How to Preserve and Reheat Pizza

Pizza is a delicious food and can be eaten at any time, day or night. Pizza can be completely refrigerated, but when reheated it is often wet, chewy, or dry. However, whether it’s making your own pizza or ordering it to be delivered late at night, you can still enjoy a delicious, almost-new slice if you store it properly and reheat it carefully!

Table of Contents

Preserving pizza

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Line a paper towel under a plate or sealed container. If you take the extra time to store the pizza, the leftovers will be fresher and the texture will be close to the original. Start by spreading a layer of paper towels on the bottom of the box wide enough for 1-2 pieces of pizza. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Usually you just want to put the whole box in the fridge for a quick freeze, but this can get the cake wet. Moisture from the ketchup, vegetables, and meat will soak into the crust, making it difficult to keep the perfect texture, no matter how you reheat the pizza.
If you plan to freeze pizza in advance, it’s better to use an airtight container instead of a plate.

Are you in a hurry? Let the pizza cool to room temperature, then place the pieces in a zippered plastic bag. The cake may be a little drier than when stored with layers of paper towels, but will still be fresher than when you put the whole cake in the refrigerator.

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Arrange the cake on a plate with layers of paper towels between each piece. Arrange the pizza on a plate in one layer, then cover with another layer of paper towels. If the cake is too much and can’t be stacked in one layer, you can stack the pieces on top of each other alternating between layers of paper towels until you run out of cake. ^{[2] X Research Source}

If necessary, arrange the pieces of cake in several plates.

Cover the cake plate with cling film or cover the container. Once you’re done with your pizza slices, cover your plate or cake tin with plastic wrap. Pizza will stay fresh if it is wrapped tightly so that air cannot get in.

If using a container with a tight-fitting lid, simply close the lid.

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Store the pizza in the refrigerator if you plan to eat it within 3-5 days. Pizza in the refrigerator usually lasts up to 5 days without spoiling and not changing texture as much as when frozen. But pizza doesn’t last very long in the refrigerator, so you should only store it this way if you plan to eat it within a few days. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

If by the third day you still have not eaten, you need to freeze the cake or throw it away.

Store pizza in the freezer to keep it fresh for up to 6 months. Frozen pizza can be stored for about 6 months, so it is the optimal choice if you have a lot of pizza and don’t plan to eat it within a few days. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

If you previously left the pizza on a plate, transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid, but be sure to line paper towels between the layers.
Thaw the cake for about 1 hour on the stovetop before reheating for best results.

Tip: If you buy frozen pizza, it usually keeps for up to 1 year. However, this type of pizza is quick frozen and is made for a longer shelf life. To be on the safe side, you should only freeze leftover pizza for 6 months.

Reheat leftover pizza

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Heat the pizza in the oven for a crispy crust. Preheat the oven to 177 degrees Celsius for 5-10 minutes, remember to wait for the oven to reach the required temperature. Once the oven is hot enough, place the pizza on the baking sheet and place it in the oven for about 5 minutes. Whether reheating a whole pie or a slice of cake, baking in the oven is a great way to get a crispy crust and bubbly cheese like new. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

If you have a pizza stone, place it on the stone. The baking stone will distribute the heat more evenly and make the crust extra crispy.
For ease of cleaning, you can line the baking sheet with parchment paper before placing the cake on the tray.

Tip: If the filling looks wet, soft or dry, remove it before reheating.

Use the toaster to heat up 1-2 pieces of pizza quickly. Preheat the toaster oven to 204 degrees Celsius, then place the pizza in the oven. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the top is bubbly and warm. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Toaster ovens are quite small, so this is only suitable when you are baking pizza for one person.

Try heating the pizza in the pan for the best texture. Heat pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, place 1-2 pieces of cake in the pan and cover the lid. Heat the cake for about 6-8 minutes while keeping the lid on. When you’re done heating, you’ll have a delicious slice of pizza with a crispy crust, bubbly and warm top. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Cover the lid so that the surface of the cake is heated evenly and the crust is crispy slowly. If the pan doesn’t have a lid, you can cover it with foil.
After 6-8 minutes, if the crust is still wet but the top is warm, open the lid and continue to heat for a few more minutes.

Heat the pizza in the microwave if you want it fast. Pizza heated in the microwave will change its texture, making the crust tough and hard, so gourmets do not like to use this method. However, if you are in a hurry, sometimes this is the only way to warm up the cake. To preserve the best possible texture, line a paper towel between the plate and the cake, microwave at 50% power, and heat the cake for 1 minute. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Tip: To keep the crust from getting wet when it’s reheated in the microwave, try placing a half-full glass of water in the oven with the pizza. The water will absorb some of the microwaves bouncing around and help the pizza heat up more evenly. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Advice

Consider topping the pizza with some diced tomatoes, basil leaves, mushrooms, and other fresh vegetables before reheating. You can also drizzle a little olive oil on top or add cheese.

Warning

Do not put the whole pizza box in the microwave. If you do, not only will the pizza smell like cardboard, but there’s also a fire hazard. Furthermore, cardboard boxes and food coloring can release harmful chemicals into food. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Steps

Preserving pizza

Reheat leftover pizza

Advice

Warning

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