How to Reheat Pizza

Quick Links

• Oven
• Toaster Oven
• Frying Pan 
• Air Fryer
• Microwave

Pizza fresh out of the oven is delicious. With the cheese melted flawlessly and your toppings layered in the perfect order on top of a crispy crust, a fresh pizza will hit the spot.

Sometimes, eating a full pizza in one sitting can be too big of a task. Or maybe you ordered a lot of pizza and you want to save your slices for later. But how can you preserve the delicacy that is a fresh serving of pizza when reheating your slice a day or two later?

Day-old, reheated pizza has the potential to be a catastrophic kitchen concoction — but it doesn’t have to be! With the right technique and resources, you can reheat your pizza to taste the same as it did fresh out of the box. Read our guide on how to reheat a pizza to perfection!

Oven

One of the best ways to reheat a pizza is to simulate the process of the pizza being baked — and that can most effectively be done by using an oven. There are three types of ovens you can use — a conventional oven, a convection oven and a smaller countertop toaster oven. Each provides its own unique benefits to reheating your pie.

Conventional or Convection Oven

When done right, reheating your pizza in a standard or convection oven can make your slices taste just as good as when you initially enjoyed your pie. Follow these steps to ensure you reheat your pizza in a convection oven or conventional one correctly.

1. Preheat the Oven

Begin by preheating your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. If you fail to preheat your oven, your pizza will be reheated slowly over a long period, which will hinder its flavor and texture. You may need to adjust your oven to find the best temperature to reheat pizza.

2. Apply Foil to a Baking Tray

Take a standard-size baking tray and cover the surface with foil. Put the tray with foil into the oven as it preheats. As the oven preheats with the tray inside, your tray and foil will be hot before the pizza even touches it, increasing the speed to reheat the pie.

3. Put the Pizza in the Oven

Place the pizza on the tray in the oven, remembering to use an oven mitt. Leave the pizza in the oven for around 10 minutes. Routinely check on the slices to ensure they are not burning. Remove the pizza after the time is up, and enjoy a hot and crispy slice!

Toaster Oven

While a conventional or convection oven may be the best option to heat up a full pizza, a toaster oven is ideal for heating up pizza slices since they’re smaller. Follow these steps to ensure you reheat your slice properly in a toaster oven.

1. Preheat the Oven

Just like with a conventional oven, you’ll want to preheat your toaster oven to ensure it’s hot enough when you put your cold slices in. Preheat your toaster oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Bake Your Slice

Once your toaster oven is properly preheated, put your slice in the oven. You can either place your slice directly on the baking rack, or you can put it on a small tray with foil. Bake your slice for around 4 minutes, depending on its thickness.

3. Remove and Cool

Once you begin to see the cheese melt on your pizza, it’s time to take out the slice. Use tongs and an oven mitt to carefully remove your pizza from the toaster oven. Let your slice sit and cool before enjoying it!

Frying Pan

While it may sound odd, a frying pan or skillet is a fantastic tool to use when reheating pizza. Follow these steps to learn how!

1. Place Your Pizza on the Skillet

Set your stovetop temperature to medium and use a non-stick skillet for best results. Place your slice of pizza directly onto the skillet and let it heat up until the cheese begins to soften.

2. Add Water and Cover the Skillet

Add a few drops of water to the base of the pan around the sides of the pizza. Put a lid on top of the pan, and heat your pizza for around 3 minutes. Once the cheese begins to melt, take off the lid and use a spatula to remove the slice from the skillet. Transfer it to your plate and voila! Your pizza slice is ready to eat!

Air Fryer

Did you know you can use an air fryer to reheat pizza? While not the most traditional method, an air fryer is just as effective as any other method when reheating pizza. Try these steps to learn how to air fry your pizza!

1. Prep Your Air Fryer

Begin by placing foil at the base of your air fryer basket. Place your pizza on top of the foil and lightly apply oil spray to the pizza to ensure that the toppings don’t burn.

2. Air Fry Your Pizza

Air fry your pizza at 360 degrees Fahrenheit for around 5 minutes. Once the time is up, check to see if the pizza is at your desired crispiness level. If you want your crust to be more crispy, place your pizza back in the fryer for longer.

3. Remove and Enjoy

Finally, remove your pizza carefully and let it sit for a couple of minutes before eating!

Microwave

Perhaps the most common method of reheating pizza, the microwave may also be the simplest. Simply place your slice of pizza on a microwave-safe plate and set your microwave on high power for about 45 seconds. After removing the pizza, let it sit for a bit before enjoying.

Some recommendations say to include a glass of water with your pizza before microwaving. That addition can help keep the pizza crust from getting tough.

Fresh vs. Refrigerated vs. Frozen Pizza

When it comes to pizza, there are tons of different options to choose from. But what type of pizza reheats the best?

The answer is simple. The slices that taste the best reheated are from pizza that tasted the best the first time — fresh, oven-made pizza. While refrigerated and frozen pizzas may be easy to prepare, they simply don’t reheat as well as slices cooked fresh in a pizza oven. Oven-made pizzas retain their flavor better than boxed or refrigerated brands due to not being repeatedly frozen and thawed. The more times a pizza is frozen, the less flavor it will have.

Get Fresh Pizza From Green Lantern Pizza

For pizza that will reheat and still taste amazing, consider purchasing pizza baked with fresh ingredients by professionals at your local pizza restaurant rather than boxed pizza that has been frozen.

If you’re in the Metro-Detroit area, get hot, crispy and delicious pizza from Green Lantern Pizza. Find a location near you today!