How to Reheat Pizza

Reheating Pizza in the Oven 

This is my absolute favourite way to heat up a one-day-old pizza. Reheating in the oven will create a taste almost as good as the night before. Think wood-fired, crispy crust, gooey cheese, and sizzling meats and veggies!

Now, just like each method described in this guide, there are some downfalls you want to keep in mind. Here are the cons of reheating pizza in the oven: 

• It will warm up your kitchen (this can be uncomfortable during the summer)
• Longer to cook than microwave and stovetop method (more on this later)

Believe me when I say that it is worth the wait as long as you have at least half a pizza ready to reheat. Anything less than this will be inefficient, and I suggest you consider the next method: heating it on a skillet. 

How to reheat pizza in the oven? I’ll cover this next!

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 177℃ (350℉).
2. Place the pizza on a piece of foil and place it directly on the rack. This will result in even heating from top to bottom. 
3. Bake for 10 minutes. If you like your pizza extra crispy, bake for longer. You want to make sure the pizza is baked through and cheese is melted.

Reheating Pizza on the Stovetop

If you only have a few slices you want to heat up, using the oven can be an inefficient choice. Instead, consider heating them up in a skillet. The trick is creating a steam like feature that will melt your cheese and make toppings sizzle. 

How? Easy! Just drop a bit of water onto the skillet, cover it, and let it work its magic. Heat up time depends on the type of skillet you use. Cast iron skillets are great options, but they require long heat up times. Stainless steel skillets are great as well. ‎

Directions 

1. Heat the skillet to medium heat.
2. Once hot, add slices and cook for 2 minutes uncovered. 
3. Add a few drops of water to the pan (not directly on the slices). 
4. Cover the pan with the lid immediately.
5. Cook pizza for a few more minutes or until all slices are heated thoroughly. 

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Reheating Pizza in the Microwave 

For many people, this is the easiest way to reheat their pizza. All they need to do is place it in the microwave for a minute or two. But is this the tastiest option?

I personally don’t like using the microwave to reheat pizza. While it will make the hot, pizza toppings tend to be soggy and the crust tough. 

Pizza crust is made out of flour which consists of protein (gluten) and starch. Starch is made of sugar molecules. When you microwave pizza, these sugar molecules melt. When the crust cools, the molecules harden. This is why the crust feels soft at first and then it gets hard. 

After you reheat your pizza, you’ll notice that the cheese will melt, and your pizza will be warm. However, the bottom crust won’t get crispy. 

If time is of the essence and you decide to go with this method, keep reading to learn how.  

Directions 

1. Place pizza on a plate.
2. Set your microwave to 30 percent power. 
3. Heat pizza for 45 seconds. 
4. Repeat if necessary. 

Pro Tip: I like to heat up slices in the microwave for 45 seconds and then transfer them to a toaster oven for a crisp crust. 

Which is the Best Method?

Hands down, reheating pizza in the oven is the best way to go (or at least our preferred method). While it takes longer than heating on a skillet, it offers a thorough heating of the ingredients and a crispy crust.

If time is of the essence, consider using the skillet method. Cast iron skillets disperse heat evenly, giving your slices that delicious crispiness. I only recommend utilising your microwave in those last-minute moments since taste is compromised. 

Conclusion 

Gone are the days when you have to settle for subpar leftover pizza. The method you go with depends on the amount of pizza you want to heat up and how fast you want to eat. 

Best of luck to you and happy cooking!