The Best Way to Reheat Pizza So It's Never Soggy
Forget the microwave. This method keeps the crust crisp and the cheese perfectly melted.
How to reheat leftover pizza so the crust stays crisp and the cheese melts evenly, using a skillet method that beats both the microwave and the oven alone.
Microwaved pizza turns rubbery and the crust goes limp almost instantly. The fix is a method that uses both a hot pan and a bit of steam, and it takes about the same amount of time.
Start With a Dry, Hot Skillet
Heat a skillet over medium heat with no oil or butter. Place the pizza slice directly in the pan, this is what crisps the bottom of the crust back up the way a fresh slice would be.
Add a Few Drops of Water and Cover
Once the bottom starts to sizzle, add a small splash of water to the pan away from the pizza itself and immediately cover it with a lid. The trapped steam melts the cheese on top while the direct heat keeps crisping the crust underneath.
Give It Two to Three Minutes
Most slices are ready in two to three minutes this way, just enough time for the cheese to turn glossy and melted again without overcooking the toppings.
Skip This for Deep Dish
Thick, deep-dish style pizza reheats better in an oven at 375°F for about ten minutes, since the skillet method mostly benefits thinner crusts that can crisp up quickly.
No Skillet? The Oven Still Beats the Microwave
If a skillet isn't an option, reheating on a baking sheet in a 375°F oven for eight to ten minutes gets you a similar crisp crust, just without the steam-assisted melted cheese on top.
Why the Microwave Fails
Microwaves heat food by exciting water molecules, which is exactly why microwaved crust turns soft and chewy instead of crisp, there's no dry heat involved to crisp anything at all.