Have you ever tried to reheat a slice of pizza?
Pizza is a staple food in most homes. Whether you’re trying to sneak in some extra calories or just like pizza, some ways can make your reheated pizza taste better than if it were fresh out of the oven.
How do you reheat leftover pizza?
If you’re about to reheat leftover pizza, then you should know that there are certainly best practices. First of all, never put the frozen pizza directly into a toaster oven. It will take too long and might cause burning on the bottom of the crust from excess heat exposure as it melts. Instead, place some foil or parchment paper in-between your pizza and the heating elements before placing it inside for speedy reheating!
Although a toaster oven is the most common way of reheating leftovers, deep-dish pizza always has difficulty being reheated. It’s thick and difficult to get it hot enough in a conventional oven or even by heating up directly on the stovetop.
The conventional way is using an electric convection oven that can reach temperatures as high as 480 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes.
If you are trying to reheat leftover pizza, using the grill is not recommended. This method exposes the bottom of your pizza to direct heat that risks charring it before it’s cooked all the way through.
It is best to cook frozen pizza on a pizza stone in the oven, as it will keep the crust crispy and avoid any gooey messes that can happen when cooking it by other methods like microwaving or using your waffle iron.
Here are some of our favorite methods on how to reheat pizza:
Method 1: Reheat pizza with an oven
A great way to reheat pizza is with an oven. My favorite is the first oven reheating method because the top rack won’t overcook while the bottom gets crispy. It works exceptionally well, but you need to ensure that the top layer doesn’t burn because it won’t be in there long enough for dinner.
Prepare your oven and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Preheat the oven for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius), and then place the fully-heated pizza on top of the lined baking sheet. The heat from the oven will keep it warm while you finish cooking other food.
Method 2: Reheat pizza in the microwave
While ovens are great for cooking food, it’s not always convenient to use them. That’s where microwaves come into play. Using the microwave, you can quickly reheat pizza without worrying about it becoming soggy.
Professional chefs rarely recommend microwaving the pizza because the heat affects the toppings and crust. At the same time, some consumer-oriented websites suggest placing a piece of aluminum foil over the top before cooking.
To reheat pizza in the microwave, use a ceramic or glass plate to place your slice of pizza on. Put a mug of water next to your pizza in the microwave and let it heat up for around 45 seconds. This is an easy way to reheat pizza without using ovens, microwaves, or stovetops.
Method 3: Reheat pizza on the gas grill
When you’re ready to reheat your pizza, put it on a grill that’s been warmed up. Be sure to set the temperature for medium-high heat and give it about 5 minutes before placing the pizza on it.
Place the pizza on the grate with no added ingredients. To avoid burning your pizza, let it reheat for about six minutes and remove it from the grill before the crust is crispy enough. This method will also help preserve its nutritional value since you won’t be using an oven or microwave.
Method 4: Reheat pizza with your air fryer
The easiest way to reheat pizza is with an air fryer. Preheat the air fryer and place a slice or two on it. The air fryer will cook the slices of pizza quickly while keeping them crisp, golden brown, and delicious.
It’s best for thin-crust pizza, which you can heat at 325°F (163°C). For regular or thick crust pizzas, it should be heated at 350°F (175ºC) instead.
If you’re reheating just one or two slices, keep them inside the air fryer for three to four minutes before checking and continuing to warm it up for two more minutes until all of your crust is thoroughly heated.
If the crust is turning brown too fast, turn the temperature down by about 25-30 degrees to take longer and avoid burning.
Method 5: Reheat pizza with the skillet
Preheat a skillet on medium for a couple of minutes, add a couple of leftover pizza slices, then cover it and preheat again for another 6-8 minutes.
To properly reheat your pizza, you must cover the skillet before heating up, and this will prevent cheese and other toppings from still being cold after the process is completed. If you don’t have a lid, you can use foil as an alternative.
They’ll be just as tasty as the original, but it’s much faster and easier to reheat using this method.
Method 6: Reheat pizza with the toaster oven
If you’re heating one slice of pizza, reheating it in a toaster oven is the ideal option. Toaster ovens are convenient kitchen gadgets because they function similarly to small ovens without all the hassle. Because leftovers are all about convenience, the last thing you want to do is waste a lot of energy while heating a large appliance. And in the summer’s heat, a hot oven may make cooking an intolerable experience. Fortunately, you can stay cool with this method while still enjoying a slice of cheesy goodness.
Here are the steps:
- Preheat your toaster oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cook your slice for three to four minutes on medium heat, based on its thickness.
- Check for melted cheese – this indicates that your pizza is ready to be taken from the oven.
- Remove your pizza from the toaster oven using a spatula or tongs. Take caution, since it will be really hot.
- Allow five minutes for cooling before eating.
How do you reheat pizza without making it soggy?
To reheat a pizza without making it soggy, place your pizza on top of aluminum foil. The foil will conduct heat and distribute the heat evenly across the crust. If you don’t have any aluminum foils, you could also warm up a sheet pan in the oven for about 5 minutes before placing your pizza on it again.
Alternatively, you can reheat pizza by using a pizza stone, and this will make the bottom crust nice and crispy, unlike if you didn’t use one.
The best way to reheat pizza
The answer might surprise you or even seem weird, but it’s not in an oven, microwave, or air fryer. The best way to reheat a slice of pizza is in a frying pan on the stove with a little bit of water.
People were surprised at how this technique worked and decided to try it themselves. Even Newsweek published an article about how different yet effective this method is. The article mentioned that you could use your oven’s broil function or microwaves for short-term heating instead of using the stovetop to avoid burning the pizza because of high temperatures.
This is a new yet effective way to reheat your favorite pizza, and it’s not as hard as you think!
