Reheating Deep-Dish Pizza: Air Fryer Time

If you're looking to reheat deep-dish pizza in an air fryer, you're in luck! This method will ensure your pizza is crispy and hot, with melted cheese, in just a few minutes.

First, preheat your air fryer to 330°F (about 150°C). Then, place your pizza slices inside the basket, ensuring they are in a single layer and not overlapping. If you want to prevent sticking, you can place a piece of parchment paper or aluminium foil with holes cut out for airflow underneath the slices.

Air fry your pizza for about 5-6 minutes, checking regularly to ensure it doesn't burn. Once the cheese is melted and the crust is crispy, your pizza is ready to be enjoyed!

Preheat the air fryer to 350°F

Preheating your air fryer is an essential step in reheating deep-dish pizza. It ensures that your pizza heats evenly and quickly, resulting in a crispy crust and melted cheese.

To preheat your air fryer, simply turn it on and set the temperature to 350°F. Allow it to heat up for about 2-3 minutes. This preheating time is standard across different types of air fryers, including basket-style and oven-style models.

During preheating, you can prepare your pizza slices by arranging them in a single layer on a piece of parchment paper or aluminium foil. This ensures optimal crispiness and easy cleanup. If using aluminium foil, remember to cut some holes for airflow.

Once your air fryer reaches 350°F, carefully place your pizza slices inside, ensuring they don't overlap. Now, you're ready to air fry your pizza!

Preheating your air fryer to 350°F is a crucial step in achieving the perfect reheated deep-dish pizza. It ensures even heating and the ideal balance between a crispy crust and a thoroughly warmed centre.

Use parchment paper or aluminium foil

Using parchment paper or aluminium foil is an optional step when reheating deep-dish pizza in an air fryer, but it can help with easy cleanup. If you're using parchment paper, it's recommended to punch a few small holes in the paper directly under the crust to ensure air can circulate. If you're using aluminium foil, cut some holes in the foil for airflow so that the bottom of the pizza can get crispy.

To use parchment paper or aluminium foil when reheating deep-dish pizza in an air fryer, follow these steps:

• Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (176°C) for about 2-3 minutes.
• Place a piece of parchment paper or aluminium foil in the air fryer basket.
• Arrange your pizza slices in a single layer on top of the parchment paper or aluminium foil, ensuring that the slices do not overlap.
• Close the basket and set the timer for 3-5 minutes for deep-dish pizza. Check on your pizza after 3 minutes and add more time as needed.
• Once the cheese is melted and the middle is hot, carefully remove your newly crisped-up pizza with tongs and enjoy!

Using parchment paper or aluminium foil can help to catch any cheese or oil that melts off the pizza and makes cleanup easier. It can also help to prevent any cheese from sticking to the air fryer basket. However, it's not strictly necessary, and you can place the pizza directly into the basket if you prefer.

Reheat for 3-6 minutes

Reheating deep-dish pizza in an air fryer takes a little longer than reheating thin-crust pizza. While thin-crust pizza is cooked at 350°F for 3 minutes, deep-dish pizza is cooked at a lower temperature of 330°F for about 6 minutes. This ensures that the cheese does not burn while the inside of the pizza heats up.

If you are reheating more than one slice of pizza, arrange them in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring that they do not overlap. This allows for even cooking and prevents sticking. You can also place a piece of parchment paper or aluminium foil under the pizza slices to prevent cheese from sticking to the basket and to make cleaning easier. However, if you use aluminium foil, remember to cut holes in it to allow air to flow through so that the bottom of the pizza becomes crispy.

If you are using an oven-style air fryer, there is no need to preheat it. Cold-starting will help the pizza heat evenly. However, if you are using a basket-style air fryer, preheat your air fryer for 2-3 minutes before placing the pizza inside.

Check your pizza after 3 minutes. If it needs more time, you can add an extra minute or two. The pizza is ready when the cheese has melted and the middle is hot to the touch.

Avoid overcrowding the basket

When reheating deep-dish pizza in an air fryer, it's important to avoid overcrowding the basket. Here are some tips to ensure optimal results:

Allow Adequate Space for Air Circulation

When placing the pizza slices in the air fryer basket, make sure they are arranged in a single layer without overlapping. This is crucial because overcrowding the basket will limit air circulation, resulting in soggy and unevenly reheated pizza. Leave some space between the slices to ensure optimal crispiness. If you have a smaller air fryer, you may need to heat the slices in batches.

Choose the Right Air Fryer Type

The type of air fryer you use also plays a role in avoiding overcrowding. Basket-style air fryers typically accommodate one or two slices at a time, depending on the basket size. If you have a larger oven-style or toaster oven-style air fryer, you can fit multiple slices on the rack or tray as long as they are spaced adequately.

Use Perforated Parchment Paper or Aluminum Foil

To prevent the cheese from sticking to the basket and to enhance airflow, consider using perforated parchment paper or aluminum foil with holes cut out for airflow. This will help you achieve a crispy crust while making cleanup easier.

Monitor the Reheating Process

Keep an eye on your pizza while it's in the air fryer. Some air fryer models heat up faster than others, so check on your pizza occasionally to ensure it's not browning or burning too quickly. If it's getting too dark, lower the temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit.

Adjust Timing Based on Pizza Thickness

Deep-dish pizzas are thicker than typical pizza slices, so they will take longer to reheat. Start by following the recommended timing guidelines for thick-crust pizzas, and then adjust as needed. Check on your pizza after the initial heating time and add additional time in one-minute increments until it's heated to your liking.

Check and adjust as needed

When reheating deep-dish pizza in an air fryer, it's important to keep an eye on the pizza and make adjustments as needed to ensure it's cooked to your liking. Here are some tips to help you check and adjust during the reheating process:

Checking for Doneness

Peek into the air fryer occasionally to check on the progress of your pizza. The cooking time can vary depending on the model of your air fryer and the thickness of your pizza. Deep-dish pizzas typically take longer than thin-crust pizzas. Start with the recommended cooking time and then check to see if the cheese is melted and the crust is crispy. If it's not done to your liking, you can add more time as needed.

Adjusting Temperature

If you notice that the pizza is browning too quickly or getting too dark, you can lower the temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit. This is especially important for deep-dish pizzas as you want to ensure the cheese doesn't burn while heating the inside thoroughly.

Adjusting Cooking Time

Deep-dish pizzas usually require a longer cooking time than thin-crust pizzas. If your pizza is not thoroughly reheated after the initial cooking time, continue cooking in increments of one to two minutes until it's done to your liking. Remember that thick crusts need a little extra time to warm up and get crispy.

Using Parchment Paper or Aluminum Foil

To prevent sticking and ensure even cooking, it's recommended to use parchment paper or aluminum foil. If using aluminum foil, cut some holes in it for airflow so that the bottom of the pizza can get crispy. Parchment paper with perforations or holes can also be used to allow for airflow and prevent sticking.

Removing Toppings

If you're concerned about certain toppings burning or drying out, you can remove them before placing the pizza in the air fryer. Place the toppings back on the pizza after it's been cooked for about half of the recommended time.

Batch Cooking

If you're reheating multiple batches of pizza, keep in mind that the subsequent batches may cook faster since the air fryer is already hot. Adjust the cooking time accordingly to avoid overcooking.

Frequently asked questions