Those who have used convection ovens know that they use a fan to assist in the cooking process, and because of that you can cook faster and crisp things better than in a traditional oven.
Convection ovens are ideal for cooking pizza or fried foods, as well as frozen foods. Although you can achieve similar results in a regular oven, convection ovens certainly make life easier!
The fan-assist in the oven really makes a difference in cooking and crisping food, which sets it apart from other ovens.
Depending on the type of pizza you are cooking, there are certain steps to follow when cooking pizza in a convection oven. If you’re cooking a homemade pizza or a frozen pizza, you can cook it all to perfection using a convection oven.
The purpose of this guide is to share with you how to cook pizza in a convection oven. You will learn how these ovens work and how to cook your pizza step-by-step.
Even different types of pizza (frozen, fresh, etc.) will be discussed so that you know all the details.
We’ll teach you how to cook pizza in a convection oven and more!
Your Guide To Convection Oven Pizza
Did you ever cook a pizza whose edges were perfect, but the center just wouldn’t cook, leaving you with crispy edges and a soft center?
This is a common problem with a traditional oven. It doesn’t mean you are doing it wrong, it just means a convection oven might do it better.
When it comes to things like pizza, the convection oven is great. It uses a fan to evenly cook the food.
You can cook your pizza crust evenly and crisp it to perfection with the convection oven’s fan-assist.
Fried foods and oven-baked dishes can also benefit from a convection oven in addition to pizza.
For some of these things, we love the turnout with a convection oven. Don’t get us wrong. A traditional oven has its place.
Now let’s look at the processes.
How To Cook Fresh Pizza In A Convection Oven
In a convection oven you can cook homemade pizza and pizza with fresh ingredients just fine. While we have some simple steps for you, we do want to point out that not every pizza and oven is the same.
No matter what you make your pizza from or what you top it with, these generalized steps and recommendations will apply. The timing might need to be tweaked if you have thin crust versus deep dish.
Cooking Fresh Pizza In A Convection Oven
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 18 minutes
5 minutes additional time
Duration: 28 minutes
You can cook a fresh pizza in a convection oven by following these steps.
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Ingredients
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Dough of your choice for pizza
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Sauce of choice for pizza
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Toppings for pizza
Instructions
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Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. As a general rule, reduce the temperature by 25 degrees from your normal cooking temperature.
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To cook your pizza, prepare it and place it on a baking sheet or pizza pan.
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Heat the oven and place the pizza in it.
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You will probably need to cook your pizza for 12-18 minutes until it is cooked through. The time will vary depending on your oven and the crust.
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Add just a couple more minutes to your cooking time if you want a crispier crust. This won’t burn the toppings or ruin them, but it will help crisp up the crust.
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Slice your pizza, serve, and enjoy! Let the pizza cool for 3-5 minutes before serving.
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Simply reduce your standard temperature by 25 degrees and your standard cooking time by 25% for just about any type of fresh pizza.
The thinner the crust, the faster it will cook. If you’re not sure where to start on the timer, set it for the lower end. If it isn’t done, just cook it longer.
Once you’ve made a few pizzas, you’ll be able to better understand how long different pizzas should cook in your convection oven once you’ve made a few.
How To Cook Frozen Pizza In A Convection Oven
The process of cooking frozen pizza is very similar to that of cooking fresh pizza.
Most frozen pizza boxes come with cooking instructions. This might make it easier for you since all you have to do is follow the given instructions.
A thicker crust and more toppings usually take longer to cook, although that is more of an issue when making homemade or fresh pizza rather than frozen.
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Cooking Frozen Pizza In A Convection Oven
Preparation time: 1 minute
Cooking time: 18 minutes
3 minutes additional time
Time: 3 minutes
To cook frozen pizza in a convection oven, follow these steps.
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Take a printout
Ingredients
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Your choice of frozen pizza
Instructions
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Whatever the recommended temperature is on the packaging, reduce it by 25 degrees. For example, if your box says 450°F, you will actually preheat your convection oven to 425°F.
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Depending on your preference, you can use a baking sheet, a pizza pan, or anything along those lines to bake your pizza.
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Bake the pizza in the oven.
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So if the box says 18-24 minutes, you will probably cook for more like 12-18 minutes.
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You will probably need to cook it just a couple minutes longer if you want a crispier crust.
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Allow the pizza to cool for a few minutes after removing it from the oven.
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Serve it up, slice it up, and enjoy!
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You just need to get the timing and the temperature right when cooking frozen pizza in a convection oven.
For a starting point, reduce the time by 25% and the temperature by 25 degrees. You will get to know your oven as well, which will help you learn about it.
How To Reheat Pizza In A Convection Oven
Pizza is one of the hardest things to reheat without compromising the quality of its crust, but once your convection oven is at temperature, it only takes a few minutes.
Although some people prefer to cook their pizza on the rack in the oven, did you know that the best way to get a crisp crust is to line a pan with foil? The foil helps crisp the crust quite a bit during reheating.
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Reheating Pizza In A Convection Oven
Preparation time: 1 minute
Cooking time: 10 minutes
5 minutes additional time
Time: 5 minutes
You can reheat pizza in a convection oven using these instructions.
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Ingredients
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Pizza leftovers of your choice
Instructions
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In a convection oven, set your temperature to 425°F. You don’t have to reduce the temperature or time when reheating pizza. Simply adjust your heating, as it has already been cooked.
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For the best results with the crust, line your pan with foil.
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In the convection oven, place the pizza.
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The pizza should be reheated at this temperature for about 10 minutes or until it is hot and crisp to your liking.
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Take the oven out of the oven
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Allow to cool slightly for 3-5 minutes.
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Serve and enjoy! Slice if necessary.
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With the convection oven, you’ll get perfectly crisp and cooked pizza every time!
How Does A Convection Oven Work?
The main difference between a convection oven and a standard oven is that the convection oven has a fan. Both ovens perform well.
Due to the fan blowing the air inside the oven, the convection oven tends to cook things slightly faster and more evenly.
Typical ovens have heating elements within that emit heat. The thing is, the heat is pretty direct and comes either from below or above – sometimes both. It really depends on the design.
Food is cooked in the oven because the heat is enclosed.
You still have the heat enclosed in a traditional oven as you do with a convection oven, but you also have the fan blowing the hot air.
With this minor change, your food gets cooked more evenly and probably faster. These ovens are also known for crisping foods that need to be crisped.
You can use the convection oven to cook things like frozen foods, even fried foods, which have a crispier crust if you want them.
Convection ovens and air fryers produce similar results, if you are familiar with them!
When Should You Use A Convection Oven?
Convection ovens can be used whenever and wherever you choose!
The ability to choose between standard and convection modes is becoming more and more common in newer ovens and ranges, but it’s also found in some older models.
The cooking time and temperature should be adjusted slightly, as a convection oven cooks more quickly than a standard oven.
Previously, we shared this in our instructions for making pizza in a convection oven, but we’ll repeat it here as well.
Convection ovens typically cook at a lower temperature than standard ovens. For example, a recipe normally cooked at 400°F would now be cooked at 375°F in a convection oven.
Then there’s cooking time, where the same rule applies. You should reduce your cooking time by about 25%.
You’ll get the perfect pizza results when you make these two adjustments, plus you’ll learn how to use the oven efficiently!
Convection ovens are great for cooking certain foods. Here are a few suggestions:
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The cookies
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The pie
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Recipes for casseroles
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The pizza
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Foods fried in oil
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Goods that are frozen
Even so, you can still cook those things in a standard oven! However, there are some items that don’t work as well with a convection oven.
A standard oven is the best choice if you are baking or cooking something delicate – for example, something that rises slowly (like homemade bread), or something that will get too dry during cooking.
Whenever you’re getting ready to cook something, consider whether the food you’re preparing is slow-cooked.
The delicate nature of bread is a great example, but other dishes are like that as well!
Standard ovens can do many of the same things as convection ovens. It is a great tool to have an oven that can do both.
Are you looking to crisp, roast, brown, or bake quickly? These are all great uses for a convection oven.
Convection ovens are also great for roasted vegetables and sheet pan meals. Try toasting nuts or making granola in one!
Related Questions
We hope you find this guide to cooking pizza in a convection oven to be an invaluable resource. It’s easy to do and it gives you some of the best results you could ever want! You might find some additional details that are useful in these popular questions and answers.
Is a convection oven better for baking?
A standard oven is better suited for most baking needs. A convection oven might be useful for large batches of cookies, but for things like bread, cakes, and even biscuits, a traditional oven is best.
What is the best temperature for pizza in a convection oven?
Your oven and pizza will determine the temperature. For most needs, 400°F should be adequate.
Are convection ovens any good?
Adding a fan can be very convenient for certain cooking needs and can also help cook more quickly and evenly!