6 Foolproof Ways to Reheat Pizzas to Perfection

Got some leftover pizza slices from last night? Well, the next day’s breakfast is sorted, then. There are very few things on this planet that I find as infuriating as a stone-cold pizza. So I had to make it a point to master the technique of reheating pizzas to perfection.

It’s not really as simple as just tossing the slices into a hot frying pan. It will hardly heat up toppings but will definitely burn the crust. And that’s even worse than cold pizza.

Microwaves aren’t foolproof, either. Reheat it for too long, and your pizza will be a rubbery mess. However, it doesn’t have to be. Proper heating time, temperature, and moisture can bring your leftover pizza to life with just the right amount of crunch and chewiness for that perfect bite.

In today’s article, I’ll list down the methods I have used over the years to reheat pizzas on a stovetop, as well as in an oven, microwave, toaster oven, air fryer, as well as a grill. Let’s get to it, then.

Best Ways to Reheat Pizzas to Perfection

When you buy pizza, it’s always best to eat it right away. However, if you can’t do that, there are a few ways to reheat it without turning it into a soggy, sad mess.

In a hurry? No worries. Take a glance at the table below to find out which reheating method works best for you:

Method	Time	Temp (F)	Ease of Use	Portion Suitability
Oven	25 minutes	375 degrees	Best for a whole pie	Best for a whole pie or multiple slices
Stovetop	5-6 minutes	Medium-low heat	Easy, no preheating needed	Best for 3-4 slices
Microwave	30-45 seconds	Highest available setting	Extremely easy, no preheating needed	Best for 1 slice
Toaster oven	5-10 minutes	325-375 degrees	Easy, preheat for 10 minutes.	Best for a whole pie
Grill	3-4 minutes on each side	425 degrees	15 minutes of preheating needed	Best for whole pie
Air fryer	3-6 minutes	350-380 degrees	Easy, preheat for only 5 minutes tops	Best for 1-2 slices at a time.

Next Read: Know The Secret Code to the Perfect Pizza Dough

Rise and Shine: Fabulous Oven Techniques for Pizza Redos

For me personally, the oven is the best tool for reheating a day-old pizza. You can get a gooey, cheesy center with a perfectly crispy crust at the right temperature and baking time.

Here’s how I do it to get consistent results:

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. For thicker crusts, I’d go with 450 degrees.
• Place the slices on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or baking paper. You can also use a pizza stone.
• Put it directly on the bottom rack. This will ensure that your pizza gets evenly heated both at the top and bottom. If you don’t have or don’t want to use aluminum foil, simply line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the bottom is crispy. Then remove from the oven and enjoy immediately.
• For a crispier crust, bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Troubleshooting Tips:

1. Always make sure to place the pizza on a preheated baking sheet lined with foil or baking stone. This will help crisp up the crust and prevent fogginess.
2. If using a pizza stone, try rotating it halfway through the preheating process to facilitate uniform heat distribution.
3. Every oven has a unique character. So, keep an eye on the pizza while it’s reheating to prevent burning or overcooking.

Don’t Waste Taste: Pro Tips for Air Fryer Pizza

A lot of people find air-fried leftover pizzas better in terms of texture than pizzas reheated in the oven. I am not going to argue about which one is better. But what I can vouch for is that air fryers are ideal for heating up one or two slices on the fly because there’s no preheating time.

Before we get to the steps, note that how many slices you can reheat at a time will depend on what kind of air fryer you own.

The regular basket/bucket-style models can hold one to two slices at a time, while the oven-style air fryers can reheat a whole pie. If you are using the latter, make sure to put the pizza on the middle rack.

Here’s how to properly reheat pizza in an air-fryer:

• For regular basket-style air-fryers, line the basket with aluminum foil or perforated parchment paper.
• Preheat your air fryer to 350-380 degrees for thin crust and 400 degrees for thicker slices for 5 minutes.
• Put one or two cold slices in it. Make sure the slices don’t overlap.
• Cook it for 3-6 minutes until the cheese melts and the crust reaches your desired level of crispness. Thicker pizzas will take longer to heat. Keep checking the doneness level after the 3-minute mark.
• For deep dish pizzas, I’d set the temp at around 330°F, and bake for 6 minutes to ensure the cheese does not burn while heating up the inside.

Troubleshooting Tips:

1. Hot and cold spots are a very common issue with pizzas reheated in an air fryer. To avoid that, you should always make sure to preheat your air fryer to 350-400 degrees, ideally for 5 minutes.
2. Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket. Reheating the pizza slices in batches will prevent uneven heating.

Crisp Your Slice to Perfection on Stovetop

If you don’t have an oven or air fryer and you just have to reheat one or two slices, a shallow, non-stick pan. You can also use a cast iron skillet for an even crispier crust.

Here’s how to properly reheat pizza on a stovetop using a skillet or frying pan:

• Preheat your frying pan or skillet over medium heat.
• Coat it with a tsp of olive oil, and add the slices. Make sure the pan is not too hot when you are adding the slices.
• Place one or two slices into the pan, depending on the size of the cookware. Just make sure the slices don’t overlap.
• Cook for 1-3 minutes on medium heat or until the case turns crunchy.
• Once it reaches the desired crunch level, lower the heat, and add 2-3 drops of water around the sides of the pan. Trust me, this will make the cheese extra melty and gooey!
• Cover the pan with a lid or foil and cook for another minute or two. The water will prevent the crust from drying out and also soften up the cheese, giving you a gooey center.

Troubleshooting Tips:

1. Cold spots can be a real nuisance with pizzas reheated in skillets or frying pans. That’s why I like to rotate the pizza slice during reheating to ensure even browning on all sides.
2. Make sure the pan isn’t too hot. Start with medium heat and switch to low-medium heat after 2-3 minutes for best results.

Crisp and Melty: Mastering the Toaster Oven Reheat Ritual

Toaster ovens are one of the easiest ways to reheat a frozen pizza. It’s best to thaw out the frozen pizzas in the refrigerator before reheating them. Just take it out of the freezer and pop it in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours or until completely defrosted. Then do the following steps:

• Preheat your toaster oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit approx and line a baking sheet with foil.
• Place the frozen pizza directly on the middle rack or a lined baking sheet and cook for 8 minutes or until the crust crisps up and the cheese is fully melted.

Note: For thin crust, I’d suggest baking at 375°F for 3-4 minutes, for regular Domino’s style crust, go for 350°F for 5-7 minutes. For thick crusts, try 325°F for 10-12 minutes. If the pizza is taking too long to reheat, I’d crank up the temp to 450 degrees and bake for an additional 2 minutes.

Try each method once to see which one works best for you.

Troubleshooting Tips:

1. If the crust becomes soggy, you can try using the “reheat” function or setting the toaster oven to 50% power for about 1-2 minutes per slice.
2. To avoid overcooking, start by cooking the pizza for about 5 minutes. Then check its progress. Adjust the time as needed based on your toaster oven’s performance and the doneness you desire

Zap to Savor: The Art of Microwaving Pizza to Perfection

This is by far the most popular method for reheating pizzas. It is also the fastest and most convenient option available to most people.

There are a few different ways that you can reheat pizza in a microwave, but I recommend following these three steps if you want to get it done as quickly and efficiently as possible:

• Place the pizza on a microwave-safe plate.
• Pop it in the microwave, along with a glass of water on the side. The water keeps the toppings from cooking too quickly and keeps your pizza from drying out.
• Cook it on high heat, depending on the thickness of the slice. For a small slice, 30-45 seconds should be enough. For a medium slice, bake for 45-60 seconds, and for a large slice, try 60-90 seconds. And that’s it!

Troubleshooting Tips:

1. To avoid a rubbery crust, use a combo method: microwave the pizza briefly for heating, then transfer it to the oven for a crispy crust and melted cheese.
2. Don’t microwave more than two regular to medium size slices at a time. For large slices, reheat only one slice at a time.

Transform Leftovers into Char-Grilled Delights

Now, this is a rather unorthodox way to reheat a pizza, but it does work. In fact, it’s the least time-consuming way to reheat an entire pizza in one go. It will get you a charry crust, which a lot of people like, so that’s a plus.

Here’s how I do it:

• The key here is to ensure that your grill is medium-hot before cooking the pizza. I use an outdoor grill and set it to preheat for 15 minutes at 425 degrees.
• Once the grill is nice and hot, place a whole pizza on the grate. Note that if you don’t wish to place the slices directly on the grill and use a baking stone instead, set the grill temp between 450-475.
• Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side and flip over. It should be done when it’s golden brown on the bottom and lightly charred on the top.

And voila! Your pizza is ready to be devoured!

Troubleshooting Tips:

1. If you are placing the slices directly on the grates, cheese drips might be a problem. I like to place a sheet of foil under the pizza to catch any melting cheese. This keeps my grill clean and prevents flare-ups.
2. Reheating pizzas on a grill often results in burnt edges as well. To avoid that, create a buffer zone on the grill by placing a layer of soaked wood chips or a small aluminum foil barrier around the perimeter of the pizza. Doing so will keep direct heat from reaching the edges too quickly.

Method	Pros	Cons
Oven	Can recreate the crispy texture of a freshly made pizza	It takes longer to heat up and may not be practical for small portions
Stovetop	Quick and easy for small portions	It does not recreate the crispy texture of a freshly made pizza
Air Fryer	The hot circulating air in the air fryer helps to re-crisp the crust, giving it a texture similar to freshly baked pizza.	Limited capacity. Most air fryers have a relatively small cooking basket or tray, which means you may need to reheat pizza slices one at a time or in small batches.
Microwave	Quick and easy for small portions	It does not recreate the crispy texture of a freshly made pizza and may cause the crust to become soggy.
Toaster oven	Can recreate the crispy texture of a freshly made pizza	It takes longer to heat up and may not be practical for small portions
Grill	It can recreate the crispy texture of a freshly made pizza and adds a unique smoky flavor.	Not practical for small portions and requires additional equipment.

Crust & Questions: Your Hot Pizza Reheat Queries Answered

In Conclusion

As you can see, there are several ways to reheat pizza without burning or mushing it up. All it takes is a little bit of know-how, a little patience, and the right equipment. You’ll be able to enjoy your favorite pizza treat again in no time flat.