Got leftover pizza that you want to heat up? You’re in the right place! If you need to reheat it quickly, using a microwave is the best way to go. But unfortunately microwaving leftover pizza can sometimes make it soggy and unappealing. Thankfully there is a simple trick you can employ to stop this from happening. It involves placing a glass of water in the microwave with your leftover pizza. The water helps to reheat the slice more evenly which ensures your slice of pizza is crispy.
Simply follow our instructions below to get the perfect reheated slice of pizza. After we go through those instructions, we are going to also let you know some other ways to reheat pizza if you don’t have a microwave including using an oven and a skillet. Both of these methods will also allow you to bring last night’s pizza back to life.
Steps to microwave leftover pizza
To reheat pizza in the microwave you need a glass or small microwave-safe container, and a plate or a piece of baking paper.
Follow these instructions to microwave leftover pizza:
- Start by filling a microwave-safe glass or container with cold water.
- Place your pizza on a piece of baking paper or plate.
- Put the pizza in the microwave along with the glass of water.
- Cook for 45 seconds on high.
- Check if the pizza is hot. If not, cook for an additional 15 seconds. If it still isn’t hot, cook for a further 10 seconds.
- Once hot, it’s time to eat!
And that’s it! you should not have a piping hot slice of pizza to eat. If you’re reheating more than one piece of pizza you can follow the same instructions. Just add 10 seconds to each of the cooking times listed above.
How to reheat pizza in the oven
If you don’t have a microwave or want to use an oven instead to reheat your leftover pizza the instructions listed below are for you. Following the instructions, you will end up with a crispy pizza with perfectly melted cheese. Although using a microwave to reheat pizza is quicker, using an oven will generally result in a crisper and a more evenly reheated piece of pizza.
Follow these instructions to reheat pizza in the oven:
- Preheat your oven to 375 F (190 C).
- While heating, place a piece of aluminum foil or baking paper on the oven tray in your oven. This will help reduce any mess when the cheese on your pizza melts.
- When the oven is hot, place your pizza on the aluminum foil or baking sheet in the oven.
- Leave it to cook for 7 minutes. After 7 minutes check if the pizza is cooked through. This can be done by picking the slice of pizza up and checking if it is firm. If the pizza is floppy, cook it for a further 3 minutes before rechecking it. If still uncooked you can cook it for a further 3 minutes.
- Once reheated, you can take the pizza out of the oven.
Hopefully, you now have piping hot pizza to enjoy! If you’re reheating more than one slice you can adjust the cooking times by adding a couple of minutes to each of the times listed in the instructions.
How to reheat pizza in a skillet
If you don’t have a microwave or oven, using a skillet is another option to reheat pizza. When you reheat pizza in a skillet the pizza will get nice and crispy on the bottom and the cheese will melt if you place a lid on the skillet near the end of the cooking cycle. The best type of skillet to use is one made out of cast iron as it can reach a higher and more even temperature. However, if you don’t have a cast iron skillet any other type will still get the job done.
Follow these instructions to reheat pizza in a skillet:
- Start by coating your skillet with a thin layer of olive oil (if you don’t have olive oil you can use any other oil variety).
- Turn your stove element on to medium heat.
- Place the skillet onto the element.
- After a couple of minutes place your pizza in the skillet.
- Leave uncovered and let the slices cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
- When the cheese begins to melt, add 1 tablespoon of water to the skillet, and place a lid over it.
- Turn the heat down to low and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove the lid and check if the pizza is cooked. The easiest way to do this is to pick the slice up and check if it’s floppy or not. You also need to make sure the cheese has melted and the toppings are hot. If it’s floppy or the topping isn’t hot, cook uncovered for a further 2 minutes.
- Once cooked, you can remove it from the skillet.
Your pizza should now be piping hot and ready to devour! If reheating more than one slice of pizza, you can cook a second slice in the skillet (if big enough) or cook each slice separately.