How to reheat pizza (so it tastes freshly made)

The best way to reheat pizza is in the oven: 5 to 8 minutes on a preheated tray at 200°C (fan) brings the base back to life and heats it evenly. A frying pan or air fryer will do in a pinch, but neither quite matches the oven.

We make pizza for a living at our four Cheshire neighbourhood pizzerias in Wilmslow, Macclesfield, Congleton and Sale, so we’ve seen our fair share of leftovers heading home in a box. And we’ll be honest with you: no reheated slice will ever be quite as good as one straight from our wood-fired ovens. But with the right method, you can get surprisingly close.

Here’s every Wood Fire Smoke-approved method worth knowing, ranked from best to worst, with times and temperatures for each. It’s part of our wider guide to finishing pizza at home.

What’s the best way to reheat pizza?

Each method has its place, depending on how much pizza you’ve got and how much effort you fancy putting in. Here’s how they compare.

These times are a guide, as every hob, oven and air fryer is a bit different. Whichever method you use, the pizza should be piping hot all the way through before you tuck in.

How do you reheat pizza in the oven?

Yes, you can reheat pizza in your own oven, and it’s the best way to do it. It heats every slice evenly, firms the base back up without drying it out and lets you do a whole pizza at once, so it’s the one to go for no matter if it’s a couple of slices or the whole thing.

1. Preheat properly. Heat the oven to 200°C (fan), with a baking tray inside, so the tray is hot before the pizza goes on.

2. Get it on the hot tray. Carefully pop the slices onto the preheated tray. Putting cold pizza on a hot surface helps the base firm up rather than steam.

3. Bake until piping hot. Give it 5 to 8 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and the base is firm underneath.

The one thing to avoid is putting pizza into a cold oven and letting it warm up slowly. It dries the toppings out long before the base has firmed up.

How long does it take to reheat pizza in the oven?

In an oven preheated to 200°C (fan), leftover pizza takes around 5 to 8 minutes to reheat. Thinner slices will be ready towards the lower end, while thicker or fully loaded slices may need the full 8. Keep an eye on it after 5 minutes, and take it out once the cheese is bubbling and it’s piping hot all the way through.

How do you reheat pizza in a frying pan?

If you’ve only got a slice or two and don’t want to wait for the oven, a frying pan will do the job. Direct heat from underneath firms up the base, while trapping a little steam on top melts the cheese.

1. Heat the pan. Put a non-stick or cast-iron frying pan over a medium heat for a minute or two. No oil needed.

2. Firm up the base. Add your slices and leave them uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes, until the bottom is no longer soft and soggy.

3. Add a splash of water. Add a few drops of water to the pan, away from the pizza, then put the lid on straight away.

4. Melt the top. Leave it for another minute or so. The steam melts the cheese and warms the toppings without making the base soggy.

That’s it. A firm bottom, a melty top and no rubbery edges. It’s fine for one or two slices, but for the best result, stick with the oven.

Can you reheat pizza in an air fryer?

You can reheat leftover pizza in an air fryer, and it’s quick. Pop a slice or two in at 180°C for 3 to 4 minutes, checking after 3. The hot, circulating air firms up the base quickly.

The downside is that air fryers can dry out the crust and the edges of the toppings, and you can only fit a slice or two in at a time. So it’s handy for one or two leftover slices, but the oven does a better job overall.

This is for reheating leftovers only. Our WFS Finish At Home pizzas should always be cooked in the oven. You can read more in our guide to cooking pizza in an air fryer.

What about the microwave?

We’ll be honest, the microwave is the very last resort. It’ll get your pizza hot in 30 to 60 seconds, but it heats the water in the dough, which leaves the base soggy, rubbery and a bit sad.

If it’s all you’ve got, putting a mug of water in the microwave alongside the pizza can help stop the crust turning rubbery. But if you’re not in a blinding rush, the oven is your best bet.

How do you keep leftover pizza at its best?

Proper reheating starts with proper storage. Let leftover pizza cool, before getting it into the fridge within two hours, covered or in an airtight container so it doesn’t dry out. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) advises eating leftovers within two days, or freezing them. Leaving it out on the side overnight in the box isn’t a good idea, however tempting.

When you reheat it, make sure it’s piping hot all the way through, and only reheat it once. If you’re not going to eat it all, just reheat what you need.

For how long leftover pizza keeps, and whether you can freeze it, have a look at our guide on how long pizza lasts in the fridge.

Why our pizzas are made to be finished, not reheated

Here’s the twist. The best pizza at home isn’t a reheated one at all.

Our WFS Finish At Home pizzas are wood-fired by us, finished by you. We hand-stretch them and part-cook them in our restaurant wood-fired ovens, then chill them and send them out by DPD across mainland UK. They’re not leftovers. They’ve been made for you to finish baking in your oven, so they come out soft and chewy with a lightly charred, puffy edge, rather than just warming back up.

Finishing one is dead easy:

1. Preheat your oven to 220°C (fan) and let it fully come up to temperature.

2. Remove the packaging and drizzle a little olive oil on the crust.

3. Place it directly on the top rack, not on a tray.

4. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes from chilled, or 7 to 10 minutes from frozen, and serve piping hot.

There’s no minimum order and they’re freezer-friendly, so you can order one pizza or an entire stack, freeze them on arrival and cook from frozen whenever the mood takes you. For the full step-by-step guide, take a look at our piece on cooking a part-baked pizza at home.

Skip the leftovers: order a pizza made to be finished at home.