How to Reheat Pizza in an Air Fryer

Why It Beats the Microwave & Oven

Why Conventional Methods Fail

The Microwave: Heats from the inside out, trapping steam that creates a sad, soggy crust while turning the cheese rubbery as it cools.

The Traditional Oven: Requires a long 15-minute preheat time just for a slice or two, which often dries out the toppings before the crust can fully crisp up.

The Air Fryer Advantage: Combines the speed of a microwave with the crisping capability of an oven. Rapid hot air circulation crisps the bottom crust often making day-old pizza crispier than fresh delivery while melting the cheese evenly without burning.

The Foolproof Reheating Method

Prep: Bring the pizza to room temperature if possible (though cold pizza straight from the fridge works fine, just add 30 seconds to the timer).

Arrange: Place the slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Do not overlap or stack them; work in batches if necessary.

Settings: Set the air fryer to 350°F and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Check: At the 3-minute mark, check to see if the cheese is bubbly and the crust is firm. Add an extra minute if you prefer it extra crispy.

Pro Tips for Better Results

For an Extra Crispy Base: Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil before placing your pizza down to promote even browning.

For Thick or Deep-Dish Crusts: Cover the pizza loosely with foil for the first 2 minutes of cooking to ensure the thick base heats all the way through, then remove the foil for the final 1 to 2 minutes to crisp the top.

Reviving Dried Toppings: Give the top of your leftover pizza a very light mist of water before cooking. This rehydrates vegetables and keeps meats from drying out too much.

Fresh Finishing: Enhance the flavor by adding fresh ingredients like fresh basil, arugula, red pepper flakes, or a drizzle of quality olive oil immediately after pulling the pizza out.