You cook pizza in an air fryer by setting the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and baking for 6–8 minutes until the cheese melts and the crust turns golden brown.
Leftover pizza often turns into a soggy mess in the microwave. The oven takes too long to preheat for just two slices. This is where your countertop cooker shines.
You want a crispy bottom and gooey cheese without waiting thirty minutes. Air fryers circulate hot air rapidly around the food. This mimics the results of a brick oven much better than a standard home oven can.
This method works for frozen mini pies, fresh homemade dough, and reheating yesterday’s delivery. You just need to know the right timing to avoid burning the toppings before the crust cooks.
Why Air Fryers Beat Conventional Ovens For Pizza
Speed is the primary advantage here. A standard oven requires fifteen minutes just to reach temperature. Your air fryer is ready in two or three minutes.
The convection mechanism creates a distinct texture. The fan forces heat directly onto the cheese and crust simultaneously. This creates a “Maillard reaction” quickly, giving you that spotted, browned cheese everyone loves.
Energy efficiency also matters. Heating a huge oven for one slice of pepperoni is wasteful. The smaller appliance uses less electricity and keeps your kitchen cool during summer months.
You also get superior texture revival. Microwaves vibrate water molecules, making bread chewy and rubbery. The air fryer drives moisture off the surface, returning the crunch to the crust.
General Time And Temperature Cheat Sheet
Every pizza is different. A thick deep-dish slice needs more time than a thin New York-style slice. Frozen pizzas have different density levels than fresh dough.
Use this table as your primary reference point. It covers the most common scenarios you will face when you ask, “how do you cook pizza in an air fryer?” for different types.
| Pizza Type | Temperature | Estimated Time |
|---|---|---|
| Frozen Mini Pizza (Whole) | 375°F (190°C) | 6–8 Minutes |
| Frozen Pizza Slice | 350°F (175°C) | 5–7 Minutes |
| Reheating Thin Crust | 350°F (175°C) | 3–4 Minutes |
| Reheating Deep Dish | 325°F (160°C) | 5–6 Minutes |
| Fresh Homemade (Pre-baked Crust) | 380°F (195°C) | 4–6 Minutes |
| Fresh Dough (Raw) | 375°F (190°C) | 7–10 Minutes |
| French Bread Pizza | 360°F (180°C) | 5–7 Minutes |
| Pizza Bagels | 360°F (180°C) | 4–6 Minutes |
How Do You Cook Pizza In An Air Fryer From Frozen?
Frozen pizzas are a weeknight staple. Most personal-sized frozen pies fit perfectly in a standard basket. If you have a larger frozen pizza, you might need to break it into pieces first.
Preparing The Basket
Do not just throw the pizza in. If your pizza has a lot of loose cheese, it might drip through the grate. This causes smoke and a burning smell.
Place a sheet of perforated parchment paper at the bottom if you anticipate a mess. This allows airflow but catches drips. Never put parchment paper in during preheat without food on top. The fan will blow it into the heating element.
The Cooking Process
Set your device to 375°F. Place the frozen pizza in the center. You do not need to thaw it first. In fact, cooking from frozen helps keep the crust structure intact.
Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes. Check it at the 5-minute mark. Air fryers vary in power. One model might burn the cheese in 6 minutes, while another needs 8.
Look for browning on the edges of the pepperoni or cheese. The center should be hot. If the top is browning too fast but the center is cold, lower the heat to 325°F and cook for two more minutes.
Reheating Leftovers Without The Soggy Crust
This is the most popular use case. Cold pizza is fine, but hot, crispy pizza is better. The goal here is to warm the filling without drying out the crust.
Water Trick For Moisture
If your slice is old and looks dry, add a teaspoon of water to the bottom of the air fryer basket (under the grate). This creates a tiny bit of steam. It helps melt the cheese nicely while the hot air crisps the bottom.
Temperature Matters
Do not blast leftovers at 400°F. This burns the toppings before the inside heats up. Stick to 350°F. Place the slice flat in the basket.
Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Open the basket and touch the center of the slice. If it is hot, you are done. If it is still lukewarm, add one minute.
According to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, you should ensure leftovers reach an internal temperature of 165°F to be safe. This ensures any bacteria that grew while the pizza sat out are destroyed.
Making Homemade Pizza In The Air Fryer
You can make pizza from scratch, but it requires more attention. Wet dough behaves differently in high-velocity air than in a still oven.
Managing The Dough
Raw dough can get blown around or drip through the holes. Pre-cooking the crust is a smart move. Roll out your dough to fit your basket size.
Place the plain dough in the air fryer at 375°F for 3 minutes. This sets the shape. Take it out, flip it, add your sauce and cheese, then put it back in.
The Flying Topping Problem
The fan in an air fryer is powerful. It will blow pepperoni slices and shredded cheese right off your pizza. This leaves you with a bare crust and a messy heating element.
To fix this, press your pepperoni slices firmly into the sauce. Use block cheese or heavier mozzarella slices instead of fine shreds. If you must use shreds, put the toppings under the cheese to weigh them down.
Best Practices For Cooking Pizza In An Air Fryer With Accessories
You can upgrade your setup to handle different pizza styles. Standard baskets work, but specific tools make cleanup easier and results better.
A pizza pan accessory is a great investment. These are shallow metal pans that fit inside the basket. They block some airflow from the bottom, so you might need to flip the crust halfway through if you use one.
Silicone liners are also popular. They make cleanup instant. Just lift the liner out, and your basket stays clean. However, silicone is an insulator. You might need to add a minute or two to the cook time to get the bottom crispy.
Rack inserts allow you to stack slices. If you need to reheat three slices at once, a rack doubles your surface area. Rotate the racks halfway through so the bottom slice gets direct heat.
Troubleshooting Common Pizza Problems
Even with simple instructions, things go wrong. Here is how to fix the most annoying issues.
The Bottom Is Soft
This happens when you use too much sauce or thick accessories. The air cannot reach the bottom of the crust. Try cooking the pizza directly on the grate without liners. If it is still soft, cook the crust alone for two minutes before adding toppings.
The Cheese Burns Before The Crust Cooks
Your temperature is too high. Thick crusts need lower heat for longer periods. Drop the temperature to 320°F. This allows the heat to penetrate the dough without scorching the dairy on top.
Smoke Coming From The Unit
Grease or cheese dripped onto the heating element. This is common with pepperoni. If smoke starts, stop the machine. Wipe out the bottom of the basket safely. Adding a small amount of water to the bottom drawer can stop grease from smoking.
Choosing The Right Crust For Air Frying
Not all bases work well with intense convection heat. Understanding your base helps you get the right crunch.
Thin Crust Success
Thin crusts are the easiest. They cook fast and crisp up beautifully. Tortilla pizzas or pita bread pizzas take only 4 minutes. Keep an eye on them so they do not turn into crackers.
Deep Dish Challenges
Deep dish is harder. The center takes a long time to heat. You might end up with a burnt top and cold middle. Lower the heat and cover the top loosely with foil for the first half of the cooking time. Remove the foil for the last 3 minutes to brown the cheese.
Cleaning Up After Pizza Night
Cheese is notorious for sticking to wire baskets. Do not scrub efficiently with steel wool; you will ruin the non-stick coating.
Soak the basket immediately after it cools. Warm water and dish soap usually loosen baked-on cheese. If you have stubborn spots, use a paste of baking soda and water. Let it sit for fifteen minutes, then wipe it away.
Check the heating element occasionally. Updrafts pull grease splatter upward. A dirty element causes smoking and uneven cooking. Wipe it with a damp cloth when the unit is unplugged and cool.
Pizza Equipment Comparison
Different tools yield different results. Knowing what to put under your slice changes the game.
This table breaks down the pros and cons of surfaces you might use. It helps you decide if you need to buy extra gear.
| Surface Type | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Bare Basket Grate | Best airflow; Crispiest bottom | Messy; Cheese drips through |
| Parchment Paper | Easy cleanup; Non-stick | Reduced airflow; Fire risk if loose |
| Silicone Liner | Reusable; Dishwasher safe | Blocks heat; Softer crust |
| Metal Pizza Pan | Contains deep dish; No mess | Need to preheat it; Hard to lift out |
| Aluminum Foil | Cheap; Moldable to shape | Reacts with acidic sauce; Tears easily |
Tips For Healthy Pizza Variations
You can make this indulgence slightly better for you. The air fryer helps because you do not need oil to crisp the crust.
Vegetable Bases
Cauliflower crusts work very well in air fryers. They are often wetter than flour dough. The high airflow dries them out nicely, making them less mushy than oven-baked versions. Cook these at 375°F for roughly 10 minutes.
Portion Control
Using an air fryer limits you to one or two slices at a time. This naturally helps with portion control. You cook what you eat immediately. There is no huge leftovers box tempting you later.
You can also use portobello mushrooms as a base. Scoop out the gills, add sauce and cheese, and air fry for 5 minutes. It is a low-carb alternative that holds toppings well.
Handling Multiple Batches
If you are feeding a family, one air fryer might feel slow. You have to work in rounds. Cook the pizzas in batches.
Keep the finished slices in a warm oven (set to warm or 170°F) while you finish the rest. Do not stack them hot, or they will steam each other and lose their crunch. Place them in a single layer on a cooling rack.
Alternatively, serve them as they come out. The first person eats while the second pizza cooks. It keeps everyone eating piping hot food.
Safety Considerations With Hot Cheese
Molten cheese retains heat. When you pull a slice out of an air fryer, the topping is often hotter than the crust. Let it sit for one minute.
Use tongs to remove the pizza. Do not try to slide it out onto a plate by tipping the basket. The toppings will slide off. A small spatula or silicone-tipped tongs give you the best grip.
Be careful with the basket sides. They are extremely hot. Always set the basket on a heat-safe trivet, not directly on your countertop. Most quartz or granite counters can crack from thermal shock.
Common Questions On Ingredients
The type of ingredients you pick changes the cook time. High-sugar sauces burn faster. If you use a sweet BBQ sauce for a chicken pizza, lower the temperature by 10 degrees.
Fresh mozzarella has high water content. It tends to pool liquid in the center of the pizza. For air frying, low-moisture mozzarella is superior. It melts without turning the crust into soup.
Vegetables should be sliced thin. Thick chunks of peppers or onions will not cook through in the 6 minutes it takes for the cheese to melt. Pre-sauté your veggies if you like them soft.
Making Pizza Rolls And Calzones
The question of “how do you cook pizza in an air fryer?” often extends to snacks. Pizza rolls are a classic. They tend to explode in the microwave.
In the air fryer, cook frozen pizza rolls at 380°F for 6 minutes. Shake the basket halfway through. The shell gets crispy and blisters slightly, just like a fried wonton.
Calzones need lower heat because they are dense. Cook them at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. Flip them over at the 6-minute mark to ensure the bottom dough cooks through.
Why Your Air Fryer Model Matters
Basket-style air fryers cook differently than oven-style units. Oven-style air fryers have multiple racks. You can cook more pizza, but you must rotate the racks.
Basket styles concentrate heat better. They usually cook about 20% faster than the oven-style shelf units. If you read a recipe for an oven style, subtract a minute or two for your basket unit.
Wattage also plays a role. A 1700-watt unit heats up instantly. A smaller 1200-watt unit might drag. Watch your food the first time you try a new method. Trust your eyes more than the timer.
Final Thoughts On Air Fryer Pizza
Once you switch to this method, the microwave becomes obsolete for leftovers. The texture difference is massive. Whether you are baking a frozen pie or reviving a delivery slice, the air fryer delivers consistent quality.
Keep your temperature moderate, usually around 375°F. Watch the cheese to prevent burning. Use accessories if you want to keep the mess contained. It is the fastest path to a satisfying meal without waiting for a large oven to heat up.