Pizza is one of the most popular food in the world. There is all the variety of pizza toppings that restaurants offer as well as different types of frozen pizza you can easily cook in a few minutes and enjoy it.
Pizza is my favorite food, and I order pizza or bake it myself a few times a week. I love to throw pizza parties, and in case I have some leftovers, I never throw them away. I consider it a total waste of delicious food and will never do this.
If you have been wondering how to reheat pizza in the oven and enjoy it as a freshly baked one, then this article is certainly for you. In this article, you will find out how to do this in the most effective way, what temperature to choose, how long it takes, and so much more so you can savor your pizza.
Detailed Guide to Reheat Pizza
But what if some slices are left? There is no need to throw them into a garbage can. You can give your pizza a second life, and it will be as tasty as the one right from the oven. Down below, you will find my simple guide that will tell you how to reheat your pizza step by step.
How to Reheat Pizza in Oven Aluminum Foil?
I believe that the oven is the best way to reheat pizza leftovers and fully enjoy it. Your pizza will certainly taste like on day one. The crust will stay crispy, and the cheese will be melty and delicious. No matter what pizza you want to reheat, it will work perfectly.
One drawback of this method is the high temperature that you will have to experience in your kitchen. If it’s summer, you probably won’t enjoy the hot and stuffy air in your house, but it’s worth it. Just in case, I have also prepared a few additional methods that you can also use to reheat pizza. But first, let’s find out how to do this in the oven.
All you have to do is to preheat the oven to the right temperature. Place pizza leftovers inside right on the rack. In case you want to avoid the mess in the oven, you can use baking paper, and it will be easier to clean the oven up. If you have a pizza stone, it will be great as it will keep the dough moist inside, and the crust will stay crispy.
However, there is no need to preheat the pizza stone for a few slices, but if you have half of the pizza or even more, you can feel free to put it in the oven and enjoy the most delicious food in the world in a few minutes. Pizza will taste the same as when you have just ordered or baked it. This is my favorite method as it doesn’t take long but fully preserves the pizza taste, smell, and crust texture, so I can savor leftovers.
Put your pizza right on a grate or put your pizza in the oven pan. If you choose the second variant, then it’s obligatory to preheat the pan in the oven as well. If you have been wondering if it is possible to reheat pizza in a box, then the answer is no. It contains chemicals that can soak in your food, and you will get a cardboard aftertaste.
Moreover, it can cause a fire hazard, and you want to avoid all inconveniences. That’s why it’s recommended to use aluminum foil that will make the process more simple and effective. Also, you can cover the oven rack with aluminum foil instead of baking paper to get the right crust.
If you choose to reheat pizza using aluminum foil, there is no need to preheat the oven. All you have to do is to put slices in a pan, cover it with aluminum foil, and put it into a cold oven. But keep in mind that the time required to reheat pizza will be much longer. In case you put leftovers into a preheated oven, you need up to 10 minutes.
Be careful while putting your pizza inside the oven as the temperature is pretty high, and you might want to use kitchen mitts to protect your hands. And keep in mind – don’t get way too close to the oven. Close the door, set the timer, and don’t open the door in order not to let fresh air inside. When the time runs out, put on mitts again and carefully take the pizza out. Leave it for a few minutes as it will be hot to eat it right away.
How to Reheat Pizza on the Stovetop
Another way to reheat pizza is to use a skillet on the stovetop. You can use any pan you have, but it’s better to choose a flat one as it will heat up the pizza more evenly. Of course, you can use a cast-iron skillet as it will give your crust an incredible flavor. This will help to crisp up the crust while keeping the rest of the slice warm and melty.
First, preheat a skillet over medium heat. Then, place a single slice of pizza in the skillet and cover it with a lid. Cook for one or two minutes, until the bottom is crispy. Remove the lid and continue cooking for another minute or two, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve immediately. With this method, you can enjoy delicious, freshly-reheated pizza anytime
How to Reheat Frozen Pizza in Oven?
In case you use the aluminum foil and put it in a cold oven, then you will have to wait up to 30 minutes. Choose the variant that is best for you. Both options will give you the incredible taste as well as the crispy crunch on the bottom. You can try out both options and choose what works for you better.
Frozen pizza is very popular as it’s the fastest and the simplest way to get pizza. If you run out of time or you are in a hurry and feel pretty hungry, this is the perfect way to restore your energy level and take a bite of delicious pizza. The process of reheating frozen pizza is a little bit more complicated, but I will guide you step by step through the process.
Before you start cooking a frozen pizza, the first thing to do is to defrost it to room temperature. If you place it in the oven frozen, your pizza will turn into a complete mess. Give it 1-2 hours, and only then you can tackle the cooking process. If you have just come back from a grocery store, then you can simply leave it on the countertop.
When your pizza has defrosted, you can take it out of the box. Pull the pizza out and get rid of an outer plastic wrap as well as a cardboard base. You can use scissors to open the plastic bag easily. Make sure you don’t hold your pizza upside down as all the topping might fall down, and the pizza will be destroyed.
The next step will be to brush the top of the pizza with olive oil to get extra taste and crunch. Don’t forget to put olive oil on pizza edges. Olive oil works well to let cheese brown a little bit and create a tasty crust. When you are done, you have to turn on the oven and set the temperature as recommended on the box. Usually, the temperature varies between 375 up to 425 F. Follow the instructions for desired results.
When the oven is already preheated, you can place pizza inside and put it in the center of a baking sheet. In case you have a pizza stone, you can feel free to use it and put it inside the oven while it’s preheating. The stone will reduce the excessive moisture and will help you get the crunchy crust.
It’s recommended to place pizza on the central rack to keep it not that close to the heat source. Be careful and always use heat-resistant gloves to protect your hands from burning. Shut the oven and make sure no heat escapes for a perfect taste.
You will find the timing recommendation in the box. However, it takes approximately 15-20 minutes for the pizza to get ready and be perfectly cooked. Though this time depends on the amount of topping and pizza size. When the pizza is ready, put oven mitts or heat-resistant gloves on and take the baked pizza out. Place it on a heat-resistant surface and remove the baking sheet by using a spatula.
I would recommend leaving frozen pizza for up to 5 minutes before you start slicing it. Put your pizza aside and let it cool down so you can eat it without burning your mouth. Also, the cheese will become more firm that will make the slicing process easier for you.
Now, once you followed all the steps described above, you can start cutting pizza. It’s better to use a special cutter that will make the process more convenient and safe for you. Serve freshly cooked pizza right from the oven and enjoy its amazing taste and smell. It doesn’t take long, but you will be able to get a nice dinner and enjoy this meal with friends or family.
How Long to Reheat Pizza in Oven?
This is pretty simple. All you have to do is to wait until the oven heats up to the required temperature. Simply place the pizza inside and leave it for 10 minutes. It will be more than enough to reheat it without over-drying. It will be warm and tasty so you can enjoy your favorite food.
What Temp to Reheat Pizza in Oven?
It’s recommended to preheat the oven to a temperature from 350 to 375 F. The temperature level will be sufficient not just to reheat your pizza quickly,
but to kill all the germs and bacteria that could cause food poisoning so that it’s completely safe for your health.
What Are Other Ways to Reheat Pizza?
If you want to know what are the other ways to reheat pizza, there are a few of them. Instead of an oven, you can also use a microwave, skillet, and grill. Reheating pizza with a skillet is another great method that will be suitable for you if you have a slice or a few left in a fridge. All you have to do is to preheat the skillet to medium heat.
Then you have to pour some water and place slices of pizza inside. After that, you have to cover it with a lid as it will create a steamer that will make your pizza heat evenly. The dough will be crispy, and the cheese will melt on top as well. Leave it for a few minutes and enjoy your meal.
Using a microwave is the fastest way to heat up your pizza as it will take 1-2 minutes to make it hot and yummy again. Keep in mind that in order to keep your pizza delicious and the crust crispy, you will have to reduce the microwave power and increase the heating time. Instead of using the full power and 20-30 seconds, it’s better to set the microwave for 1-1,20 minutes and reduce the power by 50%. By following this instruction, you will keep your microwave tidy and make your pizza crust crunchy.
The last method that you can use to reheat your pizza is to put it on the grill. It takes way too much time and resources, but if you are throwing a party in your backyard and you are already using the grill, then it will take approximately 10 minutes to reheat the pizza.
Don’t wait until the grill fully heats up as the temperature will be too high, and you will just burn your pizza. Wait until you get medium heat level, place slices on the grate, and wait a few minutes so that you can take it off and eat it.
The grill is a perfect method that will give your pizza an amazing crust, so it looks and tastes like a freshly baked one. Keep an eye while reheating it to avoid burned parts.
How Many Times Is It Possible to Reheat Pizza?
I wouldn’t recommend reheating pizza leftovers more than once. The pizza includes lots of fast perishable ingredients, and it’s recommended to eat your pizza as soon as possible. For example, meatballs, vegetables, sausage toppings can stay in your fridge for up to two days, whereas cheese and pepperoni pizza should stay in your fridge only for a few hours. Though reheating it in the oven will preserve the taste, and your pizza will be as good as a freshly baked one.
Summing It Up
Don’t think your pizza is already dead if you haven’t managed to eat it all after you ordered or baked it. If you know all the tricks regarding how to reheat it, then you still can eat it, and the taste will be just as good.
I have done this a million times, and I decided to teach you how to reheat pizza right so that it preserves the same taste. I have accumulated my personal experience in reheating pizza in the oven and shared these priceless tips with you so that now you can keep pizza leftovers and enjoy eating them later on. I have written down the detailed guide that will let you do this effectively and make your pizza taste good.
Now, I would be happy to hear from you. Have you ever tried to reheat your pizza, or you just threw leftovers away? If yes, did your pizza taste good? Try my tips and tell me about the results.
Leave your comments below, and I will be thrilled to learn more about your experiment. Don’t be afraid to try new things in reheating pizza leftovers and remember that pizza can live longer than two hours in a box. Enjoy your meal!
