Cold pizza has its fans, but sometimes you want that fresh-from-the-oven experience — crackly crust, molten cheese, the works. The best way to reheat pizza so it stays crispy isn’t the microwave (which turns crust to rubber); it’s a method involving a skillet and a few drops of water that sounds weird and works brilliantly.

I’ve reheated hundreds of leftover slices testing this, and there’s a clear winner. Here’s the ranking, from best to worst, with exact times.

The Skillet Method: Best Way to Reheat Pizza Crispy

Put a slice in a cold nonstick or cast-iron skillet, set it over medium heat, and cover with a lid. Cook for about 2 minutes until the bottom crisps, then — here’s the trick — add a few drops of water to the pan away from the slice and cover immediately. The steam melts the cheese perfectly while the direct heat keeps the crust crackly. Total time: 3 to 4 minutes.

The result genuinely rivals fresh pizza: crispy bottom, gooey top, no sogginess. The water-steam step is what separates this from just dry-heating; it reheats the toppings without drying them out. Food scientists at Serious Eats tested this method and confirmed it beats every other approach for texture.

  • Place slice in a cold skillet, medium heat, lid on
  • Heat 2 minutes until bottom crisps
  • Add a few drops of water to the pan (not on the pizza), cover immediately
  • Steam 1 minute until cheese melts; serve right away

Oven and Air Fryer Methods

The oven is the best option for reheating multiple slices at once. Preheat to 375°F, place slices directly on the rack or on a preheated baking sheet, and heat 8 to 10 minutes. The dry, circulating heat crisps the crust evenly. A pizza stone or steel makes it even better if you have one — preheat it with the oven and the bottom gets beautifully crisp.

The air fryer is the speed champion: 350°F for 3 to 4 minutes gives you an almost fried-crisp crust. It only fits a slice or two, but for a quick lunch it’s unbeatable. One caution: watch it closely in the last minute, because air fryers go from perfect to burnt fast. These dry-heat methods all beat the microwave, which is fine for melting cheese but murders crust texture — the same reason I avoid it when I reheat other crispy foods where texture matters.

The Right Way to Store Leftover Pizza First

Reheating starts with storage. Stack slices with parchment or wax paper between them (or just place them in a single layer) in an airtight container or zip-top bag, and refrigerate within 2 hours. The box it came in is fine for one night if you wrap the whole box in plastic, but the cardboard absorbs moisture and dries the pizza out over a couple of days.

Properly stored, leftover pizza is good for 3 to 4 days refrigerated, per USDA food safety guidelines. Don’t leave it on the counter overnight — that’s the fastest way to turn good leftovers into a stomachache. And if you’ve got a lot, pizza freezes surprisingly well: wrap slices individually and freeze for up to 2 months.

What About the Microwave?

Look, if the microwave is all you have, you can still do better than a rubbery slice. Put a mug of water in the microwave alongside the pizza and heat in 30-second bursts. The water absorbs some of the microwave energy and adds humidity, which keeps the crust from turning to leather. It’s not crispy, but it’s edible.

But honestly, the skillet takes barely longer and the difference is dramatic. Once you’ve had skillet-reheated pizza, the microwave version tastes like a compromise — because it is. If you’re planning a full leftover night, pair reheated slices with a fresh homemade salad and it feels like a real meal again.

Reheating Deep-Dish and Thick Pizza So It Stays Crispy

Thick-crust and deep-dish pizza need a modified approach to reheat pizza so it stays crispy — the skillet method still works, but give it more time on lower heat so the center warms through without scorching the bottom. Use medium-low instead of medium, cover the skillet, and give it 5-6 minutes; the longer covered time lets heat penetrate the thick interior while the direct contact crisps the base.

For deep-dish specifically, the oven is actually better: 375°F for 12-15 minutes on a preheated sheet pan. The all-around dry heat warms the dense center evenly, which a skillet can’t quite manage. And for thin-crust or Neapolitan leftovers, go hotter and faster — a screaming-hot skillet for 2 minutes, no water needed, since there’s less interior to warm. Match the method to the crust thickness and every style reheats beautifully. The underlying principle never changes: direct heat for the crust, gentle ambient heat for the toppings, and never the microwave if crispness matters to you.

How to Reheat Pizza So It Stays Crispy in a Toaster Oven

The toaster oven deserves mention as a way to reheat pizza so it stays crispy — it’s essentially a small, fast oven. Set it to 375°F (or use the ‘reheat’ setting if yours has one), place the slice directly on the rack, and heat 5-7 minutes. The compact space means faster preheating than a full oven and crispier results than a microwave, with room for 2-3 slices.

It’s the ideal method for one or two people: faster than the big oven, easier than the skillet, and genuinely crispy. For the last minute, switch to broil if your toaster oven has it — 30 seconds of direct top heat re-melts the cheese to bubbly perfection. The toaster oven is the unsung hero of leftover pizza; if you own one, it should be your default reheating method.

The Bottom Line

Skillet, medium heat, lid on, a few drops of water for steam — 3 to 4 minutes. That’s the best way to reheat pizza so it stays crispy, with the oven at 375°F as the best batch method and the air fryer as the fastest.