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How to Reheat Pizza: The Ultimate Guide
By David
May 15, 2024
Would you believe us if we told you we know how to reheat pizza so it tastes even better as leftovers? We wouldn’t believe it either, but we’re here with tips on the best ways to reheat pizza in your oven, air fryer, stovetop or microwave.
You snapped your frozen DiGiorno pizza or your Boboli pizza crust in the Fetch app for points, and now Fetch is here to help you breathe life back into that pizza once it’s leftovers.
Don’t have Fetch, you say? Download our rewards app to turn your pizza and grocery purchases into free gift cards!
What is the best way to reheat pizza?
Pizza is made in an oven, and if you have the time, it’s probably the best way to reheat most pizza. But your best way to reheat pizza might be different and will depend on a few things: the kind of pizza, the toppings, how fast you want it done and your own taste. We can help with the first three, and we have four ways to reheat pizza so you can decide for yourself how to reheat pizza from now on.
How to reheat pizza in the oven
Advantages: Easy, no special appliances or gadgets, even heating, crispy crust
Disadvantages: Preheating to 450° can take some time, might make the crust too crunchy
We have two different ways to reheat pizza in the oven: on tin foil or on a hot tray or baking sheet. Whichever way you choose to reheat pizza in your oven, you’ll have the same steps:
- Place your tin foil or baking tray on an oven rack and preheat to 450° without the pizza.
- When the oven hits 450°, place your pizza onto the tray or the foil.
- Bake for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool before eating.
Either of these ways of reheating pizza in your oven will deliver a firm crust, as you’ll get a bit extra heat on the bottom of your slices. Looking for a softer crust? Try 10 minutes at 350° instead.
How to reheat pizza in an air fryer
Advantages: Fast, even heating, crispy crust
Disadvantages: Requires a specific kitchen gadget, only a couple slices at a time
If you know how to use an air fryer for pizza rolls, you can also probably figure out how to reheat pizza in an air fryer. Here are the steps we’ve found work best to bring your pizza back to life in an air fryer:
- Set your air fryer to 350°.
- Place your slices in the basket (don’t overlap them).
- Cook for three minutes and check on your pizza.
- If the cheese needs to be a bit meltier, give it another minute in the air fryer.
Once you get the hang of it, you’ll probably find that your favorite pizza might need a little more time (or a little less). Your air fryer might also be different from ours, so feel free to vary it up a bit until you perfect your pizza.
How to reheat pizza on the stove
Advantages: Easy, crispy crust, good for fragile toppings like spinach
Disadvantages: Cooks unevenly, can get soggy, only a couple slices at a time
If you’ve got a cast iron pan that lives on your stovetop, you’re right to wonder how to reheat pizza on the stove. You can reheat pizza in any skillet, but a cast iron will hold the heat and let you transfer to the oven if you want to hit your leftovers with the broiler for a few seconds.
- Heat your skillet over medium heat for a few minutes.
- Place your leftover pizza slice(s) on the skillet.
- Cook uncovered for four minutes.
- Add a teaspoon of water to the skillet (away from your pizza).
- Cover the skillet, lower your heat, and cook another two to three minutes.
Without covering the skillet, you’ll end up with an extra crispy crust, but covering the skillet risks the pizza getting too moist. Reheating pizza in a skillet on your stove is convenient, but not our top recommendation.
How to reheat pizza in the microwave
Advantages: Easy, fast
Disadvantages: Cooks unevenly, can get soggy, only a couple slices at a time
There’s a trick when learning how to reheat pizza in the microwave: you need a mug of water.
- Place your pizza on a microwave safe plate.
- Fill a mug with water.
- Place the mug of water and your pizza side-by-side in the microwave.
- Heat in 30-45 second bursts until the slice is cooked through.
- Let your pizza cool.
The mug of water helps keep the cheese moist and keep the crust from getting too crispy. The microwave is quick and easy, but it’s our least favorite way for flavor.
How to reheat deep dish pizza
A deep dish, like a regular pizza, is brought to life in a pizza oven. Reheating a deep dish pizza should seem pretty straightforward: just use our instructions for how to reheat pizza in the oven, with a few changes.
- Preheat to 350° (the lower temperature keeps your crust from burning).
- Grease a baking sheet and add your slices to it.
- Mist your pizza with a little water and cover loosely with foil.
- Bake 15 to 20 minutes (or until gooey).
We can’t promise it will be just like new, but now that you know how to reheat deep dish pizza, you can perfect the process for your favorite pizza.
Turn your pizza purchases into points into pizza (again!) with the Fetch App
Now that you know how to reheat pizza, get to it! Find out the best way to reheat pizza with your favorite pies and toppings. Need leftover pizza? Open up the Fetch app and turn your points into a gift card so you can have pizza delivered tonight and test out your new techniques tomorrow.
Topics: Food and Drink, Shopping Lists
David Fairbanks is a writer, science educator and Chicagoan fueled by coffee. He's written about everything from Ferraris to handcrafted pet urns to Superman, and he genuinely loves loyalty/rewards programs.