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How to Reheat Pizza (Hint: Don’t Nuke It!)

Written By: Paul

Last Updated on February 25, 2021

There are two types of people out there: those who prefer their pizza freshly baked, and those who vote for team leftover pizza.

Because isn't pizza just a little bit better the morning after? When the ingredients have marinated more – and the contrast between the crispy crust and the sauce-soaked base is even bigger? Some purists vote for eating your leftover pizza cold for the ultimate experience. But if cold pizza isn't your cup of kombucha, there are some tricks to bear in mind.

So if you look forward to indulging in warm pizza even the morning after, you need to know how to reheat your pizza in a pan or in the oven. In this article, we share our best tips. Enjoy!

What is the best way to heat up leftover pizza?

First things first: don't reheat your pizza in the microwave! This makes the pizza crust nearly inedible.

A better option is to either:

  • reheat your pizza in a pan
  • warm it in the oven

Besides, there's a special method for reheating deep-dish pizzas in a skillet.

Reheat Pizza in Pan

Using a pan is a quick way of getting your pizza in an edible state again. This method is best suited for New York or Neapolitan pizzas, that is, for reheating pizza with a thin crust. The way to do this is as follows:

  • Place your pizza in a pan on low to medium heat. Let it cook for 2 minutes or until the bottom is crispy
  • Place 2 drops of water in the pan away from the pizza
  • Cover with a lid and change the temperature to low
  • Let it cook for just 1 minute – enough to melt the cheese
  • Enjoy a pizza that has a moisty crust, crispy bottom, and melted cheese!

Reheat Pizza in Oven

Even though experts argue that it's best to use a pan or skillet to reheat your pizza, another way to reheat pizza is in the oven.  It's important to follow the following steps in order not to dry out the toppings and cheese.

  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F
  • Cover cooking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with a little cooking spray
  • Put the pizza slices on a sheet with some space between each slice
  • Spray a little water on the slices to prevent them from drying
  • Cover the pizza loosely with another piece of aluminum foil
  • Heat until your pizza has reached its desired temperature and texture (approximately 10-15 minutes) – the crust should be crunchy, and the topping lusciously moist

How to Reheat Deep-Dish (Chicago) Pizza

A secret and quick method for reheating deep-dish pizza is simply heating it in a skillet for a few minutes. There's a special way to do this:

  • Put the skillet on a burner on medium-high heat. Add just a light layer of olive oil to avoid the pizza getting greasy
  • Reduce the heat to medium and place your deep-dish pizza in the skillet
  • Put a lid on the skillet. This is important to preserve the moisture and heat, and get the cheese nice and melted
  • Let the pizza cook for 3-5 minutes
  • Your Chicago pizza is ready to eat!

So there you have it – the three ways to reheat pizza!

Why Can't I Nuke It?

While your microwave comes in handy for other foods, it's not the best way to reheat since it can have mess up the pizza crust. The crust can get burning hot and the topping sad and soggy. If you live somewhere without an oven or stovetop, a toaster oven might be a good alternative. It's a cheap and easy alternative that takes as much space as a microwave.

How do you reheat pizza without drying it out?

By using a pan or skillet for reheating pizza and applying one of the methods mentioned above, you decrease the risk of your pizza getting dry. If you choose to reheat your pizza in the oven, make sure to cover it with aluminum foil to keep it from drying out. That makes the crust stay crunchy, and the cheese perfectly melted!

Conclusion

The methods covered in this article can make the most conservative cold pizza-fan turning up the stove on medium heat and enjoy a pizza with a crunchy crust and melted cheese! Delivery pizza never tasted this good the morning after.

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Hi, I'm Paul. Welcome to my website! I, along with my cronies, are leveraging our years of working in the food industry to review meal and drink delivery services. We review. You eat happily ever after.

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