Gone are the days of soggy microwaved pizza. Dive into our game-changing list of 30 ways to bring back that crispy, delicious first-day pizza taste! Find the best way to reheat pizza for you.
In the Oven
Reheating pizza in the oven brings back that irresistible, fresh-from-the-pizzeria taste! To get that perfectly crispy and melty slice, start by preheating your oven to 375°F.
Slide your pizza directly onto the middle rack for a crispy bottom—no baking sheet needed. Heat it for about 10 minutes, but keep an eye on it!
You want the cheese bubbly and the edges golden brown, not charred. This method revives the pizza’s glory, making it almost as good as new!
Using a Skillet
Ever tried reheating your pizza in a skillet? This method gets you that perfect crispy bottom we all love, while keeping the toppings deliciously gooey.
Start by heating a skillet on medium-low heat. Place your slice in the pan and cover it loosely with aluminum foil. This ensures the cheese melts beautifully.
Let it sizzle for about 5 to 8 minutes. The result? This method not only revives your pizza but also keeps it mouthwateringly fresh.
On the Grill
Ever thought about taking your pizza game outdoors? Grilling pizza not only adds a delightful smoky flavor but also revives that crispy crust we all love.
Fire up your grill and set it to medium heat. Place the pizza slices directly on the grill grates and close the lid, mimicking an outdoor oven.
This genius method allows the heat to evenly melt the cheese and crisp the crust without direct flame charring it. Perfect for outdoor gatherings or a casual dinner!
Using a Toaster Oven
Using a toaster oven to reheat pizza is a game-changing choice for achieving a crispy crust and evenly melted cheese — without heating up your whole kitchen.
Start by preheating your toaster oven to 350°F. Place your pizza slice directly on the rack to allow the heat to circulate around it, crisping the bottom beautifully.
Heat it for about 5 to 7 minutes, watching closely to ensure it doesn’t burn. This method is especially great for reviving smaller amounts of pizza.
In an Air Fryer
Gone are the days of soggy, microwaved pizza. The air fryer circulates hot air around the food, ensuring each slice gets an even, all-around crisp.
To start, preheat your air fryer to 350°F. Place the pizza slice in the basket, making sure not to overlap if you’re heating multiple pieces.
Cook it for about 3 to 4 minutes. This method is super-efficient and ideal for getting that oven-fresh texture in minutes. Plus, it’s a breeze to clean up!
Under the Broiler
To get started with the broiler method, place your oven rack close to the broiler and preheat it on high. Prep your pizza slice on a baking sheet.
Then, just slide your pan under the broiler. Keep a close watch, as it will only take about 1 to 2 minutes to heat through.
The intense, direct heat from the broiler crisps the crust rapidly while melting the cheese to a perfect gooeyness. Enjoy your slice of pizzeria-fresh deliciousness!
On a Pizza Pan with Holes
It’s not magic, it’s science! The clever placement of holes allows hot air to circulate underneath, giving your pizza that freshly baked, crispy bottom.
Simply place your slice on the perforated pan and pop it into a preheated oven at 375°F for about 5-7 minutes. The holes ensure that crispy texture.
This technique is perfect for those who crave that original pizza parlor quality in their second-day slice. Give it a try and taste the difference!
Using a Pizza Stone
Using a pizza stone to reheat pizza is another fantastic method for restoring that oven-fresh quality to leftover slices.
The stone’s porous surface absorbs moisture, helping to achieve a crispier crust. First, place the pizza stone in a cold oven and preheat it to 400°F.
Once the oven reaches the desired temperature, slide your pizza slice onto the stone. Then simply heat your slices for about 5-10 minutes, and enjoy!
In a Waffle Iron
Believe it or not, using a waffle iron to reheat pizza adds a fun twist to enjoying leftovers. This method adds a delightful crispness to every bite.
Simply preheat your waffle iron (you might want to brush it lightly with oil to prevent sticking), then place your pizza slice inside, and close the iron.
Let it cook for about 3-5 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and the crust turns golden and crispy. This is far from your typical leftover slice!
With a Panini Press
Who knew a panini press could be your secret weapon for more than just sandwiches? That’s right, next time you’ve got leftover pizza, skip the soggy microwave routine.
This method works similarly to the waffle iron but gives a flatter, crunchier result. Start by heating your panini press while you prepare your pizza slice.
For best results, brush a little olive oil on the press to add a slight crisp and prevent sticking. Let your slice cook for about 3-5 minutes.
By Steaming It
Steaming pizza to reheat it might sound unconventional. But it’s a surprisingly effective method for keeping the crust soft and reviving the gooeyness of the cheese.
This technique is ideal for those who prefer their pizza crust softer rather than crispy. To steam a pizza slice, start by boiling water in a pot.
Place a steamer basket above it, put the slice inside, and cover it. Allow the pizza to steam for a couple of minutes—usually around 2-3 minutes.
With the Microwave Water Hack
Reheating pizza in the microwave doesn’t have to result in a rubbery crust if you use this. Simply place a cup of water in the microwave.
This little trick boosts the humidity inside the microwave, which helps keep the crust soft while allowing the cheese to melt evenly. It’s true pizza perfection.
Just pop the cup and the pizza slice in together, and heat them on high for about 30-60 seconds, depending on your microwave’s power level.
Using a Microwave Crisper Tray
Another microwave hack? A crisper tray! Reheating pizza using a microwave crisper tray is a fantastic way to revive that fresh-from-the-oven crispiness without turning on your oven.
The tray is designed with a material that heats up, crisping the bottom of the pizza crust while the microwave cooks the toppings and melts the cheese.
Just place your pizza slice on the crisper tray and set it in the microwave. Heat it for about 60-90 seconds, or until the cheese is bubbly.
By Harnessing the Power of the Sun
Ever thought of turning a scorching day into your culinary advantage? Try using solar power to cook your pizza! Just place it under a glass lid outside.
It’s like nature’s very own oven, offering a fun, eco-friendly twist to your meal prep. Harnessing solar power for cooking isn’t just a neat party trick.
It’s also a step towards sustainable living. Imagine the energy you’re saving by not using a conventional oven! Plus, it gives your pizza that unique, sun-kissed flavor.
In an Electric Skillet
The electric skillet is a true unsung hero in the kitchen when it comes to leftovers! To get a crispy crust and melty cheese, here’s what we do.
Set your electric skillet to medium heat and let it warm up for a few minutes. Place your pizza slices inside, cover with a lid.
The lid is key to trap the heat and steam the toppings to gooey perfection. Give it about 5-8 minutes, then check if the cheese is bubbly.
Using Dutch Oven
A dutch oven is definitely not the first thing to come to mind when you’re looking to reheat pizza. If all else fails, you can definitely use it.
Of course, you can’t fit an entire pie in there. You’ll need to do it by the slice. If you want, you could stack the slices.
This’ll help your pizza get nice and crispy again. Keep an eye on it, though. It’s not what a Dutch oven was built for.
Camping Stove
Brought some leftover pizza on your camping trip and can’t heat it up? I don’t know why you’d put yourself in this situation, but there’s an easy fix.
Camping stoves work just as well as anything when it comes to reheating pizza. Also, if you’re camping, it’s literally your only option.
This is another method that only works by the slice. If this method fails, then you could always skewer your slice and heat it over a fire.
French Toast Pizza
Alright, so we’ve gone over tons of different ways you can reheat pizza. But what about reusing it? Well, we’ve got a ton of different ideas.
First up is French toast pizza. It’s the perfect crossover between breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Besides pizza, you’ll need eggs, milk, salt, and pepper.
This mixture is key in transforming your pizza into a French toast. You can make it sweet with cinnamon and sugar, but this is a mostly savory dish.
Pizza Lasagna
Just because Pizza Hut discontinued this item doesn’t mean that you can never eat it again! With leftover pizza slices, you can make a delicious pizza lasagna.
It’s a pretty easy recipe. Simply use your pizza slices as lasagna layers, sandwiching them in between more layers of lasagna noodles, cheese, and pasta sauce.
Once all the layers are constructed in a baking dish, put them in the oven. Let it bake for at least half an hour.
Pizza Quesadilla
Pizza and quesadillas are some of the best foods on the planet. Who doesn’t love them? Combine them, and you’ll know what heaven tastes like.
There’s different ways you can go about this. One way is to scrape the toppings off the pizza crust and onto a crispy tortilla.
You can feel free to add more cheese if you want, especially if you only have one slice left. Serve with a side of marinara sauce and enjoy!
Pizza Soup Dippers
This leftover pizza dish is even more versatile than the last. To make these soup dippers, cut your pizza slices into strips, before reheating them to be crispy.
You could dip them into any kind of soup, though we think you could take the leftovers even further. Why not make pizza soup, too?
You’ll have to buy more ingredients, since the pizza isn’t enough on its own. Using the sauce, cheese, and toppings alongside a broth, you can make savory soup.
Pizza Croutons
Looking for a way to spice up your salads? Look no further than pizza croutons. The crust works especially well, though you can use the whole pizza.
If you don’t want to use only the crust, then cut the pizza into squares. Bake them in the oven or air fryer to make sure they’re crispy.
It’s important that they’re crispy; otherwise, they barely count as croutons. The kind of salad you put them in depends largely in your own preferences.
Pizza Sticks
Pizza sticks are pretty similar to pizza soup dippers. One way to make them is cutting them into strips before baking. However, this won’t get you that twist.
You could cut your pizza into very thin strips before braiding them together. Once they’re fully twisted, pop them into the oven with a drizzle of oil.
The best way to make them is with uncooked dough. If you made pizza at home and have leftover ingredients, then this is a great recipe.
Pizza Omelette
This is one of the leftover pizza recipes that you don’t want crispy pizza for. You’ll need to tear your pizza into pieces before adding to your omelette.
If your pizza is crispy, it’ll be that much more difficult to tear. If you want more of a pizza flavor, add some shredded mozzarella cheese.
You could also serve it with a side of marinara sauce. Basically, this is the best way to eat your leftover pizza for breakfast.
Pizza Shakshuka
Shakshuka is one of the top breakfasts in the world. It’s a North African and Middle Eastern dish with eggs, feta, and tomato sauce.
This meal can go either way. You could use leftover ingredients to make shakshuka pizza, or add bits of your pizza to shakshuka, like the omelette.
If you have leftover ingredients, then you can put shakshuka ingredients onto pizza dough. It’ll be more of a lunch meal, but just as delicious.
Pizza Breakfast Sandwich
Don’t worry — we’ve got even more pizza-for-breakfast recipes for you to sink your teeth into. Who doesn’t love a good breakfast sandwich?
If you liked making the pizza omelettes, you could incorporate it into this sandwich. Just make the omelette as directed, before putting it in a bagel or roll.
You could also cut your pizza into large strips and add it to your breakfast sandwich. This method is pretty simple (and super tasty).
Potato Skins
This recipe is a lot easier to make when you have leftover ingredients, versus leftover slices. You’re better off making the potato skins from scratch.
Mozzarella, marinara sauce, and pepperoni all play key roles in pizza potato skins. However, the crust or dough isn’t necessary, since the potato acts as the shell.
Once the potato skins are filled with the toppings, let them bake in the oven. If you don’t eat meat, you can leave out the pepperoni.
Frittata
Pizza frittatas are made just like the omelettes, with bits of pizza baked in. However, there are several key differences between the two dishes.
The consistency of omelettes and frittatas is really different, for one. Frittatas tend to be much thicker than omelettes, and are usually served like pies.
They’re also cooked differently. While omelettes are cooked exclusively on a stovetop, frittatas start their journey on the stovetop and end it in the oven.
Nachos
To make pizza nachos, you could use leftover pizza ingredients to top tortilla chips. You could also cut your pizza slices into triangular shapes before baking.
We think that the former method is closer to actual nachos, though. To make them extra tasty, top them with as much cheese and sauce as possible.
As for other toppings, just go crazy. Pepperoni, sliced olives, mushrooms, jalapeños — you name it, you can put it on your nachos.
Pizza Crostini
Last but not least, we’ve got pizza crostini. It’s another dish that works best with leftover ingredients, rather than the slices themselves, since you need to make crostini.
So, what’s crostini? It’s a type of toast that’s similar to bruschetta, though not as thick. It’s a versatile appetizer, which makes it ideal for reusing pizza ingredients.
After topping with mozzarella cheese, marinara sauce, and various other toppings, put them in the oven. We suggest that you bake them, though you can try other methods.
Conclusion
So, there you have it — 30 innovative ways to reheat and reuse your pizza that will revolutionize your leftovers game. Whether you’re a fan of the classic oven method or decided to try something new like reheating pizza on a grill, there’s no reason to endure soggy or burnt pizza ever again. Remember, the key to a delicious pizza lies in the method you choose, so don’t be afraid to mix it up and enjoy your pizza to the fullest!
Questions & Answers:
Question: What is the best way to reheat pizza to preserve its crispiness?
Answer: Reheating pizza in an oven or using a skillet on the stovetop are both effective methods for preserving the pizza’s crispiness.
Question: How does the toaster oven compare to a microwave for reheating pizza?
Answer: A toaster oven is superior for reheating pizza as it can bring back the crispy crust and melty cheese, unlike a microwave which often results in a soggy texture.
Question: Is it energy-efficient to use a toaster oven for reheating pizza?
Answer: Yes, using a toaster oven for reheating can be more energy-efficient compared to heating up a conventional oven.