Tillie Doyle
Air fryers are a great alternative to conventional ovens when it comes to cooking pizza. They are simple to use, easy to customise, and can be used to cook a variety of pizzas, from frozen to homemade. The pizzas cook quickly and are best served straight out of the air fryer. The air fryer can handle any thickness of crust, and you can use store-bought or homemade pizza dough, rolled-out crescent rolls, or a tortilla.
How to cook pizza in an air fryer oven
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of pizza | Frozen, ready-made, or homemade |
| Type of dough | Store-bought or homemade |
| Type of crust | Thin, standard, or thick Sicilian-style |
| Oven mode | Available in some air fryers |
| Temperature | 320-400°F |
| Time | 4-15 minutes |
| Toppings | Endless possibilities |
| Reheating | Preheat to 325°F and cook for 4 minutes |
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What You'll Learn
Pizza dough: store-bought or homemade
You can use store-bought or homemade pizza dough to make pizza in an air fryer. A 12-inch piece of dough will make two personal pizzas. If you are using store-bought dough, check if it needs to be pre-baked before adding toppings. If it does, place the dough in the air fryer and cook at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for three minutes. Then, remove the crust, add your sauce, cheese, and toppings, and cook at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for another four to five minutes.
If you are using homemade dough, you can prepare it in advance and store it in the fridge. You can also roll out the dough and add toppings a few hours before cooking and keep it in the fridge. If your homemade dough requires pre-baking, follow the same instructions as for store-bought dough.
If you are making the dough from scratch, you can try different methods to keep it flat. Some people use a pizza docking tool and lightly brown both sides of the dough in a frying pan with oil to give it some body. Others have tried covering the toppings with foil and placing the dough on top, with the bottom side up, for the first few minutes of cooking.
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Pizza toppings and sauce
Pizza toppings are a very personal choice, and the possibilities are endless. You can set up a pizza bar with lots of different options and let everyone make their own. You can go for a classic Italian with pizza sauce, mozzarella, basil, olive oil, and salt. Or, if you want to spice things up, try a hot and spicy pizza with spicy salami, capsicum, sliced jalapenos, onions, and hot sauce.
Meat lovers might opt for a supreme pizza with at least two meats, such as pepperoni, bacon, beef mince, and ham. Or, for something a little different, try an Aussie pizza with bacon, red onion, and a whole egg cracked on top. If you're feeling adventurous, top your pizza with sirloin steak, onions, and red peppers, or try garlic bread in pizza form with mozzarella, potato, fresh rosemary, and extra virgin olive oil.
For a simple and delicious option, stick to a traditional cheese pizza, or try a combination of mozzarella and pecorino. If you're a fan of Hawaiian pizza, don't forget the ham and pineapple. And if you're feeling extra hungry, add some extra cheese on top of your toppings to keep them in place and ensure a gooey, stretchy cheese pull.
If you're making your own sauce, it can be prepared a few days ahead of time. A simple no-cook sauce can be made in just 5 minutes by combining tomato sauce or pureed/canned tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano or Italian seasoning, garlic salt, and granulated sugar. You can also add herbs and spices like garlic powder, basil, chilli, or red pepper flakes to taste. This sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 6 months.
Once you've chosen your toppings and sauce, it's time to assemble your pizza in the air fryer. Place your sauce, cheese, and toppings on the crust, and cook at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 7-8 minutes, until the cheese is melted and browned.
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Oven mode vs air fry mode
Air fryers are a convenient way to cook pizzas, especially if you're short on time. They are also great for customising and making pizzas with kids. You can use store-bought pizza bases or make your own dough from scratch. If you're using homemade dough, you'll need to pre-bake the crust for around 3 minutes before adding your toppings. Then, add your sauce, cheese, and toppings, and cook for 4-5 minutes at 375°F until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Some air fryers come with a bake option, but not all ovens have air fry capabilities. Ovens with an air fry mode circulate hot air around the oven cavity to create a crispy finish. They can be thought of as a type of mini convection oven. However, unlike a traditional oven, air fryers use a perforated basket to expose all sides of the food to heat, creating an all-round crispy finish.
If you're using an oven with an air fry mode, you can cook a larger amount of food, which is ideal if you're cooking for a group. Ovens with air fry capabilities use convection fans to rapidly circulate hot air, resulting in evenly cooked food with a crispy, golden exterior.
When using an air fryer, you can reheat leftover pizza without it going soggy, which is often an issue when using a microwave or a conventional oven. Simply add your leftover pizza to a preheated air fryer at 320-325°F and cook for 4-5 minutes.
If you're using an oven without an air fry mode, you can still achieve a similar effect by using the convection setting. This uses a fan to circulate hot air around your food, allowing for faster, more even results. However, keep in mind that standard convection ovens struggle to bake multiple racks at once, so you may not get even results across all racks.
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Reheating pizza in an air fryer
Step 1: Prepare the Air Fryer
Preheat your air fryer to the desired temperature. The temperature will depend on the type of pizza you're reheating. For thin-crust pizzas, set the air fryer to 325-350°F (165°C). For thicker crusts or deep-dish pizzas, a lower temperature of 300°F is recommended to ensure the middle gets heated without drying out the crust.
Step 2: Arrange the Pizza Slices
Place the pizza slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they don't overlap. If you have a smaller air fryer, you may need to heat the slices in batches. You can line the basket with parchment paper to prevent cheese from sticking, but it's not necessary.
Step 3: Reheat the Pizza
Close the air fryer basket and set the timer. For thin-crust pizzas, 2-4 minutes should be enough. For thicker crusts or deep-dish pizzas, increase the time to 5-7 minutes. Check on your pizza occasionally to ensure it's not burning, especially if it's a thin crust.
Step 4: Serve and Enjoy
Once the pizza is heated to your liking, carefully remove it from the air fryer using tongs and enjoy your freshly crisped-up pizza!
Tips for Optimal Results:
- The amount of toppings and the thickness of the pizza will affect the reheating time, so adjust accordingly.
- If your pizza has toppings that might burn easily, like pepperoni or fresh herbs, remove them before reheating and add them back towards the end.
- If you want your pizza to be extra crispy, try spraying the base with a light coating of cooking spray before placing it in the air fryer.
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Air fryer basket and parchment paper
Air fryer baskets can be used to cook pizzas, but it is worth noting that some users have reported that the bottom of the pizza crust can remain pale and undercooked, even when the toppings are cooked. This may be due to the design of the air fryer, with some users noting that air fryers with a front-opening door, like a mini oven, may be better suited to cooking pizzas.
To prevent the pizza from sticking to the air fryer basket, and to achieve a crispier base, it is recommended to use parchment paper. Parchment paper is also useful for assembling the pizza, as it can be difficult to transfer a pizza into an air fryer basket without disturbing the toppings. The parchment paper can be placed directly into the air fryer, and the pizza can be assembled on top of it. This method also makes it easier to remove the cooked pizza from the air fryer.
If you are using a recipe that requires pre-baking the crust, you can place the dough directly onto the parchment paper in the air fryer basket and cook it at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 minutes. Then, remove the crust from the air fryer, add the sauce, cheese, and toppings, and return it to the air fryer, cooking it at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for an additional 4-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
If your air fryer does not have a front-opening door, you may find it easier to assemble the pizza on a separate piece of parchment paper before transferring it into the air fryer basket. You can also try flipping the pizza dough after 3 minutes and then adding the toppings to help the base cook more evenly.
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Frequently asked questions
Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the pizza crust on an air fryer parchment paper liner, then spread over your pizza sauce, cheese, and other toppings. Cook for 7-8 minutes, until the cheese has melted and browned.
Use cheese as an anchor. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over your toppings, and when melted, it will help keep them from flying around the air fryer. You can also use an air fryer rack to keep the toppings in place.
Reduce the temperature and cooking time suggested for conventional ovens. For example, if the frozen pizza suggests cooking at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes in a conventional oven, cook it at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes in an air fryer.
Yes, you can cook pizza in an air fryer oven. If your air fryer has an oven mode, it will use the top and bottom elements, which is better for balancing top/bottom cooking.
