Quick Answer: How to Reheat Pizza in the Oven
Preheat your oven to 450°F with a Baking Steel on the middle rack for at least 30 minutes. Put the slice directly on the steel, no tray and no foil. Heat for 4 to 6 minutes until the cheese bubbles and the bottom crisps. Hit the broiler for the last 30 seconds if you want it extra crispy. The hot steel sears the bottom crust a second time, which is why it comes out better than it went in.
The Best Way to Reheat Pizza: Every Method Compared
Five methods, ranked by what they actually do to the crust. If you already know which one you want, skip to the steps below.
| Method | Time | What the crust does | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baking steel or stone, 450°F | 4 to 6 min plus 30 min preheat |
Sears a second time. Crisp all the way to the center. | Any amount, best result |
| Cast iron skillet, stovetop | 4 to 5 min | Crisps well. Cheese needs a lid to melt. | One or two slices, no oven |
| Air fryer, 350°F | 3 to 4 min | Crisp bottom, but the edges dry out. | Speed, one or two slices |
| Sheet pan, 450°F | 10 to 12 min | Warms through. Bottom stays soft. | A whole box, no other gear |
| Microwave | 45 to 60 sec | Steams it. Soft and chewy. | When you genuinely do not care |
The pattern is simple. Anything that puts direct heat into the bottom of the crust works. Anything that heats the air around the pizza does not. That is the whole difference between a steel or a skillet and a sheet pan or a microwave.
No Steel? Use a Skillet
If you do not own a steel or a stone, the best thing in your kitchen is a cast iron skillet. Put it on medium heat, dry, and let it get hot. Lay the slice in, cover with a lid for 3 to 4 minutes, and check the bottom. The lid traps enough heat to melt the cheese while the pan handles the crust.
A few drops of water in the pan, away from the slice, right before you put the lid on will melt the cheese faster. It steams the top while the bottom keeps searing.
Why Reheating on Steel Beats Every Other Method
You know the sad truth. Leftover pizza usually means a soggy crust and lifeless cheese. The microwave steams it. A sheet pan takes too long and never crisps the bottom. An air fryer works for one slice but wrecks the edges.
A Baking Steel is a heat-retaining monster. It stores energy and releases it instantly into the bottom of your slice, the same way the deck of a professional pizza oven does.
Here is what actually makes the difference. The crust has already been cooked once. If it was baked well, it has a foundation of crispness. When you reheat it on the steel you are not warming it up, you are searing it a second time.
- The existing crust crisps again
- The outermost layer caramelizes slightly
- You get two ultra thin layers of crunch, a layered bottom crust that is outrageously satisfying
Reheated pizza does not have to be second tier. It can be better than the original.
How to Reheat Pizza in the Oven, Step by Step
- Preheat your oven to 450°F. Place your Baking Steel on the middle rack and let it heat for at least 30 minutes. The steel needs the full time to charge, even after the oven says it is ready.
- Place the slice directly on the steel. No tray, no foil, crust side down. Use parchment if you want easier cleanup.
- Heat for 4 to 6 minutes. Watch for the cheese to bubble and the crust to crisp. A single slice runs closer to 4 minutes, a few slices closer to 6.
- Want it extra crispy? Hit it with the broiler for the last 30 seconds. Keep an eye on it.
Reheating a Whole Pizza
Same temperature, more time. A whole pie needs 8 to 10 minutes on a fully preheated steel at 450°F. Launch it with a peel the same way you would a fresh pizza. If the crust is browning faster than the cheese is melting, drop the oven to 400°F and give it another two minutes.
Order Smart When You Get Takeout
Here is a move most people do not know. When you order pizza for takeout, ask for it cooked to 80% and ask them not to slice it.
- It prevents a soggy crust in the box on the drive home
- You finish the bake on your steel when you are ready to eat
- An uncut pie is much easier to launch than individual slices
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to reheat pizza?
On a preheated steel or stone in a 450°F oven, straight on the surface with nothing underneath. It is the only method that re-crisps the bottom crust instead of just heating the toppings. A cast iron skillet on the stovetop is the next best option and the best one if you do not own a steel. An air fryer is third. A sheet pan and a microwave will both get the pizza hot, but neither will make it crisp.
What temperature should I reheat pizza in the oven?
450°F. Lower temperatures warm the pizza through before the bottom crust has a chance to crisp, which is how you end up with a hot but soggy slice. At 450°F on a preheated Baking Steel the bottom sears while the cheese melts, and both finish at the same time.
How long does it take to reheat pizza in the oven?
4 to 6 minutes for slices on a preheated Baking Steel at 450°F, and 8 to 10 minutes for a whole pizza. Without a steel on a sheet pan, expect 10 to 12 minutes and a softer bottom crust. The steel is preheated for 30 minutes before any of that, so plan for the preheat.
Should I use foil when reheating pizza in the oven?
No. Foil blocks the direct heat transfer from the steel into the crust, which is the whole point. Put the slice straight on the steel. If you are worried about cheese dripping, use parchment paper instead, which lets more heat through than foil does.
Can I reheat pizza without a pizza steel or stone?
Yes. A cast iron skillet on the stovetop over medium heat with a lid for 3 to 4 minutes is the best no-steel option, because you still get direct heat into the bottom crust. A sheet pan in a 450°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes works too, and preheating the empty pan first helps, but the bottom will never get as crisp.
How do you reheat pizza in a skillet?
Dry cast iron pan on medium heat. Let it get hot before the pizza goes in. Lay the slice in, cover with a lid, and give it 3 to 4 minutes. The lid melts the cheese while the pan crisps the crust. A few drops of water in the pan away from the slice, added just before the lid, will speed the cheese up.
Why does reheated pizza get soggy?
Moisture. Pizza in a closed box releases steam that has nowhere to go, and it soaks into the crust on the drive home. When you then reheat at a low temperature the moisture never cooks off. High heat from below drives that moisture out and crisps the crust again, which is why 450°F on a hot surface works and 350°F on a sheet pan does not.
Is it safe to eat pizza left out overnight?
No. The USDA guidance is that perishable food should not sit at room temperature for more than two hours. Refrigerate leftover pizza within two hours of it being cooked, and eat it within three to four days.
Can you reheat pizza in the microwave?
You can, but the crust will be soft and chewy. Microwaves heat the water in the food, which steams the crust rather than crisping it. If the microwave is your only option, put a mug of water in alongside the slice to keep it from drying out, and accept that the bottom will not be crispy.
How do you reheat pizza in an air fryer?
350°F for 3 to 4 minutes. An air fryer does a decent job on one or two slices and crisps the bottom better than a microwave. The downside is capacity and that the circulating air can dry out the edges of the crust.
Gear We Use
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About the Author
I'm Andris Lagsdin, and I invented the Baking Steel in 2012 after reading one line in Modernist Cuisine: steel conducts heat better than stone. My family had run Stoughton Steel for over 50 years, so I grabbed a slab from my dad's shop and tested it. That first pizza told me everything. Today, tens of thousands of home cooks use Baking Steel to make legendary pizza and bread in regular home ovens. Read more about my story.