Yes, you can put pizza in the air fryer, as long as you adjust time, temperature, and spacing for crisp slices without dry cheese.
If you love leftover pizza but hate soggy crust and limp toppings, the air fryer feels almost made for the job. Hot air flows around each slice, reviving the base and sharpening the cheese without turning the whole kitchen warm.
This guide walks you through when pizza works in an air fryer, the right time and temperature ranges, and simple safety checks. By the end, you can answer can you put pizza in the air fryer for every type of slice in your fridge or freezer.
Can You Put Pizza In The Air Fryer? Basic Rules
The short version is yes, most pizza goes into an air fryer just fine. Leftover delivery slices, frozen minis, and even small homemade pies handle the blast of hot air well when you treat them with a little care.
There are limits though. If the slice is loaded with loose toppings, dripping with grease, or has a thick, heavy crust, you need extra space and a bit more patience. You also need to think about food safety for leftovers, not just crunch.
| Pizza Type | Air Fryer Temperature | Typical Time Range |
|---|---|---|
| Chilled delivery slice (thin crust) | 350–375°F (175–190°C) | 3–5 minutes |
| Chilled delivery slice (thick or pan crust) | 350–375°F (175–190°C) | 5–7 minutes |
| Refrigerated deep dish slice | 360–380°F (180–195°C) | 6–8 minutes |
| Frozen cooked slice | 360–380°F (180–195°C) | 5–8 minutes |
| Frozen personal pizza (6–8 inches) | 360–390°F (180–200°C) | 7–10 minutes |
| Mini pizzas or bagel pizzas | 350–375°F (175–190°C) | 4–7 minutes |
| Homemade par-baked base with toppings | 360–390°F (180–200°C) | 6–9 minutes |
Every air fryer behaves a little differently, so think of the table as a starting plan, not an iron rule. Basket style models often crisp the base faster than oven style models, and a packed basket always slows everything down.
Leftover Pizza Versus Frozen Pizza
Cold leftover slices usually reheat faster than frozen ones. The crust is already baked through, so you just need to warm the toppings and bring back that firm bite on the base.
Frozen pizza, even when pre-baked, starts from a colder point and sometimes has more moisture in the toppings. That means a slightly longer time in the basket and a quick check in the center of the slice to be sure it is heated through.
When Pizza Should Skip The Air Fryer
Some slices simply are not a good match. Pizza that sat out at room temperature for more than two hours should not go back into any cooker, air fryer or oven. Bacteria grow quickly in that middle temperature zone.
Food safety agencies advise reheating leftovers to 165°F (74°C) and eating them within three to four days in the fridge, which applies to pizza too. Following USDA leftovers guidance keeps your air fried pizza tasty and safe.
You may also want to skip the air fryer for slices with huge piles of loose toppings or loose, floppy crust. Those can drop cheese or vegetables into the basket, burn in spots, and still stay cold in the center. In that case, a slower oven bake might treat the slice more gently.
Reheating Pizza In Your Air Fryer For Better Texture
Reheating pizza in an air fryer basket turns a limp slice into something close to fresh. The base dries just enough to crunch again, while the toppings warm from the top and sides instead of stewing on a pan.
Air fryers work by moving hot air across the surface of the slice with a strong fan and a tight chamber. That steady airflow dries the base faster than a sheet pan in a big oven, which is why pizza often comes out with crisp bottoms in only a few minutes.
Step-By-Step For Chilled Leftover Slices
Use this simple method the next time you want to reheat pizza in the air fryer right from the fridge.
- Preheat the air fryer. Set it to 350°F (175°C) for thin slices or 360–375°F (180–190°C) for thick slices. Two to three minutes of preheating is usually enough.
- Line the basket if needed. A mesh liner or small piece of parchment with holes keeps cheese from sticking but still lets air move around the base.
- Arrange slices in a single layer. Leave a little space between edges so air can flow. One layer always beats stacking.
- Air fry for a short burst. Start with 3 minutes for thin slices and 4–5 minutes for thicker slices.
- Check the base and cheese. Lift a corner with tongs. The base should feel crisp and the cheese should bubble and look glossy, not dry.
- Add brief extra time. If the center still feels cool, add 1–2 minute bursts until the slice is heated through.
- Rest for a minute. Let slices sit on a rack or plate for one minute so hot cheese settles before the first bite.
Once you run through this method a couple of times, you will know the sweet spot for your own air fryer and your favorite pizza place.
Adjusting Time And Temperature For Different Crusts
Thin crust pizza likes slightly lower heat and shorter time. A blast at 350°F often gives you a crisp base and soft, stretchy cheese without dark spots on the edge.
Thick, pan style, or deep dish slices hold more sauce and dough, so they need a bit more patience. Keep the temperature around 360–375°F and plan for closer to 6–8 minutes, checking halfway so the top does not brown faster than the base warms.
Stuffed crust slices can go either way. Some people enjoy a softer base with a molten cheese ring. Others want that base firm too. For a firmer base, keep the slice closer to the edges of the basket where hot air hits harder.
Cooking Frozen Pizza In The Air Fryer
Frozen pizza in the air fryer can be a quick dinner fix, especially for smaller pies that fit in the basket without bending. Most boxed cooking times assume a full oven, so air fryer cooking usually runs shorter.
Reading the directions on the box helps, since you can treat the oven time as an upper limit and aim for a shorter span in the smaller air fryer cavity.
Small Frozen Pizzas And Mini Pies
For a frozen personal pie, preheat the air fryer to around 370°F (190°C). Place the pizza straight on the basket or on a low rack if your model has one. Cook for 7–10 minutes, checking near the end for a firm base and melted cheese.
Mini pizzas, such as bagel or French bread styles, behave more like thick slices. Start at 350–360°F for 4–7 minutes. If toppings start to brown before the base feels ready, lower the heat by 10–15 degrees and add another minute.
Frozen Pizza Slices
If you freeze leftover slices for later, the air fryer saves them without much fuss. Set the temperature to 360–380°F and cook for 5–8 minutes, depending on slice thickness and how tightly they were wrapped.
You can place frozen slices straight into the basket, but breaking apart freezer ice and brushing off loose frost avoids soggy spots. A short rest on the counter while the air fryer heats up also trims a bit of time from the cook.
Air Fryer Pizza Mistakes To Avoid
Once you know that yes, you can put pizza in the air fryer, the next step is avoiding the little habits that wreck texture. Most problems come down to crowding, heat level, or forgetting how strong that fan can be.
| Problem | Likely Cause | Simple Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Soggy center | Slice too thick for time or stacked slices | Cook fewer slices at once and extend time in short steps |
| Burnt cheese edges | Heat set too high | Drop temperature by 10–20°F and add a minute or two |
| Dry, tough crust | Too long in the basket | Check earlier and use shorter bursts at the end |
| Cheese blown off slice | Fan speed strong and toppings loose on top | Lower heat slightly and use a mesh screen or rack |
| Grease pooling in basket | Greasy toppings and no liner | Add a small liner and drain slices on a rack after cooking |
| Uneven browning | Hot spots in the basket | Rotate the basket or move slices halfway through |
| Sticking to the basket | No liner and old nonstick surface | Use parchment with holes or a fresh mesh liner |
These issues sound small, but they often decide whether air fried pizza feels like a treat or an accident. Once you adjust for your own fryer, the process turns almost automatic.
Safety, Nutrition, And Portion Tips For Air Fried Pizza
Food safety deserves as much attention as texture. Leftover slices need quick refrigeration, airtight storage, and a thorough reheat. The safest target is a piping hot center that reaches 165°F, which matches the safe minimum internal temperature chart used for leftovers in general.
That reheating target does not change just because pizza sits in an air fryer basket instead of a pan in the oven. A small food thermometer slid into the thickest part of the slice gives you a clear answer when you are unsure.
On the nutrition side, air frying does not remove calories from a slice, but it can keep you from adding more oil. Pizza from a standard chain often lands around 280–300 calories per slice, based on pizza nutrition data based on USDA analysis. That means two slices already feel close to a meal for many people.
You can balance a plate by pairing air fried pizza with a simple salad or extra vegetables. When the crust stays crisp and the cheese tastes fresh again, smaller portions feel more satisfying, so you do not need half a box to feel full.
Quick Reference For Air Fryer Pizza Success
When you stand in front of the fridge and ask can you put pizza in the air fryer, the answer is usually yes. The safest and tastiest results come from a few steady habits.
- Chill leftovers fast, wrap them well, and use them within three to four days.
- Preheat the air fryer, spread slices in one layer, and start with short cooking times.
- Adjust heat based on crust thickness and toppings instead of following one single number.
- Watch for the signs you like most: bubbling cheese, golden edges, and a firm base that still bends a little.
- Keep tools nearby, such as tongs, a small rack, parchment with holes, and a basic food thermometer.
- Treat frozen pizza, minis, and bagel slices as thicker pieces, with slightly lower heat and longer time.
With that pattern in place, the air fryer turns leftover pizza night into a fast, low mess kitchen ritual that tastes close to fresh home delivery every time.