Can you cook a frozen pizza in an air fryer? Absolutely! There will always be those lazy days when you don’t like to cook from scratch. Thanks to air fryers, you can make pizza from a frozen bag with a lot less effort and time.
All you have to do is place your frozen pizza in the air fryer and set the timer. You and your family will enjoy hot pizza within minutes. So forget about pizza deliveries and surprise your family with this quick pizza meal.
How Long Do You Cook Frozen Pizza In An Airfryer?
First, let’s determine how much time you need to cook frozen pizza in your air fryer. Cooking time may vary depending on the size and weight of the frozen pizza.
For mini pizzas that are six inches in size, the approximate cooking time is 5-8 minutes. A 7-inch pizza needs 7-10 minutes to cook while pizza rolls need 12-16 minutes to cook.
The best way to determine the cooking time is to begin with the shorter cooking time. Add a few more minutes if you want the pizza to get crispier.
What You’ll Need
Air Fryer
Air fryers are so convenient. From frozen foods to raw meat, you can cook anything in your air fryer with little to no oil. You can cook frozen pizza or reheat frozen pizza in air fryer within minutes.
It’s easy to cook with an air fryer but different models may entail various controls and capacities. The air fryer that I use is the Ninja AF101 which has a large capacity of four quartz. I love this unit because it includes a crisper plate which can give the bottom of the pizza that perfect brown crisp.
Frozen Pizza
There are many good brands of frozen pizza on the shelves including DiGiorno, Jack’s, and Red Baron. You can use any brand of your favorite frozen pizza. If you like a healthier version, look for a thinner crust with vegetable toppings like spinach and bell peppers.
Less is more when buying a frozen pizza. Some pizzas might be loaded with toppings but they can be soggy and meat tends to have higher sodium content. To make your pizza healthy, consider adding your favorite toppings.
Extra Toppings (optional)
If you like your pizza to be extra fancy, you can add some toppings. Most frozen pizzas contain only a few vegetables, so I recommend that you add your own toppings. My favorite toppings are:
Mushrooms
Mushrooms give an umami taste to your pizza. Instead of pre-sliced mushrooms, use whole mushrooms because they taste fresh and won’t dry out. The best mushrooms for pizza are Portobello, Chanterelles, and Porcinis.
Cheese
A pizza will never be complete with cheese. There are many types of cheese you can choose. My favorites are Mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and Gorgonzola.
If you want something salty, choose parmesan cheese.
Prosciutto
Prosciutto is the Italian version of dry-cured ham. Because of its soft texture, this meat melts in your mouth when sliced thinly. The best prosciutto should be deep pink and smells sweet. If you can’t find any prosciutto in your area, use bacon bits instead.
Fresh Basil (optional)
I love to put fresh basil leaves on top of my pizza before serving. They add a peppery flavor to the pizza and make it look appetizing. If you have a basil plant at home, harvest the leaves early in the morning for maximum flavor.
Step-By-Step Instructions
How do you cook frozen pizza in an air fryer? Here are the simple steps you can follow.
1. Preheat The Air Fryer
Set the highest temperature of your air fryer and let it run for 2-5 minutes. I set my Ninja air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for three minutes. Select the Start button to commence the preheating process.
2. Prepare The Pizza
While your air fryer is preheating, get your frozen pizza from the freezer and remove the wrappings. The preheating is done by the time you’re ready to cook the pizza.
Add your favorite toppings, like mushrooms, prosciutto, and cheese. Make sure that they’re sliced thinly so they don’t overload the pizza.
3. Load Up The Air Fryer Basket
After preheating, pull out the air fryer basket and put the frozen pizza. You can also place the pizza in the crisper plate and insert it into the air fryer basket. The crisper plate will raise the food in the basket, allowing air to make the crust crispier.
4. Cook The Pizza
Set the temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and the time to five minutes. Begin with five minutes and then add extra time if necessary.
After three minutes, check the pizza whether it’s cooked or not. Add two more minutes at a time until the pizza is cooked thoroughly. You’ll know that the pizza is done when you see that the cheese has melted and the crust has turned golden brown.
5. Serve And Enjoy
Once the pizza is cooked, serve immediately with your favorite garnishes. I like to add some fresh basil leaves on my pizza. The basil leaves give a natural sweetness with subtle flavors of mint and pepper.
Additional Pro Tips
Consider adding some parchment paper under the frozen pizza if you want the crust to be a bit softer.
To make the cleanup easier, you can consider adding a bit of oil to the base of the air fryer basket. Use canola or olive oil cooking spray.
Final Thought
Frozen pizzas in air fryer taste as good as oven-baked pizzas. You can enjoy this quick pizza meal without the extra fat and oil. Know that not all models provide a crisper plate but if your unit comes with one then you can enjoy a crispier crust at the bottom.
How do you make your own frozen pizza in air fryer? Let us know in the comments section, along with your questions. Share this article to with friends if you like it.
You May Also Like: How To Cook Air Fryer Carrots: 5 Delicious Recipes