Eating Pizza is an American tradition that runs deep. It is a must-have, once in a while by us Americans, old or young. It is food for the soul.
The problem lies with leftover pizza slices and delayed deliveries that make the pizza cold.
I once tried reheating it in the microwave. It turned soggy and was a disaster. I then tried the stovetop.
The crust on the bottom hardened while the cheese turned hard. The texture is just not the same as that of fresh pizza.
I suspect the moisture from the cheese evaporates and that’s why the cheese turns hard and slightly less chewy.
The flavor goes subtle and a little bland compared to the strong fresh flavors of a piping hot pizza.
After trying everything, I thought of my air fryer. Can I use it to reheat pizza?
Can You Use an Air Fryer to Reheat Pizza?
Yes, you can reheat Pizza in an Air fryer.
In fact, I would go as far as to suggest that using an air fryer to reheat pizza is probably the best way to do it. Your reheated pizza will taste just like a fresh pizza!
Not only does it crisp the crust, but it also brings back the cheese to its original ‘melted and sizzling’ form.
Let me show you how.
How to Reheat Pizza in the Air Fryer
Trust me, this is the easiest thing ever. All you need is some leftover pizza, an air fryer, and 8-9 minutes of your time.
Optional – You can sprinkle oil or use perforated parchment paper on the air fryer basket for an extra non-stick surface.
However, this step is optional as reheating pizza does not create a lot of mess. All you would need to do is just swipe with a kitchen napkin in the end.
Also read: Can You Put Parchment Paper in an Air Fryer?
The Technique
The trick here is to preheat your air fryer for 5 minutes.
Preheating the basket gives a warm environment to the pizza slice and helps in crisping the base of the slice.
This method copies the concept of reheating pizza on a pizza stone. It is heated up to crisp the bottom of the pizza base.
I own a Phillips air fryer. I preheated at a standard default temperature, which is 180 degrees celsius (350F) for my air fryer, for five minutes.
Once preheated, place the slices in the basket. Make sure they are placed in a single line and not overlapping. Leave some gaps in the middle.
I let the pizza slices reheat at a default temperature of 180° C (350° F) for 4 minutes.
Hold your breath and check out the amazing result
The pizza looked, smelled, and tasted just like freshly baked pizza.
It was piping hot and just the way I liked it- crisp and melted at the same time. Watch the yummy moment captured in the clip below.
I turned it upside down fearing a soft underside.
But the under crust was reheated into a crisp base. There was no sogginess or softness – perfect as if just lifted out from the pizza stone.
I didn’t find any gunk or spillage while reheating the pizza.
You can reheat the pizza right from the cardboard box into the air fryer without any accessories or liners.
All you need to do is wipe the basket with a kitchen napkin or a cotton cloth after reheating.
Don’t forget to sprinkle some of your favorite seasonings like chili flakes, onion flakes, oregano, thyme, etc, and enjoy your pizza!Â
Also read: How To Reheat Fries in Air Fryer?
Tips While Reheating Pizza in the Air Fryer
- If you do choose to use parchment sheets or aluminum foil, make sure it is perforated. The air needs to flow from the holes inside out for an evenly reheated pizza.
- If you do not want the toppings to get crispy, remove them before placing the slice inside the Airfryer. Add them when there is one minute left to finish air frying. You could also sprinkle the topping with oil if you do not want them to become crispy.
- Do not overlap the pizza slices. Leave a gap in between. Reheat in batches if they do not fit in one go.
- Everyone has different tastes. I would suggest you reheat for three minutes after placing the slices in the preheated basket. Open and decide if you want a bit more or a bit less. Keep an average window of 3-5 minutes for experimenting and finding your preference.
- When you are reheating a lot of pizza slices back to back, I would advise reheating for up to 2 ½ to 3 minutes. This is because the Airfryer will be quite hot already.
Here are some frequently asked questions
Why Should I Reheat the Pizza in the Air Fryer?
The foremost reason I would like to give you is the speed. You can reheat the pizza in the air fryer way faster than in an oven or toaster oven.
Even if the microwave beats the Airfryer in speed, a reheated pizza slice in the microwave is a sorry state of affairs. It ends up soggy and soft.
The second reason is the crisp and delicious result. You can turn your cold and soggy pizza back into its original form!
The quick speed of the Airfryer helps to save your time and energy in the long run.
I would advise reheating all sorts of crisp foods in the air fryer for cost-effective and quick results.
Do I Need Accessories to Reheat the Pizza in the Air Fryer?
No. All you need is a cold pizza and your Airfryer.
However, if you do not want crisp toppings, you could sprinkle a little oil on top.
Also, if you don’t want to wipe your air fryer at all after cooking, place a perforated parchment sheet fitting your basket dimensions underneath the pizza.
How to Air Fry Frozen Pizza?
Frozen pizza is like an uncooked pizza. It is not the same as reheating a cooked pizza.
Preheat your Airfryer for 3-4 minutes at 180 (350° F).
After which place the frozen pizza inside the Airfryer for 7-10 minutes in the air fryer. Keep checking after seven minutes to see if it has cooked.
The cooking time may differ by a minute or two depending on the size of the Airfryer and the thickness of the crust.
A thin crust cooks faster compared to a deep thick crust.
Likewise, a smaller dimension air fryer cooks faster than a large dimension air fryer.
Final Words
As you have now understood, there is no better way to reheat your pizza than an air fryer. Preheat for 5 minutes at 350° F (180° C).
Air fry the slices at the same temperature for an additional 4 minutes. You can increase or decrease the timings according to your preference.
Go through the tips mentioned above while reheating your pizza in the air fryer.
You also do not need any additional accessories for reheating the pizza in the air fryer. In simple words, it is convenient, fast, and easy. Follow the steps above for a pizza treat.
I love the fact the pizza leftovers reheat evenly. The results are just like a freshly baked pizza coming back to life from a cold and soggy grave.
Cheers to the air fryer for giving us fresh slices of pizza each time!
Other articles you may also like:
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- Does Air Fryer Dry Out Food (Meat/Chicken)?
- Can You Put Butter in an Air Fryer?
- How to Reheat Ribs In Air Fryer?
- How Long Does it Take to Preheat an Oven?
- How to Air Fry Frozen Onion Rings?
- Can You Open Air Fryer While Cooking?
- How to Reheat Quiche in Air Fryer?
