan and herbs, these air fryer garlic knots become downright irresistible. Serve them warm with marinara sauce, ranch, or garlic dip for dunking—or enjoy them straight out of the basket while they’re still hot and fragrant. This is one recipe you’ll want to keep on repeat.
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Air Fryer Garlic Knots
These Air Fryer Garlic Knots are fluffy on the inside, golden on the outside, and tossed in a rich garlic-butter glaze with herbs and Parmesan. They’re quick to make, use simple ingredients, and come out perfectly every time—no oven required.
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 garlic knots 1x
Ingredients
1 can refrigerated pizza dough
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes
Instructions
Prepare the dough: Remove pizza dough from the can and roll into a rectangle. Cut into 8 equal strips. Tie each strip into a loose knot.
Air fry: Lightly grease the air fryer basket. Place knots in a single layer, leaving space between them. Air fry at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden brown.
Make garlic butter: While knots cook, mix melted butter, olive oil, garlic, parsley, salt, and red pepper flakes (if using).
Finish: Toss hot garlic knots in the garlic butter mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve warm.
Notes
Cooking Tips
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Don’t overcrowd the air fryer—cook in batches if needed for even browning.
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Fresh garlic gives the best flavor, but garlic powder works in a pinch (½ tsp).
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Toss the knots immediately after cooking so they absorb the garlic butter while hot.
Variations
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Cheesy Garlic Knots: Add shredded mozzarella during the last 1–2 minutes of air frying.
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Italian Herb Knots: Mix dried oregano, basil, and thyme into the butter.
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Vegan Garlic Knots: Use dairy-free butter and skip the Parmesan or use vegan cheese.
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Spicy Garlic Knots: Add extra red pepper flakes or a drizzle of hot honey.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8–10 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 145
- Sodium: 230mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
