How to Reheat Pizza in a Toaster Oven

In this article, I will tell you how to reheat pizza in toaster oven. You might think it is simple but no, there are actually many tips and tricks you didn’t know that will make your pizza taste even better.

This article will guide you to a complete guide of how to reheat pizza in toaster oven for different types of pizza and toaster ovens. You will learn all the tips and tricks to make your pizza hot and crispy again. No longer burnt or soggy leftover pizzas!

Nobody likes eating a cold and soggy piece of leftover pizza. Using a toaster oven to reheat pizza will rejuvenate it and make the slice taste like fresh.If you find yourself unable to resist the temptation for a left-over slice of pizza, let’s read this article!

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Reheating Pizza Methods?

There are many ways to reheat your leftover pizza. Mainly, there are the following three methods:

Microwave

This is by far the fastest method. You only need a few minutes, but the outcome leaves much to be desired. Because microwaves produce waves that absorb water molecules, the crust will be too hard to eat, while the pie is soggy.

If you have other options, I would not recommend using a microwave to reheat your pizza. But if it is the only thing you have, especially if you live in a dorm, try putting a microwave-safe cup of water next to your slice. It will prevent the pie from becoming soggy and the crust softer to eat.

Skillet

This method is fast, too, and works best if you only want to warm up one or two slices. The skillet’s heat will spread more evenly, allowing the cheese to melt and heating all the toppings.

To get the skillet to heat up faster, I often spring some water to the pan and put a lid over it. This way, it will become like a steamer and heat your toppings better.

Toaster Oven

By far, a toaster oven is the best way to reheat pizza. The outcome is wonderfully warmed pizza, fully melted sizzling cheese, and crispy crust. The taste is exactly the same as a brand new toasted pizza.

You can use a conventional oven to reheat half a pizza or more at one time. But for one for two slices, you can use the toaster oven because it will speed up the process thanks to infrared heat.

Why Reheat Pizza In Toaster Oven Works Best?

You might wonder why I recommend using a toaster oven as the best way to reheat pizza. It is actually all science.

Do you know about retrogradation? It is a process that causes the pizza crust to harden, during which the starch molecules crystalize and absorb moisture. By reheating the pizza to about 140 degrees Fahrenheit, you can reverse this process temporarily.\

Because a toaster oven uses infrared to apply hot air, your pizza will reheat evenly and gradually. You will have a nice crispy crust and sizzling cheese. Other methods will reheat your pizza but absorb the moisture at the same time, which will cause your crust to become rock hard.

How To Reheat Pizza In Toaster Oven – Different Types Of Pizza?

In this section, I will introduce you to methods to reheat different types of pizza in toaster oven.

How To Reheat Deep Dish Pizza In Toaster Oven?

Deep-dish pizza tends to have a flaky and deeper crust, with tomato sauce and toppings and cheese, so it might be tricky to heat up. Here are simple steps to warm up deep dish pizza in toaster oven.

Step 1: This same rule applies to any type of pizza: take your pizza out of the carton box and into a plastic box/container. Even better, you should wrap it in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Doing so will help you preserve the yummy slices for as long as possible.

Step 2: Just set the oven to medium heat and throw your pieces in 2 or 3 cycles. Remember, give some space between your slices so that they can heat up properly. Check your temperature with an oven thermometer before popping the slices in. If you skip this step, your pizza will burn faster than a moth to a flame.

Step 3: Because the deep-dish pizza is giant, I recommend you throw your pizza in 2 or 3 cycles, but remember to look for burnt in the crust.

Step 4: A tip here. If you spray some water on the slices, it will absorb moisture and recover the excellent texture from last night. Remember just a little, because too much will make the pies soggy.

Step 5: Reheat the pizza for about 20 – 30 minutes. A trick is to wait for 20 minutes, then after that, check in every other while to make sure that your pizza is not burnt. You can make yourself a salad while you wait for your pizza to get hot and delicious again.

Here is a great video that talks about reheating deep-dish pizza in a toaster oven.

How To Reheat Frozen Pizza In Toaster Oven?

If you have some frozen pizzas from Costco sitting in your freezer, let take them out and reheat using the following method.

Reheat:

Step1: Preheat the toaster oven to about 350 Fahrenheit degrees. The preheat process usually takes about 10 minutes for a spacious oven but only 5 minutes for a smaller toaster oven.

Step 2: During the waiting time, you can take your frozen slices from the box/plastic wrapping.

Step 3: For frozen pizza, if you place it on a baking tray or any kind of container, the crust will not become crispy. What I recommend you to do is put it directly on the rack, so that the hot air can flow freely.

Step 4: Let the pizza slices reheat in 35 to 40 minutes. Remember to check in periodically to see if there are any burning signs. A trick is to turn off the oven when it is 1 to 2 minutes before becoming ready and wait for 5 minutes.

Step 5: Let the remaining heat work the cheese until it is light brown in the middle.

Tips and tricks

• Before throwing your frozen pizza in the toaster oven, thawing it on a plate for about 15 minutes will let the temperature rise and produce moisture.
• Remember to put the frozen pizza in the center rack for more even heating.
• You can sprinkle some cornmeal on your pizza tray to really wake it up! Fresh onions, bell pepper, or mushrooms will boost the flavor wonderfully, too!

How To Reheat Pizza In Toaster Oven – Different Types Of Toaster Ovens

In this section, I will talk more in detail about how to reheat pizza in different types of toaster ovens.

How To Reheat Pizza In A Convection Toaster Oven?

If you have a countertop convection toaster at home, let use it to reheat your pizza. The fan in the convection toaster oven helps speed up the process by moving the hot air around; the air can circulate more evenly inside.

The result will be more even heat distribution and no cold spots.

Preheat:

Step 1: Preheat your toaster oven to 400 degrees. Make sure to use the convection bake setting.

Step 2: Put your slices in the oven and close the door.

Step 3: Baking time should be around 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the number of slices, size, and types. Because using a convection setting helps shorten the baking time, I recommend less of the time compared to when using a regular toaster oven.

Step 4: When done, place the slices on a plate and cool it for a few minutes before digging in.

Tips and Tricks:

• Because all convection toaster ovens vary depending on the make and model, read the directions attached with your device carefully.
• Remember to use tongs or spatula when taking out your pizza to avoid burning your hands.
• You should check the slices carefully. If there is cheese bubbling or the crust starts browning, low the temperature.

How To Reheat Pizza In An Air Fryer Toaster Oven?

Reheating pizza in an air fryer oven is absolutely joyful! The leftovers turn from cardboard-tasty to amazing! I have reheated pita pizza, chicken pizza, gluten-free pizza, any kind of pizza you can think of with an air fryer toaster oven, and I will share with you how.

This method works for both thin and regular crust pizza.

Reheat:

It is straightforward. Because the air fryer toaster oven is bigger than the air fryer basket, you can heat up more slices at the same time. Just remember, the higher you place your pizza on the shelf in the air fryer toaster oven, the quicker your pizza will reheat.

Step 1: Turn on your air fryer toaster oven and set the temperature to about 350 or 400 degrees. Remember, the thinner the pizza, the faster it cooks.

Step 2: Put in your slices, 1 or 2 at a time (depending on the sizes). Of course, you should space it so that they do not overlap, or else the heating will be uneven.

Step 3: Wait for 3 to 4 minutes, then pull the pizza out to check. If the slices are warmed up too quickly, they will burn, so you should check regularly. Don’t worry because an air fryer toaster oven is designed to be opened periodically, unlike a regular toaster oven.

Step 4: If your pizza starts turning brown in the crust, turn down the temperature for about 30 degrees.

Tips and Tricks:

• All air fryer toaster oven temperatures can be different based on the maker and model. You should try reheating one piece of pizza first and adjust the temperature and time accordingly.
• Place the pizza directly on the tray in your air fryer toaster oven.
• Try to reheat the same size of slices at the same time so that your pizza will be done in a more uniform fashion and texture. Do not reheat super thick and super thin ones at the same time because the result will be both burnt and soggy pizza.
• If you have some garlic butter, spread it on the crust before reheating with the air fryer toaster oven to give your pizza more extra flavor.

If you want to know more about reheating pizza, watch the video below:

What Is The Best Temperature To Reheat Pizza In Toaster Oven?

It depends on the type and size of your pizza, but for reheating, you do not need a high temperature. Setting your toaster oven too high might cause the pizza to heat up too quickly, which will cause burnt crust.

I recommend setting your toaster oven to about 400 degrees for a deep-dish pizza, 350 to 375 degrees for the medium crust, and 325 for thin crust.

Also, pay attention to the time. Never ever let your pizza bake for too long as it will dry up and lose all the moisture. Your cheese will taste like rubber, and the crust will be rock hard. The optimal time will be around 20 minutes for refrigerated pizza, but for frozen pizza, the time should be about 35 to 40 minutes.

Also, you should rotate your pizza when half the cooking time has passed to ensure even cooking.

Safely Storing Leftovers

Another trick to having a good left-over slice of pizza is to store it properly. If you have many slices of leftover pizza, you should never ever leave them outside on the counter overnight.
Always put your slices in the fridge right after you are done eating.

If you want to store your pizzas in a box container, stack them with a layer of paper towel between each slice. You should cover your pizza with plastic wrap or aluminum foil before closing the lid to prevent bacteria from forming.

If you store leftover pizza properly, they can last for as long as three to four days in the fridge. In case you want to save the pizza for a much longer time, you should put it in the freezer. The low temperature will keep the pizza going for as much as one to two months.

I recommend you watch the following video about how to store leftover pizza correctly. You will know how to stack your slices properly.

Additional Advice & Tips

I have some more tips in general for reheating pizza in toaster oven.

• Keep an eye on it! It might be tempting to just pop the pizza in the oven and do something else. But because we all have different favorites, for example, I like my pizza to be a little bit watery, but you might not; therefore, you should look for your optimal doneness.

Also, if you don’t regularly check, your pizza might burn.

• In general, if you are reheating thin crust pizza, just set your timer to 5 minutes because it will be ready faster.
• The oven toaster will give your pizza the best texture, but it will not boost the flavor. By using extra ingredients like garlic butter, or some mushrooms, you will help your leftover pizza taste heavenly, even better than the night before.
• Do not immediately put your pizza in the oven right after taking it out from the fridge or freezer. Always let your slices sit for a while to regain room temperature. This will make all the difference!

I hope by now you have known all there is to know about reheating pizza in toaster oven. With my detailed guide and additional advice & tips, you will never have to worry about having soggy left-over pizza again!