Reheating pizza seems like it should be simple. But any dude who’s ever attempted to revive day-old pizza back to its fresh-out-the-oven texture knows that’s not the case.
Achieving a crispy crust while also melting the cheese requires insane levels of science that would make a NASA scientist’s head spin. Or does it???
There’s no shame in eating a cold slice of pizza straight from the fridge. But we’re here to show you that you can indeed make your pizza taste freshly baked without leaving the comfort of your own home.
In this article, we break down four science-backed methods to reheat your pie and still retain its crispy, cheesy, melty glory. Some might surprise you, but rest assured we tested them for quality assurance.
If all else fails, just make a Taco Bell run for their Mexican Pizza.
The Best Way to Reheat Pizza: Use a Skillet on the Stovetop
Forget food blogs and cookbooks. The best way to reheat pizza was born in no place other than the /r/pizza subreddit. That may seem juvenile, but the process is actually genius.
It combines direct heat for a crispy crust with steam to evenly melt your cheese and toppings. It’s as close to a fresh slice of pie as you can get. Just be sure to use a non-stick skillet rather than a cast-iron skillet (which heats up way too fast).
Directions:
- Preheat a nonstick skillet for a couple of minutes on medium-high heat
- Put the pizza in the skillet and cook for two minutes
- Add two drops of water in the skillet as far from the pizza as possible
- Cover the skillet with a lid and turn the heat to low
- Cook for another minute
Now that you know the MVP of pizza reheating techniques, let’s cover three less-sophisticated options.
Rebake In the Oven (the Right Way)
Since pizza is originally baked, people assume putting it in a piping hot oven is the best way to reheat it. That’s partially true, but there’s an important twist you need to consider.
When you store pizza crust, the starch molecules undergo retrogradation, which is a fancy way of saying it gets stiff and dry.
You can reverse this effect by reheating the pizza to 140 degrees, but here’s the catch: you need to let the pizza crust reheat gradually. This gives it enough time to release moisture without getting rubbery.
Directions:
- Put the leftover slice on a sheet pan or baking sheet and cover it with aluminum foil
- Place it on the lowest rack of a cold oven (no preheating!)
- Set the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for 25-30 minutes
Fire Up the Grill
One of the biggest knocks against reheating pizza in the microwave is that the crust turns out too chewy. The grill mitigates this by putting the pizza in direct contact with heat, making the crust crispy while the indirect heat makes the toppings melty.
Directions:
- Set the grill to medium heat
- Put the pizza straight on the grate and leave the grill open
- Cook for six minutes, or until the the bottom crust is crispy enough for you
Microwave It (If You Must)
Let’s be honest: if you stumble into your kitchen after a long night of drinking and you need some quick munchies before bed, you’re not breaking out the skillet or firing up the grill. Enter the microwave.
If you’re like most dudes, you’ve been microwaving pizza wrong your entire life. You plop it on a plate, zap it for a few minutes, and scarf it down. But there’s a better way to reheat pizza in the microwave—one that melts the cheese while keeping the crust crispy.
Directions:
- Place your slice of pizza on a microwavable plate
- Fill a mug with water
- Put the plate and mug side-by-side in the microwave
- Microwave in 30-second increments until the slice is heated through
Don’t expect it to taste like it’s fresh from your local pizzeria. But in a pinch, this advanced microwave method is tough to beat.
Don’t Settle for Soggy
Here at DUDE HQ, we refuse to settle for the status quo. Whether it’s reheating pizza or wiping our asses, we do things the right way—even if it’s not the most popular. You’re not a kid anymore, so fire up the grill, stove, or oven and eat your leftover pizza like a man.
Oh, and make sure you’re stocked up on DUDE Wipes for those post-pizza poops.
