Reheat Frozen Pizza Absolute 3 Best Ways
Are you searching for the best way to reheat frozen pizza? Your hunt is over because you’ve come to the right spot! I’ve got a few saucy tricks and tips for you that will help elevate your leftover pie to its original greatness. No more soggy crusts or sad-looking toppings when you reheat frozen pizza, my friends! Just ooey, gooey, chewy deliciousness the way it was meant to be enjoyed. Here are some tips where I walk you through how to reheat the pizza’s close cousin – it’s calzone of course!
Those are still tasty leftovers that can be resurrected for a terrific meal once again. All you need is a little technique to reheat frozen pizza the right way, and I’m here to help. Below you’ll find a method for everyone, regardless of your skills in the kitchen, and easy-to-follow steps for each one.
The 3 Best Ways to Reheat Frozen Pizza
My three top methods of choice to reheat frozen pizza are the microwave, the oven, and the stovetop.
The microwave makes my list because it is the fastest and most convenient way to reheat frozen pizza. Furthermore, it allows you to skip a step that the other methods require—thawing. But be warned, this is also my least favorite method. Why? Because a microwave cannot fully restore the crispiness of your crust as well as the other two methods. But if speed and simplicity are your highest priorities and you don’t mind a softer crust, it works. Plus, I’ve got a couple of special hacks that will help your microwaved pie be the best it can be!
My second-favorite choice to reheat frozen pizza is the oven. Your oven does a great job at this task and it is also quite easy, although it takes the longest of the three options. Not only will you need to thaw out your pizza first but you will also have to wait for your oven to preheat. For some models, that can take as much as 20 to 30 minutes. Because of that, the oven is also the least energy-efficient method to reheat frozen pizza.
Lastly, there’s the stovetop method. This is my favorite way to reheat frozen pizza. It does require you to thaw your frozen pizza first, just like the oven method. But it’s faster than the oven overall, and it also does the best job of preserving the original textures of both your crust and toppings. The only caveat here is that you are going to need a skillet with a tight-fitting lid.
So, are you ready to brave the tundra of that freezer and bring your leftover pizza slices back to life?
How to Reheat Frozen Pizza in the Microwave
- Arrange your frozen pizza slices on a microwave-safe plate in a single layer. Do not overlap. (If necessary, reheat in multiple batches.)
- Here’s my first hack: Place a small mug of cold water next to the pizza inside the microwave. That cup of water will absorb some of the microwaves being emitted so that your pizza can heat up a little more evenly. Otherwise, your crust might get too hard before your cheese has a chance to fully re-melt. (Yup, we are sciencing the $#!% outta that pie!)
- Heat the pizza on half power (50%) for the first 30 seconds to thaw it out.
- Next, switch to high heat for another 30 seconds.
- Check your pizza. Is it warm and bubbly once again? If not, continue on in 15-second intervals until you get there. Your pizza is ready to serve at this point, but I’ve still got one more helpful tip for you…
- Here’s another hack for a crispier crust: (This is optional and requires a toaster oven for this step, but it can really make a difference.) Pop those warmed-up slices into your toaster oven directly on the rack and toast them for about a minute. This will help pull out some of the excess moisture that the microwave tends to leave in, and it will improve the texture of your crust. If you like a crispier bottom and edges, this will do the trick!
How to Reheat Frozen Pizza in the Oven
- Take your frozen pizza out of the freezer and let it thaw.
- Preheat your oven to 425ºF.
Note: You might find other instructions that recommend a lower temperature when you reheat frozen pizza. Let me explain why those are just plain wrong! You don’t want your crust to become overcooked and hard while you are waiting for your toppings to get hot and bubbly (especially when it’s not a thick crust to begin with).
At this slightly higher temperature, the outer surfaces of your pizza can heat up more quickly, allowing your crust to stay chewy on the inside while getting crispy on the outside. 425ºF is the ideal oven temperature to reheat pizza!
- Next, arrange your pizza slices in a single layer on a pizza pan. And for heaven’s sake, please don’t pick a pitiful pan, people. (No “air-bake” sheets unless you want a soggy bottom!)
A perforated pan is your best option for reheating pizza in the oven. Those holes allow both heat and air to get to your bottom crust and help it get crispy once again. If you don’t have one, a sheet of foil directly on the oven rack is your next best choice, followed by a nonstick cookie sheet. (If you use a cookie sheet, heat the sheet up for a few minutes in the oven before you put the pizza on it. That will help you get a better texture on your crust.)
However, please allow me to recommend the greatest pan for reheating your pizza in the oven on the planet: This outstanding pizza pan by GoodCook! Non-stick carbon steel. Perforations that are the perfect size. Holes that don’t go all the way to the edge, thus protecting your crust from getting overdone.
This pan even has cutting guides and ridges on the bottom to hold the hot pan up off your countertop. I love this pan and even use it when I make pizza from scratch. Do yourself a favor and grab one of these!
- Once your oven has reached proper temperature (and never before), put your pizza inside and position it in the middle of the center rack.
- Check the pizza after just 5 minutes. Are your toppings hot and bubbly, and your crust crisped up the way you like it? If so, then it’s ready. If not, keep checking in 5-minute intervals until you get there.
Pizza comes in all shapes, sizes, and thicknesses, and ovens can vary, too. The time your pizza needs in your oven can range from as little as 5 to as many as 20 minutes. Keep an eye on it for optimal results.
How to Reheat Frozen Pizza on the Stovetop
- Take your pizza out of the freezer and allow it to thaw out.
- Next, select an appropriately-sized skillet that has a tight-fitting lid. You want a pan big enough so that all your slices fit inside without overlapping. Cast iron is a good choice when you want to reheat frozen leftover pizza, but it takes a long time to warm up. I find that a stainless-steel skillet is best.
(This nice pan by Michelangelo is a terrific choice if you need one. It has a glass lid so you can keep an eye on things, and a stone-based non-stick coating so you don’t have to worry about any nasty fluorocarbons ending up in your food.)
- Preheat your empty skillet for a few minutes over medium heat.
- Add the pizza slices to the skillet without overlapping.
- Heat your pizza for 2 minutes uncovered.
- Next, here comes a magical hack: Add just a few drops of cold water to the side of your skillet. (Not directly on the pizza. You only want it to make contact with the hot surface of the skillet.) Then, immediately put the lid on tightly.
- Why the water and the lid, you ask? Because those little droplets of water will turn into steam that will help your toppings heat up and your cheese re-melt perfectly. But because your crust is still in direct contact with the bottom of the skillet, it will not get soggy.
It just gets crispy again, and the steam also helps it stay moist and chewy on the inside. This is as close as you will get to your pizza’s original texture. Winner-winner-pizza dinner, my friends!
- After two minutes, remove the lid and check your pizza. If your cheese has melted and the pizza is heated through, it’s time to serve. Otherwise, put the lid back on and go another minute until it’s ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
My leftover pizza isn’t frozen. It’s just in the fridge. Can I still use these reheating instructions?
Yes, definitely! Just skip the thawing step.
What if I just want to reheat a single slice?
All of the above methods will work for a single slice, too. But for ease and convenience, the microwave coupled with the toaster oven hack is probably your best bet.
What is the best way to store leftover pizza in the freezer?
Choose a good freezer-grade plastic zipper bag, don’t do more than a single layer, and press out (or suck out) as much air as possible before you zip it closed. The more air-tight it is, the better it will keep in the freezer. Another great storage option is a container. They make some great ones just for storing pizza like this one by Pizza Pack.
How long can I keep pizza in the freezer?
Pizza will last up to 2 months in the freezer, especially if it is air-tight as noted above. Any longer than that, and your pizza might start to develop freezer burn, however. (And please don’t keep leftover pizza in your fridge for more than a few days. After that, harmful bacteria start to build up and could make you sick.)
Can I reheat frozen pizza more than once?
Nope. See above—harmful bacteria will be building up that could make you sick. And not only that, but when you reheat frozen pizza more than once, it will get hard and overdone.
Pizza – The Food of Our Generation
It’s no surprise that pizza has become the favorite go-to food of our generation. With endless options to choose from, it is one of the most versatile treats on the planet. (Can you think of even one person that doesn’t like pizza? Me, either!) For many of us, it’s a weekly indulgence. But like many of us, you probably won’t polish off the whole pie. There are always a few pieces left over. So it sits in the fridge. Then, after a few days of neglect, we shove it into the freezer for a future snack.
And that’s how it begins, folks. Take a quick peek inside that freezer of yours. Is it starting to look like a wasteland of frozen pizza avoidance? Hey, if so, I get it. It’s not easy to reheat frozen pizza and still have it come out looking and tasting as great as it did fresh out of the box. Frankly, it’s easy to get it wrong! Are you even guilty of—gasp—ordering another pie while the remnants of your last one languish in there untouched? Yeah, relax. We’ve all done that, too.