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Step aside frozen pizza, there’s a new guy in town. We’re talking about air fryer pizza! These perfectly crispy, easy-to-make, personal-sized pizzas are about to revolutionize pizza night. And with over 200 5-star reviews, you can rest assured this recipe is foolproof!
save this recipe!Recipe Improved
This recipe has been updated to fix the uncooked crust issue that many have commented on. Thank you everyone for your input. This community wouldn’t be the same without you!
After dozens of rounds testing different doughs, cheeses, temperatures, and cook times, we landed on this method that delivers a crispy, golden crust every single time (without overcooking the toppings).
The secret? A quick par-bake and a high-heat blast that mimics the effect of a pizza oven (without one).
Reader rating
“I’ve been craving a good pizza for so long. I gave up until now. Easy, breezy great tasting cheesy pizza in minutes.” —Winnie
Why You Will Love this Air Fryer Pizza Recipe
After testing this recipe to fix the undercooked crust issue that frustrated early readers, here is what makes this version reliable and worth making on repeat:
- No preheating a full oven, no pizza stone, no waiting 30 minutes for heat to build
- Personal-sized portions mean everyone gets exactly the toppings they want
- Works with store-bought dough, homemade dough, or naan as a shortcut
Key Ingredients
This is just an overview–jump to the recipe card for measurements and printable instructions!
- Pizza Dough: You can use store-bought or homemade pizza dough, rolled-out crescent rolls, or a tortilla.
- Buffalo Mozzarella Cheese: This type of mozzarella has a higher moisture content, meaning it stays soft and creamy even after baking (but shredded would also work!).
- Pizza Sauce: Store-bought tomato sauce is great to save time, but nothing beats homemade marinara sauce!
Dough Options
We’ve tried just about every dough out there in the air fryer. Here’s how they stack up:
- Tortillas: These cook up super thin and crispy (almost cracker-like), but burn fast, so keep a close eye on the cook time.
- Homemade pizza dough: Our go-to for chewy, restaurant-style crust. It crisps beautifully when par-baked and gives you full control over thickness and shape.
- Naan or pita bread: A foolproof shortcut that’s great for beginners or quick dinners. No rolling or rising; just add toppings and air fry.
Tips for Making Air Fry Pizza
Dry the mozzarella every time. Buffalo mozzarella is packed in water. Skipping the paper towel step is the single biggest cause of a wet, soft crust. Press firmly and blot until no more moisture comes out.
Don’t overload with sauce. A thin, even layer is all you need. Too much sauce adds moisture that the short cook time can’t evaporate, which keeps the crust from crisping properly.
Pre-cook the crust before adding toppings. This is non-negotiable. The dough needs a head start to cook through before the toppings go on. Skip this step and the bottom will be pale and doughy.
Check your air fryer model. Air fryers vary in power, so the first time you make this, check at the 5-minute mark. The pizza is done when the crust edge is golden and the cheese has bubbled and started to brown in spots.
Pizza In Air Fryer Recipe Variations
Naan pizza. Swap homemade or store-bought dough for naan bread. It already has structure and a slightly crispy base, which means you can skip the pre-cook step and go straight to toppings. This naan pizza recipe is a great starting point.
White pizza. Skip the tomato sauce and brush the pre-cooked crust with garlic olive oil instead. Top with ricotta, mozzarella, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Bruschetta pizza. Top with mozzarella during cooking, then finish with a generous spoonful of fresh tomato bruschetta and a drizzle of olive oil right before serving.
Pesto base. Swap the tomato sauce for a thin layer of pesto, then top with mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmesan.
Loaded veggie. Add roasted vegetables to the top after the sauce and cheese. Thin slices of zucchini, bell pepper, or mushroom work well since they cook quickly at high heat.
Air Fry Pizza Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions
Make ahead. You can prepare individual pizza dough portions ahead of time and store them in the fridge for up to 2 days, covered in plastic wrap or in a zip-lock bag. When ready to cook, let the dough come to room temperature for about 15 minutes before rolling and cooking.
Storing leftovers. Leftover cooked pizza keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, put it back in the air fryer at 350°F for 2 to 3 minutes. This restores the crust crispiness in a way the microwave never will.
Freezing. Cooked pizza slices freeze well for up to 2 months. Wrap individual slices in parchment paper, then store in a freezer bag. Reheat from frozen in the air fryer at 350°F for 4 to 6 minutes, checking at the halfway point.
Freezing uncooked dough. If you want to get further ahead, freeze portioned raw dough balls for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temperature before rolling and cooking.
Try These Pizza Toppings
Three Cheese Roasted Grape Pizza
30 minutes
Easy Roasted Veggie Pizza
40 minutes
Black Truffle And Mushroom Pizza
30 minutes
How to Air Fry Pizza
Ingredients
- buffalo mozzarella
- pizza dough, 1 12-inch dough will make 2 personal sized pizzas
- olive oil
- tomato sauce
- Optional toppings to finish: fresh basil, Parmesan cheese, pepper flakes
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat air fryer to 375°F (190°C). Spray air fryer basket well with oil. Pat buffalo mozzarella dry with paper towels (to prevent a soggy pizza).
- Cook Crust: Roll out pizza dough to the size of your air fryer basket. Carefully transfer it to the air fryer, then brush lightly with a teaspoon or so of olive oil and prick in a few places with a fork. Cook for 3 minutes, then flip the dough over.
- Assemble: To the precooked crust, spoon on a light layer of tomato sauce and sprinkle with chunks of mozzarella.
- Air fry for about 7 minutes until crust is crispy and cheese has melted. Optionally top with basil, grated Parmesan, and pepper flakes just before serving.
Notes
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
Thank you for posting this recipe! This is the first time I’ve made pizza in the air fryer and first time it was gluten free too. It was delicious. After reading the comments I cooked the base 3 minutes on one side and flipped it over and did 2 minutes on the other before adding the ingredients. I have to say the next time I’ll provably do 3 flip and 4 on the other side and then add the ingredients. But I have to say in any event it was delicious and easy and quick and wonderful. So thank you very much!
Cheese too brown and crust not cooked
I tried this tonight! But like others, the crust was undercooked, so I’m heating the oven to finish it. It’s still a great idea if one knows one’s air fryer will cook the dough.
I like your suggestion of using naan bread! I’ll do that next time, or prebake the crust as others suggested. As you point out, all air fryers are different. I suspect mine (Gourmia – Costco Canada house brand) doesn’t have enough space under the basket to really cook the dough. But prebaked would be perfect!
Thank you for the recipe, and Happy New Year!
can l steam dimsims in an air fryer
Air fryers act much different from steamers (hot air vs hot steam being used to cook), so I don’t think this would work!
Followed the directions and bottom was uncooked so I put it in oven, then it was very good
After several attempts I finally figured out how to get it to cook through. First couple ones I had to put in a pan on the stove to cook the bottom! I heated the dough first for about 3 minutes then flipped it and heated it again for a few minutes to ensure it was cooked. Then put on sauce and cheese/toppings and cooked about 5 min. Keep checking to see when done. Everyone loved them. Lots of work though compared to just pooping one or two pies in the oven.
I meant pop!!! Popping them in the oven!!!
lovely typo 🙂
Stop bombing me with vegan recipes, I don’t roll that way
Top was well done while bottom was almost uncooked. Uneven air circulation. Used a Gourmia 7 quart air fryer
Definitely regret not reading reviews before attempting this! Preheating my oven as I type this.
Considering almost every single comment said that the bottom never cooked and was soggy af, mine included, I think it’s really crappy of you to keep this recipe up. I’ll definitely never use your recipes again. Also, don’t try telling me every air fryer is different; they aren’t *that* different especially since most of us got the exact same results.
Thanks for letting me know, Michelle! I’ve actually been working on updating this recipe and the modifications just went live! 😀