Air Fryer Pizza: Is It Possible?

Yes, you can cook pizza in an air fryer! It's a quick and delicious option for pizza night, and you can get creative with endless toppings and ideas to please everyone. You can use store-bought pizza dough, pre-cooked pizza crust, or make your own dough from scratch. The air fryer can handle any thickness of crust, from thin and crispy to thick and airy, and you can cut the dough to fit your air fryer's basket size. The cooking time is typically around 7 to 10 minutes, and you can reheat any leftovers in the air fryer too.

Air fryer pizza recipe

Air fryer pizzas are a quick and easy way to make delicious, personal-sized pizzas with a perfectly crispy crust. The best part is that you can use any toppings you like!

Ingredients:

• Pizza dough (store-bought or homemade)
• Pizza sauce
• Cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, or any other variety)
• Toppings of your choice (e.g., pepperoni, onions, green peppers, olives, mushrooms, sausage, basil)
• Olive oil or cooking spray

Instructions:

• Preheat your air fryer to 375°F-400°F (190°C).
• Prepare your pizza dough by rolling it out to fit the size of your air fryer basket. If using store-bought dough, follow the package instructions for shaping and pre-baking the crust.
• Place the dough in the air fryer basket, or on a piece of parchment paper or foil if you want to avoid sticking. Spray or brush the dough lightly with olive oil and prick it with a fork.
• Pre-cook the dough for 3 minutes.
• Remove the crust from the air fryer and add your desired toppings. Start with a layer of pizza sauce, then sprinkle with cheese, and add your chosen toppings.
• Place an air fryer rack over the pizza to prevent the toppings from flying around during cooking.
• Return the pizza to the air fryer and cook for an additional 4-8 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
• Serve the pizza hot and crispy, straight out of the air fryer.

Tips:

• If you want to keep the first pizza warm while cooking a second one, place it in the oven at the lowest temperature.
• You can also reheat leftover pizza in the air fryer by setting the temperature to 325°F (165°C) and cooking for about 4 minutes.
• If you don't have an air fryer rack, you can still cook the pizza, but keep an eye on it and check halfway through to ensure the toppings haven't moved around.

Enjoy your homemade air fryer pizza!

Reheating pizza in an air fryer

Step 1: Preheat the Air Fryer

First, preheat your air fryer to 325-350°F (165°C). Preheating ensures that your pizza will cook evenly and helps achieve the desired crispy texture.

Step 2: Prepare the Pizza

Place the leftover pizza slices directly on the air fryer basket or rack. If you're reheating multiple slices, make sure they don't overlap and leave some space between them for even cooking. You can also line the air fryer basket with perforated silicone mats or parchment paper for easy cleanup.

Step 3: Reheat the Pizza

Place the pizza in the preheated air fryer and cook for 3-6 minutes. The exact time will depend on the thickness of the crust and the model of your air fryer. For thinner crusts, 3-4 minutes is usually sufficient. For thicker crusts or deep dish pizzas, you may need up to 6 minutes. Keep an eye on your pizza to ensure it doesn't overcook or burn.

Step 4: Enjoy Your Pizza

Once the timer goes off, carefully remove the pizza from the air fryer using heat-resistant gloves or tongs. Allow it to cool slightly, as the cheese and toppings will be very hot. Then, enjoy your freshly reheated pizza!

Air fryer rack

When cooking pizza in an air fryer, it is recommended to place the rack directly over the pizza to hold down the toppings. This is especially useful if you like to load your pizza with toppings, as the hot air circulating inside the air fryer can cause them to move around.

To use an air fryer rack for pizza, start by placing your pizza crust on a piece of parchment paper or directly into the air fryer basket. Add your desired sauce, cheese, and toppings. Then, place the air fryer rack on top of the pizza before putting it in the air fryer. Set the temperature and cooking time according to your pizza's requirements, usually around 375°F for 4-5 minutes.

Using an air fryer rack ensures that your pizza toppings stay in place, resulting in a well-cooked and evenly distributed pizza straight out of your air fryer.

Air fryer pan size

The pan size you use for your air fryer pizza depends on the size of your air fryer. If you have a basket-style air fryer, you can use a 7-inch or 8-inch cake pan that fits inside. If you have a very large air fryer, you can cook a pizza that's larger than personal size, but you'll need to adjust the cooking time.

When shaping your pizza dough, stretch it to fit the pan you're using. If you're using a basket-style air fryer, you can create an aluminium foil sling to help you put the pan into and take it out of the air fryer. Fold a long piece of aluminium foil into a strip about 16 inches long and about 3 inches wide. Rest the pan on top of the sling and pick up the edges of the foil to lift the pan up.

If your air fryer is rectangular, you can shape your dough into squares or rectangles instead of circles. You can also cut the dough into four equal parts and roll them into thin, round shapes to make four small, personal pizzas.

Air fryer vs oven

Yes, you can cook pizza in an air fryer. It is a quick and convenient way to make a pizza, and you can use store-bought or homemade dough. The air fryer's powerful fan and heating element cook food rapidly with little to no oil, resulting in a crispy pizza.

However, air fryers have some drawbacks when it comes to pizza-making. Firstly, the strong airflow can blow off toppings, including cheese, unless you use a rack to hold them down. Secondly, the pizza may not cook evenly, with the top browning faster than the bottom. This can be mitigated by pre-cooking the dough, flipping it, and then adding toppings, but this adds complexity.

Ovens, on the other hand, distribute heat evenly and are better suited for thicker crusts. They are also larger, making them more suitable for cooking multiple pizzas or larger pizzas. However, they take longer to preheat and cook than air fryers.

Additionally, convection ovens use a built-in fan to circulate hot air, similar to an air fryer, resulting in more even cooking. Most modern convection ovens offer an air fry setting, combining a unique heating system with a larger and faster fan. This setting can be ideal for cooking pizzas, as it provides the benefits of both an oven and an air fryer.

In conclusion, while air fryers are great for quick and crispy pizzas, ovens, especially convection ovens with an air fry setting, offer more versatility and control, making them better suited for pizza-making, especially if you prefer a thicker crust or want to cook multiple pizzas at once.

Frequently asked questions