How to Revitalize Day Old Pizza in a Microwave

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: March 29, 2022 References

Although day old pizza definitely has positive qualities, recreating that chewy crust from the night before may seem like a fruitless effort. Many people think that heating pizza in the microwave or oven produces a tougher, harder crust. This can make eating day old pizza unattractive. However, with a little cleverness, your pizza can come out as hot and delicious as the day it was made!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Reheating in the Microwave

1
Find a microwave-safe plate. Choose a plate that's either ceramic or glass. Make sure the plate doesn't have any metal embellishments or decorations on the rim. Metal should never be used in a microwave as it can cause fires.
- If you have nothing else, use a paper plate. Make sure the plate doesn't have a plastic coating on the surface.
- Never use plastic containers. When microwaved, these containers can leak hazardous chemicals into your food.^{[1]
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2
Place the pizza on the plate. Place a paper towel on the plate to help soak up excess moisture.^{[2]
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Research source} If your pizza is really dried out, you may want to skip this step. Next, break the pizza down into sections so that you can microwave two or three pieces of pizza at a time. Spread the pieces apart so that they're not touching to help them heat evenly.
- If you have more than two or three pieces of pizza you should plan to microwave them in batches. If you microwave a lot of pieces at once they won't heat through properly and you'll have to eat cold, rubbery pizza!
- If you like your crust really crispy, skip the paper towel and put your pizza on parchment paper instead. ^{[3]
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3
Place a glass of water in the microwave. Choose a ceramic cup with a handle. Don't use any other kind of cup; glass can crack in the microwave sometimes and the plastic may emit harmful chemicals. Fill the cup about two-thirds full of fresh tap water. The water will help fluff up the pizza crust and revitalize the toppings.^{[4]
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- Make sure the ceramic cup fits inside the microwave with the plate. If it doesn't fit side-by-side, stack the plate on top of the cup.
- Try to use a mug with a handle so that you can safely retrieve the hot mug when you're done microwaving your pizza. If you don't have one, wait for the ceramic cup to cool completely before removing it.
4
Heat up your pizza. Microwave everything in one minute intervals at half power until the pizza is as hot as you like it.^{[5]
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Research source} By reheating the pizza slowly, you give the ingredients more time to come to the same temperature. Toppings that would normally heat up faster than the rest of the pizza won't be lava hot when you try to eat them. Similarly, the inside of the pizza won't be cold either.
- Check if the pizza is hot enough by placing a finger near the pizza. If you touch the pizza, you may get burned.
- If you need your pizza in a hurry, microwaving in thirty second intervals at normal power will work as well. However, your crust may not be as soft.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Reheating in the Oven

1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Some ovens use a timer to let you know when the oven is hot enough. If your oven doesn't have that feature you may need to set your own timer. Let the oven preheat for seven to ten minutes to make sure it gets hot enough.^{[6]
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- Always practice good cooking habits when using the oven. Never open the oven while someone else is standing in front of it and keep all flammables away.
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Place the pizza in the oven. For a crispier crust, place your pizza on a foil-lined cookie sheet before putting it in the oven.^{[7]
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Research source} If you want a crunchy crust that's soft on the inside, place the pizza directly onto the oven rack.^{[8]
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Research source} However, be aware that the cheese may melt and fall into your oven. This won't damage your oven, but you'll miss out on some extra cheesy goodness!
- Always use heat protected oven mitts or a sturdy hand towel when placing food into an oven. If you don't, you may burn yourself.
3
Remove the heated pizza from the oven. Your pizza should take three to six minutes to reheat. When it's as done as you like it take the pizza out of the oven. If you used a foil-lined cookie sheet simply use oven mitts or a sturdy dish towel to lift the tray out of the oven. If you placed your pizza directly on the oven rack you'll need to be more careful. Position the serving plate to be level with the oven rack. Use tongs to slide the pizza from the oven rack onto the serving dish. Be careful not to burn yourself.
- Don't try to lift the pizza with your tongs or you'll risk all of your cheese and toppings falling off. Try to gently pull the pizza onto a plate to cool.
- Let your pizza cool for about a minute or you may burn your mouth.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Going the Extra Mile

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Finish the pizza on a skillet. If you're obsessed with a crunchy crust, consider baking the pizza on a skillet. Place a cast-iron skillet over medium heat until the pan gets hot. Place one or two slices of microwaved pizza on the skillet using tongs. After about thirty seconds to a minute, use the tongs to lift the pizza and check the bottom.^{[9]
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Research source} Cook until it's as crispy as you like it.
- Don't crowd the pan. If you put too many slices of pizza in the pan at once, the crust won't crisp evenly.
- If you want a crunchier finish, melt half a tablespoon of butter in the pan before heating up the pizza. This will add a buttery, deliciously flaky finish to the bottom crust.^{[10]
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2
Finish your pizza in a waffle iron. If you use a waffle iron to reheat your pizza, you can skip the microwave and oven entirely. First rearrange the toppings on the pizza. They should be clustered together in the upper left corner of the pizza slice near the crust. Then, fold the pizza. Bring the bottom point up to the top left corner and press the pizza to make a fold. Finally, press your pizza into a pre-heated waffle iron and cook for about five minutes, continually checking for doneness.^{[11]
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- If you have small pizza pieces or a large waffle iron you don't need to fold the pizza or rearrange the toppings. Instead, sandwich two pizza pieces together and press them in the waffle iron.
3
Add gourmet ingredients to your pizza. Fresh ingredients such as basil leaves and sliced mozzarella are excellent additions to any pizza. Also consider adding some traditional pizza toppings such as olives, anchovies, and sliced bell peppers. Finally, try experimenting. Add leftovers such as diced chicken or taco meat to the top of your pizza for a fun twist.
- If you don't want to add new ingredients, consider using a dipping sauce such as ranch or bleu cheese dressing to spice up your leftovers.

Community Q&A

Question

If I have the day old pizza in the refrigerator should I let it reach room temperature before putting it in the oven?

Community Answer

Letting it come to room temperature may increase the chances of the crust becoming soggy. Just pop it straight into the oven from the fridge.
Question

How will the water from the mug evaporate if the plate is stacked on top of it? Won't it be effectively sealed off?

Community Answer

No, because a plate sitting on top of a mug is not airtight.