To cook Totino’s pizza in the air fryer, preheat to 400°F and cook a single pizza for 6–8 minutes until the crust is crisp and cheese melts.
Why Air Fry Totino’s Pizza At All
Totino’s frozen pizza already wins points for being cheap, fast, and easy from the oven. An air fryer pushes the speed and texture further by blasting hot air directly around the crust so it crisps faster and often more evenly than in a toaster oven. On busy nights, that difference feels huge when you want something hot and cheesy on a plate with almost zero effort.
Air frying also keeps the kitchen cooler than running a full oven, handy in small spaces or warm weather. You still get that bubbly cheese and browned crust, just in a smaller appliance that preheats quickly and uses less energy. With a bit of timing know-how, you can turn a simple Totino’s pizza into a quick snack that tastes closer to a mini takeout pie.
How To Cook Totino’s Pizza In The Air Fryer
This method works for classic round Totino’s Party Pizza style pies. Adjust times slightly for your specific model, since basket depth, wattage, and fan strength change how fast food browns. If you came here wondering exactly how to cook totino’s pizza in the air fryer, this set of steps gives you a reliable starting point.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 3 to 5 minutes with an empty basket. Many manuals recommend a short preheat so the heating element and fan reach steady power before food goes in.
- Unwrap the frozen pizza and remove any cardboard. Keep the pizza frozen; there is no need to thaw.
- Place the pizza in the basket in a single layer. If your basket is smaller than the pizza, you can trim a thin strip off one side with a sharp knife so it lies flat without curling.
- Air fry for 6 minutes at 400°F, then check. You want melted cheese in the center and a lightly browned crust edge.
- Add 1 to 3 more minutes as needed. Most Totino’s pizzas land between 6 and 9 minutes total, depending on thickness and how powerful your air fryer runs.
- Check doneness safely. The center cheese should bubble and no bare dough should look pale or gummy. If you use a food thermometer, leftovers and mixed dishes should reach at least 165°F inside, which matches current USDA reheating advice.
- Cool slightly before slicing. Let the pizza rest on a cutting board for 2 to 3 minutes so the cheese sets a bit and the crust stays crisp when you cut it.
Totino’s Air Fryer Time And Temperature Guide
The table below gives starting points for different Totino’s pizza styles and common air fryer setups. Always use your own basket size and browning level as the final judge.
| Totino’s Pizza Style | Suggested Temp | Approx Time* |
|---|---|---|
| Classic Party Pizza (Pepperoni) | 400°F | 7–9 minutes |
| Classic Party Pizza (Cheese) | 400°F | 6–8 minutes |
| Classic Party Pizza (Triple Meat) | 400°F | 7–10 minutes |
| Classic Party Pizza (Supreme) | 390–400°F | 7–10 minutes |
| Thicker Crust Styles | 390°F | 8–11 minutes |
| Mini Party Pizza Portions (Half Pizza) | 380–390°F | 5–7 minutes |
| Reheating Leftover Slices | 360–380°F | 3–5 minutes |
*Times are approximate and based on preheated basket-style air fryers. Watch the first pizza closely and adjust later batches.
Totino’s Oven Directions And Why They Matter For Air Frying
The packaging on Totino’s Party Pizza tells you to bake at 450°F directly on the oven rack for roughly 10 to 14 minutes, depending on the variety and crust style. Those official directions are tuned for a large, dry oven cavity with slower preheat and a more gentle heat flow than an air fryer basket provides.
Since an air fryer works like a small, powerful convection chamber, it cooks a Totino’s crust faster at a slightly lower temperature. Dropping the heat from 450°F to around 390–400°F helps you avoid burnt edges while still getting a crisp base. You still follow the same core idea behind the official Totino’s oven directions: hot, dry air and enough time for the center cheese to melt fully.
Totino’s Air Fryer Cooking Times And Temperatures
Different air fryers run hotter or cooler, and basket shape matters for how well air reaches the crust. A wide, shallow basket usually browns a Totino’s pizza more evenly than a tall, narrow one where the edges sit closer to the heating element. Start with the ranges in the chart above, then dial them in for your own model.
If your crust tends to burn before the cheese melts, lower the heat to 380–390°F and add 1 or 2 extra minutes. If your pizza comes out a little pale on the bottom, raise the temperature slightly or move the pizza closer to the fan if your model has multiple shelf levels. Take notes on what works so the next Totino’s cooks the way you like it with no guesswork.
Basket Setup And Pizza Positioning Tips
How the pizza sits in the basket decides how crisp the base feels when you bite into it. Try to keep the pizza as flat as you can so hot air can move under the crust. A raised crisper tray or perforated pan lets air flow under the dough and helps the bottom brown instead of steaming on solid metal.
Avoid stacking one pizza on top of another or wedging slices so they overlap while the cheese is still solid. If you want to cook two Totino’s pies back to back, cook them in separate batches. For a very small basket, cutting the pizza in half, then arranging both halves in a slight arc along the curve of the basket, often works well.
Oil, Cheese Melt, And Extra Toppings
Totino’s pizza already contains its own oil and cheese, so you rarely need to spray extra oil directly on the crust. A light spritz on the basket or tray can help prevent sticking, but heavy oil in the bottom of an air fryer can smoke or even damage the coating over time. Keep sauces and extra cheese under control so they do not drip straight onto the heating element.
If you like extra toppings, add a light layer only. A huge pile of extra cheese or meat can slow down heat flow and lead to soft centers. Thin pepperoni slices, diced peppers, onions, or a sprinkle of shredded mozzarella work well. Add delicate toppings such as fresh herbs after cooking so they do not burn or dry out.
Checking Doneness And Food Safety
Visual Cues Inside The Air Fryer
Visually, the pizza is ready when the cheese across the top has melted, small browned spots have formed, and the crust edge feels firm rather than limp when lifted with tongs. The underside should show a light golden color. If the middle still looks thin and pale when you cut into it, return the pizza to the basket for another minute or two.
Using A Thermometer For Extra Safety
Frozen ready-to-bake products like Totino’s pizza need enough heat so both the center toppings and crust reach safe temperatures. The USDA safe minimum internal temperature chart lists 165°F for leftovers and mixed dishes, which you can confirm with a quick thermometer probe pushed into the center of the slice.
Reheating Leftover Totino’s Pizza In The Air Fryer
Leftover Totino’s pizza reheats nicely in the air fryer and often tastes better than it does from a microwave. Place slices in a single layer in the basket, then run the air fryer at 360–380°F for 3 to 5 minutes. Thin crust slices often land near the shorter end of that range, and thicker or heavily topped slices may need closer to 5 minutes.
Cold pizza should not sit out at room temperature for long stretches before reheating. Public health guidance on leftovers stresses that perishable foods should not stay in the temperature danger zone for long periods, so move leftover pizza from the table to the fridge promptly and reheat only what you will eat.
Tuning Texture For Softer Or Crisper Pizza
Once you have a feel for how long your air fryer needs, you can tune the texture for different moods. For a softer crust with stretchier cheese, lower the heat to around 380°F and stop the pizza at the first sign of browning at the edges. This keeps the center tender and the cheese pale but fully melted.
If you prefer a crisper bite, keep the temperature at 400°F and let the pizza run a minute beyond your usual time, watching for deeper color along the rim and more toasty cheese spots. Go slowly here and check every 30 seconds so you do not jump from pleasantly browned to burnt edges in one go.
Air Fryer Settings And Totino’s Pizza Troubleshooting
Some air fryers offer presets labeled pizza, frozen snacks, or bake. These can be handy, but the preset time may not match the thin profile of a Totino’s pizza. If a preset leaves your pizza underdone, increase the time in one minute steps, or turn off the preset and enter the temperature and timing manually.
Use this quick troubleshooting table when you are dialing in how to cook totino’s pizza in the air fryer on your own model.
| Problem | Likely Cause | Easy Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Soggy Or Pale Crust | Basket not preheated or pizza resting on solid pan | Preheat fully and use a perforated tray or rack |
| Burnt Edges, Soft Center | Temperature too high or pizza too close to heating element | Lower heat 10–20°F and move pizza slightly lower if possible |
| Cheese Drying Out | Cook time too long | Cut the time by 1–2 minutes and check sooner |
| Toppings Sliding Off | Pizza tilted or basket overloaded | Cook flat, in a single layer with more space |
| Basket Coating Wearing Fast | Heavy oil spray or metal tools scraping surface | Use light oil, silicone tools, and gentle cleaning |
| Smoke During Cooking | Leftover grease or burned crumbs in tray | Clean basket and tray carefully between batches |
| Uneven Browning | Hot spots near fan or crowded layout | Rotate pizza halfway through and avoid stacking |
Final Thoughts On Air Frying Totino’s Pizza
Learning how to cook Totino’s pizza in the air fryer is mostly about dialing in a small set of numbers for your own appliance. Once you know how to cook totino’s pizza in the air fryer for your basket size, you can repeat the same numbers every time without guessing. Start around 400°F for 6 to 8 minutes for a single Party Pizza, keep the pizza level on a vented rack, and adjust by a minute or two until the crust and cheese both look the way you like.
Once you have your timing set, Totino’s pizza becomes one of the easiest snacks to run through the air fryer. You get reliable crunch, quick cleanup, and a repeatable method you can use any time a frozen pie shows up in the freezer, without needing to turn on the full oven.