Air Fryer Frozen Pizza
Air fryer frozen pizza gives you a crisp base and bubbling cheese in about 8 minutes of cooking, with no need to heat a full-sized oven. The circulating air browns the crust quickly, which suits a thin pizza of around 20cm that fits in the basket. Thicker pizzas need a little longer, and anything bigger than your basket has to be cut and cooked in two goes.
- Total
- 14 min
- Prep
- 2 min
- Cook
- 11 min
- Serves
- 1
- Per serving
- 750kcal
Before you start: air fryer frozen pizza
Check the packet first. The air fryer times here suit a standard thin-crust pizza of about 20cm, so a pizza from your supermarket's freezer aisle may need a minute or two either way. Basket size matters too. In a 4–5 litre basket, a 20–23cm pizza fits flat, but a larger one has to be cut and cooked in two batches, which adds around 8 minutes.
Method for air fryer frozen pizza
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Preheat Set the air fryer to 180°C and heat for . Meanwhile, take the pizza out of its box and remove all the plastic packaging and the cardboard base. Check that it fits with a small gap around the edge. If it is too big, cut it in half with a sharp knife or pizza wheel and cook the halves one after the other.
- Brush the crust Brush the outer edge of the crust lightly with the olive oil to help it brown. Do not oil the toppings.
- Load the basket Carefully lay the pizza flat in the hot basket. If you use a liner, choose a perforated air fryer one and put the pizza on it, so it cannot lift up into the element. Never preheat with loose paper in the basket.
- Cook Cook at 180°C for for a thin crust, or for deep pan or stuffed crust. Check before the end. The cheese should be bubbling with golden patches, and meat toppings should be steaming hot all the way through. You do not need to flip it.
- Rest and slice Lift the pizza out with tongs or a fish slice and leave for so the cheese sets. Cut it with a pizza wheel and finish with a pinch of oregano.
Oven alternative and what to serve with it
Most packets suggest 200°C (180°C fan), gas 6, for 12–15 minutes on a baking tray, so the air fryer saves a few minutes. For a night in, serve it with air fryer frozen chicken wings or air fryer frozen chips, cooked first, since both take longer. If you want to make your own, try air fryer pitta pizza.
Common problems and fixes for Air Fryer Frozen Pizza
- The centre is soggy while the edges are crisp.
- The pizza was probably too thick for 8 minutes or was sitting on a solid liner. Use a perforated liner or none, and give it 2 more minutes, checking every minute.
- The edges burn before the middle is hot.
- This tends to happen with thick or stuffed crusts. Cook at 160°C for 12–14 minutes instead, so the middle heats through before the edge darkens.
- Light toppings blow about and scorch.
- Press loose toppings, such as pepperoni, down into the cheese before cooking. For any extras, add them halfway through the cook on top of the melted cheese.
Frequently asked questions about Air Fryer Frozen Pizza
How long do you cook a frozen pizza in the air fryer?
8 minutes at 180°C for a thin 20cm pizza, and 10–12 minutes for a thicker one. Follow the packet if it differs, because brands vary, and the cheese should bubble.
Do I need to defrost it first?
No. Cook it straight from frozen, as the packet instructions say, because a defrosted base turns soft and floppy.
Can I fit a large pizza in the basket?
Only if it sits flat with a small gap around the edge. A pizza of about 28cm or more should be cut in half, and each half cooked for the same time, one after the other.
How do I reheat leftover slices?
Cook them in the basket at 160°C for 3–4 minutes until the cheese is hot and the base is crisp again.
How did you like the recipe?
4.7 / 5 · 73 ratings
