How To Reheat Pizza In The Microwave

Pizza is a dish that almost anyone can enjoy. It's impossible to resist the temptation of ordering one! Once you do, you might find that you can't finish a whole pie by yourself. Of course, leaving it for the next day won't allow you to enjoy it as it came out of the box. If you're wondering how to reheat pizza in the microwave with the best results, let's find out!

Regarding heating food, the microwave is often the most convenient and quickest method. Though, it doesn't always give you the best results. If you do it without much consideration, the slice could end up soggy. So, it's crucial to know some tips and tricks to get the most out of it. To reheat a pizza, you should:

Place the pizza on a microwave-safe plate.
Fill a cup with water and place it next to the slice.
Heat on high for 30-45 seconds.

The answer might leave you with more questions. Of course, it's not possible to cover all aspects to consider in a few sentences. There's still a bit more to learn if you want crispy results. If you want to learn more, keep reading ahead.

1. Place the Pizza on a Microwave-Safe Plate

This step is self-explanatory. If you want the best results, you should use a plate that won't leach chemicals into your food.

For example, if you're reheating a slice on a disposable or plastic container, it can spoil the flavor. So, use a ceramic or glass plate to reheat the pizza.

2. Fill a Cup With Water and Place It Next to the Slice

It might seem like a weird idea, but, there's a science behind this step. If you don't know already, microwaves heat foods differently than ordinary stoves or ovens.

Microwaves work by seeking out water molecules. Once they come in contact, the molecules begin to vibrate rapidly. This process produces enough energy to heat your pizza slice. Though, this doesn't mean it's cooked inside out.

The inside heats up from the conduction of heat. Microwaves cook the outer layers. So, to promote even cooking, you put in a glass of water. The purpose is that it will absorb some of the microwaves.

As some suggest, it will remelt the cheese before the crust loses all its moisture.

3. Heat on High for 30–45 Seconds

Finally, you will turn on the microwave and heat the slice on high for 30-45 seconds. You should keep a close eye and check on it throughout the process.

How Long Do You Warm Up Pizza in the Microwave?

Of course, 30-45 seconds doesn't seem like a long time. It might not be enough to heat the slice if it's too cold. Additionally, it depends on what you want out of it.

Do you want something to suit your hunger fast? Thirty to 45 seconds should be enough time. Or, do you want a crispier slice? That will require you to do some experimentation. It's going to need a bit more effort.

Again, you will need to keep a watchful eye on the slice. After the initial 30-45 seconds, take it out and check on it. Does it match what you want? If not, repeat the process until you get the results you desire.

How Long Do You Microwave a Personal Pizza?

Not all pizzas are the same size. Regarding personal pizzas, they can hover anywhere around 6-10 inches. If you want to microwave it for the best results, it depends on your situation.

Is it one you made from scratch? Did you buy a pre-made one? Additionally, what type of pizza is it?

For example, some manufacturers, like Red Baron, recommend microwaving their pizza for two and a half minutes. It can extend up to three and a half minutes.

Though, this applies to one of their deep dish personal pizzas. As you may already know, deep dish pizzas are thicker.

For standard pizzas, some recommend microwaving for 4-6 minutes. This timeframe applies for pizzas 8-9 inches in size.

For smaller ones around 6-8 inches, you can microwave it for 3-4 minutes. Of course, always check the progress and repeat the process if necessary.

How Do You Reheat Pizza in the Microwave Without Getting Soggy?

The last thing anyone wants is a soggy pizza. After all, you didn't keep it for tomorrow to get a terrible experience. If you want to enhance the texture, some methods can help you accomplish that.

The first method involves what we've covered above. You insert a cup of water along with the pizza to act as a decoy. Without a cup of water, the pizza will absorb most of the microwaves. As a result, it begins to heat up quickly.

The molecules in the pizza begin to vaporize and permeate the crust. In the end, you get a soggy pizza. The cup of water is a trick to let it cook evenly.

Using a Stovetop Pan

The other method includes the use of a stovetop, though it isn't the most ideal solution. After all, if you're microwaving food, it's to get the fastest results. So, to most, using a frying pan won't be ideal.

But, it won't take up more time if you're in a rush. If your pizza comes out soggy, some recommend taking it out and placing it on a hot frying pan for 1-2 minutes. This timeframe is enough to dry it out, leaving it less watery than it was before.

How Do You Make Reheated Pizza Crispy?

The other concern that comes to mind is crispiness. If you're strapped for time, it doesn't mean you want to sacrifice the texture! We can achieve a crispy reheated pizza with a few methods.

At this point, we can't stress enough that you should include the cup of water with the pizza inside. It promotes even cooking.

So, one area won't be looking worse for wear than another. But, when a cup of water isn't enough, you can also use a microwave-safe crisper pan!

Click here to see this crisper pan on Amazon.

For people familiar with cookware, products like these might seem gimmicky. You might have past experiences with something similar that didn't deliver results.

As some users suggest, a crisper pan works well for baking frozen foods or reheating them.

The Proper Way

Of course, it requires a bit of effort on your part. To ensure the best results, you have to treat it a bit like you would if you were reheating it in an oven.

By this, we mean you'll have to start by preheating the crisper pan. The timeframe depends on the microwave. As one guidebook suggests, you can preheat a crisper pan for 3 minutes.

Next, line a piece of parchment paper on the now hot crisper pan. After lining the paper, place the pizza on the pan. For the next step, we will recall a previous method. You will fill a microwave-safe cup with water to go inside the microwave.

If you can, position the crispier pan to be on top of the cup of water. Finally, microwave the pizza at 50% power in 30-second intervals.

Your pizza should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Check the pizza after 30 seconds and repeat the process until you get the crispy results you want.

Can You Cook a Fresh Pizza in the Microwave?

Perhaps you want to cook a fresh pizza but don't have access to an oven. Unfortunately, cooking a pizza from scratch in a microwave isn't feasible.

As some users suggest, fresh pizza will need heat to create gas bubbles to allow the yeast to rise properly. Without it, you will end up with a half-baked dish.

Convection Mode

At best, you can heat a frozen pre-made pizza. Anything fresh requires heat to allow it to cook correctly.

However, some microwaves have a convection mode. As some manufacturers claim, it allows you to cook foods the same way as in a traditional oven.

If your microwave has this feature, some users suggest it's possible to bake a fresh pizza. Otherwise, you'll have to look elsewhere to accomplish the job.

Final Takeaway

Pizza is impossible not to love. But, reheating a pizza is one event that can make or break the dish. If you're in a rush, the texture and taste probably won't matter.

However, if the microwave is your only means of heating, ensuring you get the best results is crucial. We hope you found the information above helpful!

Before you go, do you have other pizza concerns? On the topic of reheating pizza, you might want to find out if pizza can go bad if left out overnight. To find out more, check out our post here.

Did you run into a problem while trying to reheat your pizza? If it runs but is not heating, you can find out what to do by checking out our post here. Until next time!