Food Planet

An air fryer works very well for leftover pizza. It heats the cheese quickly and gives the bottom enough dry heat to crisp up again.

For a regular slice from the fridge, start at 350°F (175°C) for about 3 minutes. Thin crust may be ready by then. Thick pizza usually needs another minute or two at a slightly lower temperature.

How to Reheat Pizza in an Air Fryer?

Take the pizza from the fridge and put the slices flat in the basket. Leave a little room between them so hot air can reach the crust from all sides.

Set the air fryer to 350°F and check a regular slice after three minutes. If the cheese is hot and the bottom has crisped up, take it out. If the middle is still cool, give it another 30 to 60 seconds.

No oil is needed. Leftover pizza already has enough fat from the cheese and toppings, and brushing the crust with more oil can make it greasy rather than crisp.

Thin Crust Only Needs a Few Minutes

Thin pizza can go from cold to ready very quickly. Two or three minutes at 350°F is enough for many cheese and pepperoni slices.

Check it early. Thin crust has very little moisture left after a night in the fridge, so leaving it in too long can make the edge hard.

Once the bottom is crisp and the cheese is hot, take it out. Another minute will not improve it.

Thick Pizza Needs Lower Heat and More Time

Deep-dish, Sicilian-style pizza and thick pan slices take longer because the heat has farther to travel.

At a high temperature, the cheese can start browning before the center is hot. Around 325°F to 340°F works better for a thick slice because it gives the middle more time to warm.

Most thick slices need about four to six minutes. Deep-dish can take closer to eight, especially when there is a heavy layer of sauce and cheese.

Pizza With Lots of Toppings Takes Longer

A plain cheese slice warms faster than pizza covered with sausage, chicken, mushrooms or thick vegetables.

For a loaded slice, start around 340°F. The cheese may melt after only a few minutes, but thicker toppings can still be cool underneath.

Check the center before taking it out. If the top is already hot, another minute at the same temperature is better than turning the heat higher.

Do Not Stack the Slices

Pizza comes out better when every slice sits flat in the basket.

Overlapping slices block the hot air underneath. The exposed parts get crisp, while the covered parts stay soft.

If your basket only fits two slices comfortably, cook two at a time. A second batch only takes a few minutes.

Why the Air Fryer Works Better Than the Microwave?

The microwave gets pizza hot quickly, but the crust usually stays soft. Heat from the microwave also brings moisture from the sauce and cheese into the dough.

An air fryer heats the outside of the slice with moving hot air. That dries the surface of the crust slightly as the pizza warms.

For one or two slices, the air fryer is usually the better choice if you want a crisp bottom.

Should You Add Water to the Air Fryer?

No water is needed for pizza.

The sauce, cheese and toppings already release moisture as they heat. Adding more steam can make it harder for the bottom to crisp.

If the crust comes out dry, shorten the time on the next slice. Thick pizza also benefits from a lower temperature.

Can You Put Foil Under the Pizza?

Yes, but the bottom will usually stay softer.

A full sheet of foil blocks some of the hot air that would normally reach the crust. It keeps the basket cleaner, but that comes at the cost of some crispness.

Perforated air fryer parchment is a better choice if you want a liner under the pizza. Pizza can also go directly on the basket if the instructions for your air fryer allow it.

How to Reheat Frozen Leftover Pizza?

Frozen cooked pizza can go straight into the air fryer.

Set the temperature between 325°F and 350°F and start checking after about six minutes. Thin slices may be ready soon after that. Deep-dish and stuffed crust can need closer to ten minutes.

There is no need to thaw the slice first. Lower heat gives the middle time to warm before the outer crust gets too dark.

What to Do if the Bottom Is Still Soft?

Start by checking what is under the pizza. A solid sheet of foil can stop the bottom from getting enough hot air.

Wet toppings can also be the reason. Mushrooms, tomatoes and extra sauce release water as they heat.

Give the slice another 30 to 60 seconds at the same temperature. Turning the fryer up usually heats the cheese faster without helping the base much.

What to Do if the Crust Comes Out Too Hard?

The slice stayed in too long.

Thin pizza is especially easy to overcook. Once the cheese is hot and the base is crisp, take it out rather than waiting for a set number of minutes.

For thick pizza, lower the temperature and give it a little more time. That warms the middle without drying the edge as quickly.

Fresh Toppings Go on After Reheating

Fresh basil, Parmesan and chili flakes all taste better when they are added after the pizza comes out.

Basil dries out quickly in the air fryer. Parmesan keeps more of its flavor when it is grated over the hot slice at the end.

Pepperoni and sausage also work well with a little hot honey. We have a separate guide to hot honey on pizza with more ideas for using it with salty toppings.

A few drops of olive oil can also help a dry Margherita or vegetable slice.

Which Pizza Styles Reheat Best?

Plain cheese and pepperoni are the easiest. They warm quickly and do not release much extra water onto the crust.

Margherita also works well. Add fresh basil after reheating rather than putting it through another round of heat.

Mushroom and vegetable pizza may need another half minute because the toppings release moisture.

Deep-dish and stuffed crust take the longest. Lower heat gives the center enough time to warm without making the outside hard.

How Long Can Leftover Pizza Stay in the Fridge?

According to USDA leftover safety guidance, cooked leftovers can generally stay in the refrigerator for three to four days. The USDA also recommends reheating leftovers to 165°F.

That guidance assumes the pizza was refrigerated soon after the meal. Reheating does not make pizza safe again if it sat at room temperature for hours before going into the fridge.

Last Words

For a regular slice, reheat it at 350°F and check after three minutes.

Thin pizza often needs no more than that. On the other hand, thick pizza gets a lower temperature and a little more time. Slices with lots of toppings also benefits from a slower reheat.

Once the center is hot and the bottom is crisp, take the slice out and add anything fresh afterward. Basil, Parmesan, chili flakes and hot honey all work better at the end.