Pizza is a quick, convenient dinner alternative for so many. Nothing is better than going out for a quick bite at a pizzeria or having a piping hot pie delivered to your front door. Even better, a large pizza will often result in leftovers. Cold pizza is a delight in its own right, but what if you want to enjoy another nice, hot slice? Some would say just stick with cold leftovers because there is no way to reheat pizza without disappointment.

Is there a way to reheat pizza properly? Can you restore leftover pizza to melted cheesy goodness? Well, we’re glad to say that there is a way to reheat pizza that won’t result in a rubbery crust or hard, almost inedible cheese and toppings.

Method #1 – Stove Top

Reheating pizza on the stove is the preferred method for many. This method will give you a crispy crust and evenly melted cheese. The only thing you’ll need is a skillet large enough for your leftover pizza slices to lay flat and that has a tight-fitting lid.

Any type of skillet will work, but you may want to use non-stick in case any cheese melts onto the pan. However, a cast-iron skillet will give you a crispier crust. Place your slice of pizza in the pan, making sure that it is completely flat.

Cover the skillet with a lid and let the pizza warm over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes. If you don’t have a lid you can cover the pan with aluminum foil instead.

Method #2 – Oven

Many people argue that the oven is the best and only way to reheat leftover pizza. It may not be the only method, but using the oven is one of the better ways to reheat cold pizza. Oven reheating is more time consuming, but will give you piping hot pizza with a crispy, brown crust.

Begin by preheating your oven to 350° F. You can place the pizza directly on the oven rack or on top of a piece of aluminum foil. If using a piece of oil, we recommend brushing a little olive oil or butter on the bottom of the crust before placing the pizza in the oven.

Let the pizza cook in the oven for 5-7 minutes. You can remove the pizza from the oven when the crust has reached your desired level of crispiness.

Method #3 – Microwave

We understand that you may not always have time to turn on the oven to reheat pizza. There are those unfortunate times when using a microwave is your only option for warming up leftover pizza. The microwave will never give you the type of reheated pizza that the oven or the stovetop will, but there is a way to get slightly better results.

The key to reheating pizza in the microwave is a paper towel and a lower heat setting. Start out by placing a paper towel on a microwave-safe plate. Place the plate in the microwave and adjust the setting to 50%. Many modern microwaves provide recommended setting for reheating settings. If your microwave doesn’t, heat the pizza on half power for one minute.

No, you won’t have a crispy crust, but it should be less rubbery and warmed evenly throughout. If the pizza isn’t warmed after one minute, let it cook for an additional 15-20 seconds on your microwave’s highest setting.