Air Fryer Magic: Reviving Cold Pizza In Minutes

If you're looking to reheat cold pizza in an air fryer, you're in luck! This method will give you a crispy crust and gooey, melted cheese in a matter of minutes.

First, place your pizza slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket. If you want to prevent sticking and make cleaning up easier, you can place a piece of parchment paper or aluminium foil underneath. Close the basket and set the temperature to between 325°F and 350°F (160°C to 176°C). How long you air fry the pizza for will depend on the thickness of the crust. For thin crust, three minutes should be enough, while a thick crust may need up to four or even seven minutes. Check your pizza regularly to make sure it doesn't burn. And that's it! Enjoy your freshly crisped pizza.

How to reheat thick crust pizza in an air fryer

If you're looking to reheat your leftover thick crust pizza in an air fryer, follow these steps for a slice that's crispy and fresh-tasting.

Preheat the Air Fryer

First, preheat your air fryer to 350°F (176°C). This will ensure that your pizza reheats evenly and quickly.

Prepare the Pizza

Place your leftover thick crust pizza slices in the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensuring they don't overlap. This arrangement allows for optimal air circulation, which is crucial for achieving a crispy texture. If you have a smaller air fryer, you may need to heat the slices in batches. You can also place a piece of parchment paper under the slices to prevent any cheese from sticking to the basket and make cleanup easier.

Air Fry the Pizza

Close the air fryer basket and set the timer for 4 minutes. Keep in mind that thicker pizza crusts may need an extra minute or two to warm up thoroughly and get a crispy crust. Check on your pizza after 3 minutes, and if it needs more time, you can add an additional minute.

Serve and Enjoy

Once your pizza is heated to your liking, carefully remove it from the air fryer using tongs and enjoy your freshly crisped-up thick crust pizza!

Troubleshooting Tips:

• Always preheat your air fryer to ensure even and quick heating.
• Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket to allow for proper air circulation and optimal crispiness.
• Be mindful of the temperature as reheating at too high a temperature can scorch your pizza, while a lower temperature may result in sogginess.
• Adjust the temperature and timing based on the thickness of your pizza crust.
• Keep an eye on your pizza while it's in the air fryer to avoid overcooking or burning.

How to reheat thin crust pizza in an air fryer

Air fryers are a great way to reheat thin crust pizza, giving you a crispy crust and gooey cheese in a matter of minutes. Here is a step-by-step guide to achieving the perfect reheated thin crust pizza.

Step 1: Preheat the Air Fryer

Firstly, preheat your air fryer to 325°F (160-176°C). Allow it to warm up for about 2-3 minutes. This step is important to ensure even and quick heating of your pizza.

Step 2: Arrange the Pizza Slices

Place your thin-crust pizza slices in a single layer within the air fryer basket, ensuring no overlap. This arrangement allows for optimal air circulation and even heating. If you have a smaller air fryer, you may need to heat the slices in batches.

Step 3: Set the Timer

For thin-crust pizza, set the timer for 2-3 minutes. Keep an eye on it, especially if it's super-thin crust, as it can go from crisp to burnt quickly.

Step 4: Check and Serve

Open the air fryer and test the pizza for your desired level of crispiness. If it's to your liking, remove the pizza slices and serve!

Tips:

• If you wish, you can place a piece of parchment paper under the slices to prevent any cheese from sticking to the basket and to catch any excess oil.
• To prevent toppings from burning, you can lightly spray the top of the pizza with oil.
• Always preheat your air fryer to ensure even and quick heating.
• Avoid overcrowding the basket to allow for proper air circulation.
• Be mindful of the temperature and adjust it according to your specific air fryer model and the thickness of your pizza.

Enjoy your freshly reheated thin crust pizza!

How to reheat frozen pizza in an air fryer

Prep

Line your air fryer basket with a disposable perforated parchment liner or a reusable silicone liner. This will make cleaning up easier. If you don't have either of these, you can use aluminium foil, but make sure to cut some holes in it to allow air flow so that the bottom of the pizza can get crispy.

Cook

Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (176°C) for a few minutes. Place the frozen pizza slices in the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensuring the slices don't overlap. The number of slices you can fit will depend on the size and type of your air fryer.

Cook for 8-12 minutes. Check on your pizza after 8 minutes and continue to cook as needed. You can open the basket and check on the pizza occasionally to see if it's warmed to your liking. If it's browning too quickly, lower the temperature by 25 degrees.

Once the cheese is melted and the crust is crispy, carefully remove the hot pizza from the air fryer with a spatula or tongs. Repeat this process with any remaining slices.

Tips

• If you want to prevent toppings from burning, you can lightly spray the top of the pizza with oil.
• Make sure to leave a little bit of space between slices to ensure air can circulate.
• The final cook time will depend on the model of your air fryer, as well as the thickness of the pizza. Thin crust pizzas will cook faster, while thick crust or deep dish pizzas will take longer.

How to prevent toppings from burning

To prevent your pizza toppings from burning in the air fryer, you can try the following:

Lightly spray the pizza with oil

A light coating of oil on your pizza can help prevent common toppings like bell peppers and olives from burning. However, fresh toppings like basil and tomatoes, which are typically added after cooking, are harder to keep from burning.

Use the right temperature

Reheating pizza at too high a temperature can scorch your toppings. For thin-crust pizza, set your air fryer to 325°F (160°C) and for thick crust, set it to 350°F (176°C).

Don't overcrowd the basket

Make sure to arrange your pizza slices in a single layer with some space in between for air circulation. Overlapping slices can lead to soggy, unevenly reheated pizza and increase the chances of toppings burning.

Use parchment paper

Lining your air fryer basket with parchment paper can make cleanup easier and help prevent cheese from sticking to the basket. Punch a few small holes in the parchment paper directly under the crust to ensure proper air circulation.

Check for doneness

Don't rely solely on the timer. Keep an eye on your pizza and check on it frequently to avoid overcooking. Open the basket and check the pizza occasionally to see if it's warmed to your liking.

How to make pizza in an air fryer

Ingredients

Pizza dough (store-bought or homemade)

• You can also use rolled-out crescent rolls or a tortilla.
• A 12-inch piece of dough will make 2 personal pizzas.

Buffalo mozzarella cheese

You can also use regular mozzarella.

Olive oil

Pizza sauce (store-bought or homemade)

Toppings of your choice

Fresh basil, Parmesan, and red pepper flakes are great options.

Method

• Cook the crust: Precook the crust in the air fryer for 3 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. This helps achieve a crispy bottom without overcooking the toppings. Remember to flip the crust over after the initial cook to prevent a white bottom.
• Assemble the pizza: Add your desired toppings to the crust while it's still in the air fryer.
• Cook the pizza: Air-fry your pizza at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 7 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted.

Tips:

• If your air fryer has a front-opening door, you may find it easier to assemble the pizza outside of the fryer and then transfer it in.
• For easy cleanup, line your air fryer basket with a disposable perforated parchment liner or a reusable silicone mat. You can also use aluminium foil, but be sure to cut some holes in it to allow airflow so that the bottom of the pizza can get crispy.
• There's no need to spray oil on the pizza as the cheese already has enough oil in it.
• Keep an eye on the pizza as it cooks, as some air fryer models heat up faster than others. If it's getting too dark, lower the temperature by 25 degrees.
• The final cook time will depend on the model of your air fryer and the thickness of the pizza. Thin crust pizzas will cook faster, while thick crust or deep-dish pizzas will take longer.

Frequently asked questions