This Is The Best Way To Reheat Leftover Pizza

A side-by-side image of a woman holding a slice of pizza before and after reheating it.

Between not eating out as much and general recipe/cooking fatigue, lately we’ve been having pizza every one to two weeks. It’s more for the benefit of my husband Dave and youngest son Sten who never seem to tire of it, which makes it an easy choice when I’m feeling uninspired about dinner.

Whether I go the extra mile to make homemade pizza or just order delivery from one of our favorite local spots, pizza is an affordable option and always a hit. It’s not that I don’t personally like pizza, but I have never been a fan of leftovers because none of the methods I’ve used to reheat leftover pizza have done it any justice at all. (Soggy crust and rubbery cheese? No thank you!)

A woman taking a slice of pizza to the microwave to reheat it.

But I recently read about a new method I hadn’t yet tried to reheat leftover pizza, and after giving it a try for myself, it has totally changed my attitude! I’m now thrilled to know that I have a few pieces of leftover pizza tucked away in the fridge, because this reheating method is just that good.

In fact, I might even like this version of reheated pizza better than the first time around because of the way the bottom of the crust gets nice and crispy. So give this method a try for yourself, and next time you order delivery, you might just find yourself ordering more than usual just to ensure leftovers! (And hey, that counts as meal planning in my book!) ;-)

For even more ways to the pizza-eating experience to the next level, check out these useful tips and tricks!

How To Reheat Leftover Pizza (So It Doesn’t Taste Like Leftovers)

A few slices of leftover pizza on a delivery box placed on a countertop and a woman lifting a slice from it.

You’ll need:

1-2 pieces of leftover pizza
Heavy-bottomed skillet (cast iron or stainless steel works best)
Lid
Water

Two slices of leftover pizza heating on a cast iron skillet on the stovetop.

Directions:

Put one or two slices of leftover pizza into a cast iron skillet or stainless steel pan. (Don’t overlap or stack them, because having the whole bottom surface touching the skillet will help ensure even eating.)

Two slices of leftover pizza heating on a cast iron skillet on the stovetop and a lady's hand is covering it with a lid.

Place the skillet on your stovetop over medium high heat, then cover the skillet with a lid and wait 2-3 minutes for the pan and pizza to start heating up.

Two slices of leftover pizza heating on a cast iron skillet on the stovetop and a lady's hand is pouring some water on it from the top.

Once the skillet is hot, add 1-2 teaspoons of water and replace the lid. Let it cook this way for another 1-2 minutes, giving the water time to steam up and reheat the cheese and toppings while the crust gets nice and crispy.

Once the water has cooked off, your pizza will be reheated to perfection and ready to eat!

A lady is smiling and standing at the back of the table and holding a plate with two slices of heated leftover pizza.

For me, the benefits of this reheating method go beyond the pizza itself. I like how quick this method is (much quicker than waiting for my oven to heat up), and cleaning up my cast iron pan afterward is a breeze too. I just wipe it out when I’m done and that’s it!

I wish I’d known about this hack years ago, and I can’t recommend it enough. Give it a try the next time you have leftover pizza in the fridge and let me know what you think! :-)

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What’s your favorite kind of pizza?