Everyone loves pizza night. The tricky part is getting the crust right at home. Too often it comes out pale on the bottom, overloaded with toppings, or soft in the center when you were hoping for something crisp and sliceable.

The good news is that great pizza isn't complicated! It usually comes down to heat, timing, and a few small techniques that make a big difference.

The Instant Pot® InstantHeat™ Pizza and Toaster Oven reaches temperatures up to 500°F, which is exactly the kind of heat pizza needs to cook properly. Once you understand how to work with that heat, you can get crisp crust, bubbling cheese, and evenly cooked toppings whether you're baking frozen pizza, finishing a take and bake pie, or making dough from scratch.

Let's walk through the tips that make pizza night better every time.

Start with the Right Heat

Great pizza begins with high heat. Traditional pizza ovens run hot so the dough cooks quickly while the cheese melts and bubbles on top.

The InstantHeat™ Pizza and Toaster Oven heats up to 500°F, creating the hot environment pizza needs to cook properly. This high temperature helps the crust develop structure while the cheese melts and bubbles on top.

The oven also includes dedicated Fresh Pizza and Frozen Pizza programs, which are designed to start cooking immediately without requiring preheating. The programs automatically apply the right heat profile so the crust cooks properly while the toppings finish at the same time.

Frozen Pizza: Simple Tricks for Better Results

Frozen pizza is convenient, but small adjustments with your InstantHeat™ Pizza and Toaster Oven can dramatically improve the final result.

• Cook directly on the rack or pizza tray: Allowing heat to reach the bottom of the crust helps it brown and crisp.
• Add extra toppings halfway through cooking: If you want more cheese or additional toppings, add them midway through baking so they warm through without overcooking.

With high heat and proper airflow, frozen pizza can develop a crisp crust and evenly melted toppings.

Hot Tip: The Frozen Pizza program on the InstantHeat™ Pizza and Toaster Oven starts cooking right away, so you can place the pizza in the oven and let the program handle the timing and heat.

Fresh Dough: How to Get Pizzeria-Style Pizza at Home

Homemade pizza dough delivers incredible flavor and texture when handled properly. A few simple techniques can help you get that classic pizzeria-style result:

• Let the dough come to room temperature: Cold dough tends to shrink back when stretched. Letting it rest for about 30 minutes makes shaping easier.
• Stretch the dough by hand: Stretching preserves the air bubbles in the dough, which helps create a lighter crust with better texture.
• Use coarse-ground semolina flour or cornmeal underneath: A light dusting prevents sticking and adds subtle crunch to the bottom of the pizza.
• Use sauce and toppings sparingly: Too much sauce introduces extra moisture and can soften the center of the crust.

Hot Tip: The Fresh Pizza program on the InstantHeat™ Pizza and Toaster Oven skips preheating and begins cooking immediately, applying the heat needed to help the dough rise and crisp as it bakes.

Take and Bake Pizza: A Reliable Shortcut

Take and bake pizzas from grocery stores or local markets are designed to finish cooking at home and work well in the InstantHeat™ Pizza and Toaster Oven.

For best results:

• Remove all packaging before baking
• Place the pizza on the rack or pizza tray
• Rotate halfway through cooking if the toppings are heavy

The compact cooking space allows heat to circulate around the pizza, helping the crust cook evenly while the toppings melt and finish.

Hot Tip: You can cook these using the Fresh Pizza program, which applies the heat profile needed to bake the crust while the toppings melt and finish.

Five Common Pizza Mistakes to Avoid

Even great ingredients can lead to disappointing pizza if a few simple steps are skipped:

• Using too much sauce: Excess sauce adds moisture that can soften the center of the pizza.
• Adding too many toppings: Heavy toppings release moisture and slow down cooking.
• Cooking at lower temperatures: Pizza cooks best at high heat where the crust can develop texture quickly.
• Cutting the pizza too soon: Let the pizza rest for a few minutes before slicing so the cheese can settle.

Easy Finishing Touches That Elevate Pizza

A few quick additions after baking can enhance both flavor and presentation:

• Drizzle olive oil: Adds richness and shine.
• Add fresh herbs: Basil, oregano, or arugula bring freshness to the pizza.
• Brush the crust with garlic butter: This simple step adds flavor around the edges.
• Finish with grated Parmesan: A small sprinkle adds saltiness and depth.

Why a Compact Pizza Oven Makes a Difference

Traditional ovens are built for large meals, which means they take longer to preheat and distribute heat across a larger space.

A compact appliance like the InstantHeat™ Pizza and Toaster Oven concentrates heat closer to the food. That focused heat helps pizza cook faster and more evenly.

Benefits include:

• No preheating for most functions*
• Cooking temperatures up to 500°F
• Crisp pizza crust with evenly melted toppings
• Less time waiting for dinner

The Bottom Line

Pizza is one of the easiest meals to make at home. With the right heat and a few practical techniques, the InstantHeat™ Pizza and Toaster Oven can deliver crisp crust, melted cheese, and evenly cooked toppings.

Whether you're baking frozen pizza, finishing a take and bake pie, or stretching dough from scratch, high heat and smart preparation help pizza turn out better every time.

PRODUCT DISCLAIMERS

*No preheating required on most functions. Preheating applies to Bake and Broil on the 4-Slice and Pizza Oven, and Bake and Sear Crisp on the 6-Slice.

**Cooking speed comparisons are based on frozen pizza cooked on the Pizza function (6-Slice and Pizza Oven) and frozen chicken nuggets cooked on the Roast function (4-Slice), compared to traditional ovens.