If you don’t have enough space in your kitchen, it would be best to get a compact toaster oven, allowing for the same functionalities as the regular one. As we already know that Americans are fond of having pizza, how convenient it would be to have it at the ease of your home.
Hence, you can most definitely cook your pizza inside your toaster oven evenly, just like in a conventional oven. In addition, the cooking time would also decrease as these toaster ovens are designed to circulate an even heat thoroughly around your food via a fan.
You mainly get two settings; heat or convection bake, which you can use to bake or heat the pizza. Both settings are remarkable as they won’t require much time in getting your task done. However, some beginners may not be aware of the process and may struggle to have the proper outcomes.
Therefore, by the end of this article, you’ll be able to cook a regular pizza or even a frozen one in your toaster oven. So let’s study the instructions without any further delay.
COOKING PIZZA IN TOASTER OVEN- STEPS & GUIDE
Step-by-step Guide
Cooking pizza in a toaster oven is an entirely straightforward process that can also be done by individuals who are new to the cooking game. Here are the simple steps to make pizza in your toaster oven:
- Preheat your toaster oven at a temperature setting of almost 550 ̊F.
- Make the pizza dough and press it onto a baking tray until the thickness has gotten according to your preference.
- Spread the pizza sauce and toss your favorite toppings of chicken, pepperoni, bell peppers, mushrooms, olives, and any other preferred ingredient. Sprinkle some salt and spices and place the pizza inside the oven.
- If you’re opting for a thin-crusted pizza, allow it to cook for almost 10 minutes or till it reaches your preference.
- On the other hand, if you prefer a puffed-crusted pizza, allow it to rise for about 30 minutes prior to the baking process.
Tips & Tricks
Now when you’re aware of the baking process, it’s crucial to consider some important things before you start baking. Here are the tips to get the best outcomes.
1. Monitoring your pizza every then and now
As you’re baking your pizza at a high temperature of 550
̊F, we recommend checking its progress after every few minutes. By keeping an eye on your pizza while it’s baking, you will be assured that your pizza won’t burn or get over-cooked.
In addition, we also recommend flipping your pizza in intervals so there won’t be any uneven cooking outcomes and your pizza will bake thoroughly.
2. Placement of the racks
When you’re going to bake pizza, make sure to adjust the cooking racks distant from the heating elements inside the oven. By doing so, you’ll be making sure that your pizza bakes evenly without being under or over-cooked.
3. Use the right utensil to put your pizza
We recommend you use a pizza pan or tray to make your pizza effectively. It will make sure that your pizza gets an even heat at all the parts, leaving no cold or undercooked spots. A toaster-oven pizza stone can also be used, but if you don’t own any of these, bake your pizza directly onto the oven racks.
4. Reducing energy consumption
As the toaster ovens have more extended heat retention properties, you can switch your toaster oven off for some minutes before taking out your pizza from inside of the range. Eventually, the heat inside the oven will get your pizza done to perfection and hence, will reduce the energy consumption.
Related: How to Clean a Toaster Oven
COOKING FROZEN PIZZA IN TOASTER OVEN- STEPS & GUIDE
Step-by-step Guide
First, let’s see the step-by-step process to cook frozen pizza in your toaster oven effectively:
- Allow your toaster oven to preheat at the highest temperature setting your range can get to.
- Let it preheat for about five minutes so there will be an even heat throughout the oven.
- Put your pizza in a tray or pizza pan so it won’t get hard from the bottom. Avoid baking trays for this process, as your pizza is supposed to get direct contact with the heat.
- It’d be best to prefer a grill as it would also let the heat flow underneath your pizza.
- Place your pizza inside the oven and close the door securely.
- Monitor the progress of your pizza after about five to seven minutes, as these toaster ovens tend to cook at a much faster rate than the conventional ones.
- The cheese in the middle is supposed to be light brown to know if your pizza has cooked to perfection. When it has gotten the color, remove the pizza from the oven and allow it to cool a bit before savoring it.
Tips & tricks
To get the best pizza outcomes possible, consider the following tips and tricks which are tested and proven to be extremely useful.
1. Make sure to cut your pizza while it’s still frozen
As you’re cooking your frozen pizza in a toaster oven, it means that it won’t have enough place to accommodate all the pizza at once. You can cook the pizza in shifts or even save the rest so that you can relish it later.
Most individuals have claimed to get soggy outcomes when they try to fit all the pizza at the same time. Also, the pizza would cook more evenly and thoroughly if you cut and cook it in the form of pieces.
When you’re going to cut it, make sure to do it while it is still frozen. If you try to cut the pizza after it thaws down, the toppings and cheese won’t stay in place, resulting in a big mess and rough-looking pizza.
2. Get yourself a sturdy kitchen knife to cut the frozen pizza
You have to show some delicacy skills while cutting your frozen pizza; therefore, it would be best to get a tough kitchen knife to cut it. Generally, we know that frozen foods are pretty hard to cut, and the regular blades won’t be able to handle the cutting.
Even if you try to get the cutting done with a regular knife, the cuts won’t be as precise, and they may also dull your knife’s blade. Hence, get yourself a rigid kitchen knife to cut through this solidly frozen pizza.
3. Cut the pizza on a solid surface
Lastly, to cut your frozen pizza accurately, it would be best to place it on a solid surface. A flat and rigid surface will make sure that your pizza won’t slide or move from its place while you’re cutting it.
You don’t need to have an extra-rigid plate to cut it as the cardboard box in which your pizza arrived would be firm enough to keep it in place.
4. Exert proper pressure on your kitchen knife during cutting
As the frozen pizza would be tough to cut through, it doesn’t mean that it needs considerable pressure to be applied to the knife. Instead, it needs a proper and adequate amount of pressure to cut through your pizza precisely.
Cut the pizza slightly without exerting too much force and apply pressure on the knife’s top portion. By doing so, you’ll get cleaner slices that would appear highly tempting and would depict excellent culinary skills.
HOW LONG TO COOK PIZZA IN A TOASTER OVEN?
Initially, you’ll need to preheat your toaster oven at a temperature of about 400 ̊F for five minutes. Also, you can set your oven to bake or convection settings, according to your requirement. Then let the pizza cook for about 15 to 16 minutes inside the oven, till the cheese on the center bubbles and crust has turned brown.
If you’ve set the convection setting, your pizza would require a few minutes less than the bake setting.
HOW TO HEAT PIZZA IN THE TOASTER OVEN?
To heat the pizza thoroughly without leaving any cold or hot spots, follow the given steps:
- Set your toaster oven to either the bake or convection bake setting and allow it to preheat at a temperature of 400 ̊F.
- Place your pizza directly onto the oven’s racks and close the door securely.
- Allow your pizza to heat for about 5-10 minutes.
COOKING PIZZA ROLLS IN TOASTER OVEN
To cook some tempting pizza rolls for the after-noon snacks, follow these simple steps.
- Preheat your toaster oven to 425 ̊F for a few minutes.
- Put your pizza rolls on a sole layer inside a baking sheet or toaster oven tray.
- Bake for 13 to 15 minutes if you’re dealing with 20 rolls. We don’t recommend a quantity of more than 20 rolls inside your toaster oven.
- Turn the oven off and let it sit for about 2 minutes so that it cooks to perfection.
- The filling inside the rolls is supposed to be extremely hot, so be cautious before eating it.
How do I set my pizza in the oven?
Most toaster ovens will come with a dedicated pizza rack or tray on which you can place your pizza or your slices. This tray would make sure that your pizza gets proper heat even to the bottom of it to give you a perfect crust.
If you don’t own the rack or the tray, you can put your pizza directly onto the oven racks, ensuring an even heat without leaving any cold spots.
How long do I cook a frozen pizza in the toaster oven?
It would be best to preheat your oven for about five minutes before putting your frozen pizza inside the toaster oven. Then, allow your frozen pizza to cook for about fifteen to sixteen minutes to have it cooked to perfection.
You’ll know it’s ready to be taken out when the cheese on the center has melted and turned to light brown color. In addition, the crust would also be brown instead of white when your pizza has done cooking.
FINAL THOUGHTS
As you’ve read our article thoroughly, you must have realized that cooking a pizza inside a toaster oven is no rocket science. Instead, it’s an entirely straightforward process if you follow the steps accurately. Upon a few tries, you’ll master baking pizza at home in no time.
The process is hassle-free since your toaster oven is designed to make your cooking process easier and faster. In addition, it will provide even heat throughout the oven, so your food cooks to perfection.
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