How to reheat pizza

While enjoying cold pizza straight from the fridge has its merits, sometimes you want to reheat a slice to its former glory. But what’s the best way to recapture that gooey cheesiness and crispy crust?

The best way to reheat pizza 

While you might be tempted to heat up a pizza stone to reheat your pizza (time consuming) or assume the microwave can do the job (alas, soggy slices), the stovetop is actually your best bet here. 

Set a slice or two in a cold skillet (nonstick or cast iron are best) and place a lid on top. Turn on the heat to medium-low and let it cook until you hear the sizzle of melting cheese, which should take 6 to 10 minutes. Lift the lid and check your progress — when the cheese is bubbling on top and the crust is crisp on the bottom, you’re ready to enjoy your leftovers. If you have a lot of pizza slices to reheat, you can use the same method with a griddle, covering the slices with an overturned metal baking pan.

Photography by Danielle Sykes; food styling by Yekaterina Boytsova

Why this works 

As pizza cools and then chills in the fridge, its crust begins to undergo retrogradation, also known as staling. Over time, the crust’s starches crystallize and release moisture, making the crust hard and stiff. This retrogradation can be temporarily reversed by heating the pizza to at least 140°F, the temperature at which the crystals break down and the starches can once again absorb water, turning the crust pliable. Applying the heat in a skillet allows the bottom of the crust to re-crisp in direct contact with the pan, while the steam trapped by the lid re-melts the cheese from above and keeps the toppings from drying out.

A hack for extra-crispy cheese 

We’ve heard some people suggest reheating pizza in a nonstick skillet cheese-side-down first, then flipping it to crisp the bottom crust. While this method seemed like madness at first, I gave it a try and can confirm that it works, though it changes the texture of the slice (plus you have to flip, which is a little fussy). Cooked face-down, the cheese develops a crunchier texture, more frico-like, and the slice becomes a bit chewier. 

Give this method a try if you like ultra-crispy cheese — and if you want a fresh-baked pizza with this texture, make lacy-cheese-edged South Shore Bar Pizza the next time you’re baking a homemade pie.

Level up your pizza skills with our comprehensive guide on How to Bake Pizza.

Cover photo (Pretzel Pizza Crust) by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne.