Can you make pizza in a toaster oven?
A toaster oven uses about one-third to one-half less energy than your regular kitchen oven. If you’re interested in reducing your energy bill, the more meals you can cook in smaller appliances, the better.
The main problem, however, is smaller appliances have less space, meaning you can’t cook large meals in a toaster oven. You might be worried that your favorite comfort food — pizza — can't be cooked in a toaster oven, but it can. In fact, it might even taste better that way.
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Why do pizza ovens make better-tasting pizza than regular ovens?
Pizza ovens are designed to do one thing: make great-tasting pizza. They make pizza that is evenly cooked, has crunchy toppings, and has a crispy crust yet is still chewy on the inside. A pizza oven can do this because it cooks at a high temperature, roughly 800°F, and radiates heat from all directions, ensuring the pizza is evenly cooked. The effect is somewhat similar to an air fryer: The outside of the pizza quickly gets crispy but it doesn’t burn. This rapid heating also seals in moisture and flavor, giving you a thoroughly satisfying experience with every bite.
What features does a toaster oven need to make pizza?
Because a toaster oven is built to cook more than one type of food, not every model is great for making pizza. A toaster oven best for this task needs to have certain features. Here are the ones to focus on:
Size
If you want to make a pizza in a toaster oven, the toaster oven has to be big enough to fit the pizza. If you’re only interested in making personal pizzas, these range from 8 to 10 inches in diameter and will fit in most toaster ovens. However, if you want to make a larger pizza (one that’s 12 or 14 inches in diameter), you need a toaster oven that’s at least 12 to 14 inches deep.
Convection
The best toaster oven for making pizza has a convection mode. While this sounds like a high-end fancy term, all it means is there are small fans that circulate the hot air inside the oven. This feature combats the hot-spot problem that toaster ovens can have and creates an even temperature in all areas of the cooking space.
High temperature
Pizza needs to be cooked at a high temperature. The ideal temperature is far beyond the range of most toaster ovens. Luckily, it’s possible to cook pizza at a lower temperature. As long as your toaster oven has a temperature setting reaching 400 degrees or 450 degrees, you can make a pizza.
Preheat mode
To have a successful cooking experience, you should preheat a toaster oven. This is especially important when making pizza because you want the temperature as high as possible as soon as you put the pizza in the oven. If your toaster oven has a preheat mode, then you’re all set. If not, you may have to let the oven warm up for about 15 minutes before inserting the pizza.
Light
Since a toaster oven can lose a great deal of heat when the door is opened for even a brief period, it’s important to get a model that has a light. This way, you can check on your pizza without opening the door.
How to make a pizza in a toaster oven
Making a pizza in a toaster oven isn’t hard. However, you do have to pay attention to the details to get the best results. Here’s how to do it in six easy steps.
1. Place the pizza stone in the cold oven
If you’re using a pizza stone, place it in the cold oven — putting a pizza stone in a hot oven will crack it. If you aren’t using a pizza stone, skip this step.
2. Preheat the toaster oven (and pizza stone)
Set your toaster oven to 450 degrees, and wait approximately five minutes. If your toaster oven has a preheat mode, use it. If you’re also preheating a pizza stone, give it about 15 minutes.
3. Prepare the pizza
While the toaster oven is preheating, prepare the pizza for cooking — spread the dough, add toppings, etc.
4. Put the pizza in the oven
Open the door, and slide the pizza onto the pizza stone using a pizza peel. If you don’t have a pizza stone, simply place the pizza in the oven on a pizza pan. Close the door, and make sure the oven is in convection mode (if you have it).
5. Check the pizza
After about five minutes, turn on the toaster oven light to check the pizza. You’re looking for light browning on the crust and bubbling cheese. It will probably take longer than five minutes for this to happen, so keep an eye on the pizza to make sure it doesn’t burn.
6. Remove the pizza
When it’s done cooking, remove the pizza and let it cool before slicing and eating. Don’t forget to turn off the toaster oven.
FAQ
Q. Should I bake or broil my pizza?
A. It’s definitely better to bake your pizza. When you bake something, the heat comes from both the top and bottom of the oven. When you broil, the heat only comes from the top. If you broil your pizza, the crust may not be crispy.
Q. Can you only make rectangular pizzas in a toaster oven?
A. No. As long as the diameter of your pizza doesn’t exceed the depth of your toaster oven, you can make round pizzas in a toaster oven.
Q. What other snacks are easy to make at home?
A. If you like dried fruit, vegetable chips, jerky, and other such treats, you can make them all with little effort using a dehydrator. Learn how to do that in this video.
What you need to make pizza in a toaster oven
If you want to make pizza in a toaster oven, besides a pizza, the most important thing you need is a toaster oven.
Quality pizza pans have holes that allow the hot air to circulate around your pizza so the crust heats evenly. The pan can also shield the pizza from excess moisture to keep the crust crispy.
If you want to step up your pizza-making game, a pizza stone transfers heat directly to the crust so you can get that perfect crispiness, just like you do with brick oven pizza.
To protect your hands from the high temperature needed to cook pizza, use oven mitts.
After your pizza has been cooked, cut it using a high-quality pizza cutter.
Cooking a pizza in a toaster oven can produce some excellent results. However, if pizza is your all-time favorite food, you might benefit even more by purchasing an indoor pizza oven. These appliances are specifically designed to perform only one task: make great pizza.
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Allen Foster writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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