Air Fryer: The Best Way To Reheat Leftover Pizza

If you're looking to revive leftover pizza, an air fryer is the best way to get a crispy crust and gooey, melted cheese in a matter of minutes. While a conventional oven takes longer to heat up and a microwave can make your pizza soggy and chewy, an air fryer is quick, easy, and delivers great results.

Preheat your air fryer to 350°F

Preheating your air fryer is a crucial step in the pizza-reheating process. It ensures that your pizza heats evenly and quickly, and it only takes about 2-3 minutes.

To preheat your air fryer to 350°F, simply turn it on and let it warm up. Most air fryers will have a preheat setting, but if not, just set the temperature to 350°F and let it heat up for a few minutes.

Preheating your air fryer will give you that perfectly crispy crust that you're craving. It's also a good idea to preheat if you're cooking more than one batch of pizza. That way, your subsequent batches will cook a little faster since the air fryer is already hot.

Once your air fryer has preheated, you can move on to the next step of placing your pizza slices in the air fryer basket. Make sure they're in a single layer and not overlapping, as this will ensure even cooking and prevent sogginess.

So, don't skip the preheat step! It's an important part of achieving that perfect leftover pizza texture.

Place pizza slices in a single layer

Placing your pizza slices in a single layer is crucial when reheating leftover pizza in an air fryer. This ensures even cooking and allows the hot air to circulate, crisping up the crust without drying it out. Overlapping slices will lead to soggy, unevenly reheated pizza.

The number of slices you can fit in your air fryer will depend on its size and type. If you have a smaller air fryer, you may need to heat the slices in batches.

For easy cleanup, you can place a piece of parchment paper, aluminium foil, or a silicone liner underneath the slices. If using parchment paper, punch a few small holes directly under the crust to ensure proper airflow.

If you're using a basket-style air fryer, you'll need to reheat your pizza one or two slices at a time, depending on the size of the basket. If you have an oven-style air fryer, you can reheat as many slices as will fit on the rack or tray.

Cook for 3-4 minutes

So, you've got your air fryer ready to go, your pizza slices are in a single layer in the basket, and you've decided that 350°F is the temperature to go for. Now, it's time to cook!

Depending on the type of crust your pizza has, you'll want to air fry for 3-4 minutes. For thin crust, 3 minutes should be enough, and for thick crust, go for 4 minutes. If your pizza is somewhere in between, or if you just like your pizza very crispy, you can even go for the full 4 minutes for a thin crust, or add an extra minute for a thick crust.

While your pizza is cooking, keep an eye on it. If it's browning too quickly, turn the temperature down by 25 degrees. If your pizza isn't done after the recommended time, simply add more time as needed.

Once the time is up, or you're happy with how your pizza looks, carefully remove it from the air fryer and enjoy your freshly crisped-up pizza!

Check and serve

Now that your pizza is almost ready, it's time to check on its progress and serve it up!

After three minutes, open the air fryer and check the pizza. If you're happy with how crispy the crust is, it's ready to be served. If you think it could be crispier, air fry for another minute and then check again.

If you're cooking a thin crust pizza, it may only need two to three minutes to reheat. For thicker crusts, you may need to add an extra minute or two to ensure the middle is hot and the cheese is melted.

If you're reheating multiple batches, keep in mind that the air fryer is already hot, so subsequent batches may cook a little faster.

Once your pizza is ready, let it cool for a minute before tucking in!

Reheating thick crust pizza

Reheating leftover thick-crust pizza in an air fryer is a simple process. First, preheat your air fryer to a lower temperature than you would for thin-crust pizza. Aim for around 300°F (150°C) and preheat for 2-3 minutes. This lower temperature will ensure that your pizza's middle heats up thoroughly without drying out the crust.

Next, arrange your thick-crust pizza slices in the air fryer basket, ensuring they don't overlap. Thick-crust pizzas will likely need more time to heat up thoroughly, so start with 4-5 minutes and then check if your pizza is done to your liking. If the cheese has melted and the middle is hot, your pizza is ready to eat! If not, give it another minute or two.

As a tip, if you find that the crust is heating up too quickly compared to the middle, you can use a small piece of aluminium foil to cover the top of the pizza for the remaining cooking time.

Frequently asked questions