How To Reheat Pizza Like a Pro (Super Crispy Crust!)
What if I told you leftover pizza could be as good as fresh pizza from a restaurant? Using this method of reheating, it can be. And it’s easy as (pizza) pie. So go ahead and take your leftovers home. And whatever you do – don’t go near your microwave!
Is This The Best Method For Reheating Pizza?
My roommate recently shared this method of reheating pizza with me. Before, I had been using a toaster oven, and if I was in a hurry, the microwave. Boy, am I glad I learned this method!
Leftover pizza is now something I look forward to eating because with this method, two things happen:
- The crust is hot and crispy
- The cheese is perfectly melted
In my sincere, honest opinion, using this method, reheated pizza is better than fresh. I happen to like a crisp, buttery crust with oozing, melted cheese covering hot toppings. If you feel the same, keep reading.
The 2-Step Method For Reheating Leftover Pizza
This two-step method works for pretty much any type of pizza: Take-out pizza, leftover pizza from a restaurant, frozen pizza, etc. This will even work on homemade pizza or cauliflower crust pizza.
When you reheat pizza this way, it will taste as good as fresh (or better – see previous comment.)
Whatever you do, don’t reheat your pizza in the microwave! Save yourself from soggy crust.
Use this method, which involves heating the pizza on the stovetop in a cast iron skillet, followed by putting the pizza under a broiler to melt the cheese and heat the toppings.
Reheating Pizza In a Skillet
A cast iron skillet is the preferred tool for this method. If you don't have a skillet, I would recommend first heating the pizza in a frying pan with a bit of oil. Then transfer the pizza slices on to a piece of tin foil and place in the broiler.
Ingredients
- Leftover pizza
- Cooking oil, if your cast iron skillet is dry
Instructions
- Preheat broiler to high. Place pizza into your most seasoned cast iron skillet. Add a bit of oil to the skillet if dry.
- Heat the pizza in the skillet over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the bottom of the crust is hot and toasted.
- Transfer skillet to under the broiler. Heat until the top of the pizza is hot and bubbly. This takes about two minutes in my broiler but watch closely, as it may take more or less time in your broiler. Remove from broiler and enjoy your hot, crisp-on-the-bottom, melted-on-the-top pizza.
FAQs About Reheating Pizza
Here are some of the most common questions I’ve gotten about reheating pizza:
What’s the best way to reheat pizza for an extra crispy crust?
The method detailed above – heating the pizza on the stovetop in an oiled cast iron skillet and finishing it under the broiler – results in reheated pizza that has a very crispy crust and hot, melted cheese and toppings.
Does this method work on all types of pizza?
You can use this method of reheating pizza for all types of pizza, including thin crust, thick crust, and everything in between. The cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the crust.
What are other ways of reheating leftover pizza?
There are obviously other ways of reheating leftover pizza, but we wholeheartedly recommend the stovetop + broiler method detailed, above.
Reheating in the microwave will result in soggy crust and melted cheese. Reheating in a hot oven (450F) will work but the crust will not get extra crispy. Reheating in the air fryer at 350F is another method that results in a pretty good slice of reheated pizza.
Cast iron skillets are a great tool to have in the kitchen, and frankly can be obtained so cheaply that there’s almost no good excuse not to have one. $25 at Target or Walmart will get you a 12″ Lodge skillet that, if cared for, will last the rest of your life (and your grand children’s lives).
Great tip! We’ll have to give it a try next time we have pizza leftovers.
Looks great, just like fresh from the oven pizza. Yum!
Interesting. I use the Chef John method myself, which has always made my leftover pizza taste as good as or better than when it was fresh from the restaurant. It seems to be a little simpler than your method; just put the pizza on a pan and cover it with tinfoil, as shown in this video:
I’ll have to give your version a shot to see if it makes an improvement!
Way easier! Maybe even just put a lid on the pan
Oh I’ve been so lazy all these years eating it cold from the fridge :). I must have learned that from our many teenager boys who just COULD NOT WAIT to eat. i recently bought a Lodge cast iron skillet that I absolutely love. I’ll give it a try next time.
There’s nothing wrong with cold pizza! 🙂
That’s an interesting idea to reheat the pizza with a skillet and a broiler. I feel like that would probably make it turn out much better than it would if you microwaved it, which is what I have been doing. I’ll try that next time I get some pizza to see if I like the results form the broiler more than the microwave.