The Absolute Worst Way To Reheat Pizza (And The Best)

Leftover pizza is a uniquely comforting delicacy, whether you're a college kid, teenager, or busy parent. But how do you reheat it while preserving the same taste and texture that made it so delicious in the first place? While many debate the best way, the worst way is pretty well agreed upon. If you want wet, floppy, rubbery pizza that's somehow also too dry, then a surefire way is reheating it in the microwave. While using the microwave is the fastest and easiest way to reheat food, in the end, some pizza bites will scald your mouth, and others will be barely at room temperature. 

If you're craving super crispy reheated pizza, avoid the microwave at all costs because of how it interacts with moisture. Microwaves heat foods with higher moisture content more quickly because they directly target water molecules. Pizza is a combo of moist components (sauce and cheese) and dry parts like crust. The microwave heats the wetter portions of the pizza, which then releases steam. That steam makes its way into the crust, turning it wet and floppy. This is why you may notice condensation on the plate. 

Uneven heating can also overcook and dry out the cheese. While you may consider adding a cup of water to the microwave to help melt the cheese, this will instead create a microwave full of steam.

While some say that the best way to reheat leftover pizza is in the oven, you're better off putting that days-old slice on top of it – specifically, in a frying pan or skillet on medium heat. If you have a cast-iron skillet, preheat it in the oven first. After a few minutes, the bottom of the pizza will turn crispy and golden brown. While you can take it off the heat and eat it at this point, try adding about a spoonful of water to the pan. Reduce the heat to low and immediately cover it with a lid. Continue heating for another minute or two until the water is completely gone. What you'll end up with is a pizza that's soft in the center, crispy on the bottom, and with gooey melted cheese on top. You can even reheat leftover pizza in a covered griddle for the same effect.

While you can place pizza in a toaster oven or air fryer to crisp the bottom, these approaches won't give you the same gooey melted cheese as the frying pan and water method. This approach may take a few extra minutes compared to the convenience of the microwave, but if you stick with the quickest method, you'll end up in soggy city.