Achieving the perfect cooking evenness in a thin-crust slice will always require a different amount of time and heat than reheating a thick slice of Chicago-style pizza. This begs the question: How long does it take to reheat pizza in the oven, and is there an ideal reheat time?
It takes between three and fifteen minutes to reheat pizza in the oven. The precise amount of time it takes varies depending on pizza thickness and size, oven temperature, and preferred level of doneness.
This article will explore the factors impacting pizza reheat times, ensuring you reheat your pizza just long enough to enjoy leftover slices that are the ideal level of cheesy goodness. Read on to know how long to leave your leftover pizza in the oven for a perfect slice every time!
Factors Impacting Reheat Time
Understanding how long it’ll take to reheat your leftover pizza can be challenging. After all, several factors impact reheat time, including:
- Oven temperature.
- Size and thickness of the pizza.
- Preferred level of doneness.
For example, an oven preheated to 425°F (218.3°C) can quickly reheat thin-crust or traditional-crust pizza slices. Reheating your slices in such a hot oven might only take a few minutes.
But if you’re hoping to reheat a thick slice of Chicago-style deep dish pizza, and your oven is only preheated to 325°F (162.8°C), you can expect to wait ten to twenty minutes for your slice to be evenly heated.
So, to help you determine an ideal reheat time for your favorite saucy pies, let’s take a moment to discuss these influential factors.
How Oven Temperature Affects Reheat Time
Apart from ingredients, your oven’s temperature is one of the most significant factors affecting your pizza, particularly its crust.
A low-temperature oven will take longer to reheat or cook pizza, but lower temperatures tend to result in softer crusts. Higher-temperature ovens can heat up your pizza far more quickly, but they can also make crusts hard and crisp.
As such, if you’re in a hurry to enjoy some crispy reheated pizza, you may want to preheat your oven to 425°F (218.3°C), but if you don’t mind waiting a little longer for a doughier slice, 325°F (162.8°C) may be a better temperature.
In short, the hotter the oven, the faster the reheating time and the crisper the crust. But, of course, the oven temperature isn’t the only factor influencing pizza reheating times. The size and thickness of your chosen slices also have an impact.
How Pizza Size Affects Reheat Time
Pizza comes in many shapes and sizes, and your chosen slice may take longer or shorter to reheat, depending on its size and thickness.
If you’re looking to reheat thin-crust slices, you’ll be happy to know that this type of pizza reheats more quickly than other varieties, typically being fully warmed through after only a few minutes in the oven.
But, you’ll need to wait a little longer if you’re about to chow down on a Chicago-style deep dish slice. After all, these types of pizzas are typically several inches thick. As such, it takes more time (and often a higher degree of heat) for an oven to fully permeate them.
How Personal Preference Affects Reheat Time
The ideal slice of pizza is different for everyone. For example, some prefer soft, doughy slices while others prefer crisp, crunchy ones. As such, it’s vital to consider your personal pizza preferences when calculating reheat time.
If you enjoy a soft pizza dough with barely-melted golden cheese, you’ll likely want to set your oven to a lower temperature between 325°F and 350°F (162.8°C to 176.7°C).
You might also want to cut the heat and remove your slices from the oven between two and five minutes to ensure the bottom stays slightly soft. Immediately transferring your reheated slice of pie to a grate-like cooling rack can also help prevent a burned bottom.
Alternatively, if you enjoy crisp pizza, you might want to crank your oven’s temperature to 425°F (218.3°C) and wait between five and ten minutes before removing your slice from the oven.
But, as we previously addressed, the precise amount of time you’ll need to wait often varies depending on slice thickness. So, if you enjoy a crisp and saucy slice of deep dish, ten to fifteen minutes may be a better reheat time.
Alternative Ways To Reheat Pizza
A conventional oven isn’t the fastest reheating method, and it’s also not the most convenient. If you don’t have a conventional oven or you’re short on time, you may want to consider using common alternatives like:
- Microwaves
- Air fryers
- Toaster ovens
- Convection ovens
- Stovetop burners
Each reheating method has its advantages and drawbacks, and some are a little faster than others. For a comprehensive take on how they stack up, refer to the helpful comparison chart below.
| Reheat Method | Time to Reheat | Advantages | Drawbacks |
| Microwave | 30 seconds to 2 minutes | The fastest reheatingMinimal preparation required | Might not heat thick slices evenlyCrust can become soggy |
| Air Fryer | 2 to 4 minutes | Reheats pizza slices quickly and evenlyPost-reheat cleanup typically only takes a few seconds | A great choice for small slices and flat crusts may require more time to reheat pizza fully |
| Toaster Oven | 2 to 10 minutes | Reheats the pizza slice evenly to to accommodate larger slices (sometimes whole pizzas) | Requires preheatingPizza can quickly burn if left unsupervised |
| Convection Oven | 2 to 4 minutes | Requires preheating to be messier than other reheating methods | The bottom of the slice can burn before the cheese meltsConstant supervision required |
| Stovetop Burner | 1 to 3 minutes | Ideal for those living in small apartments without full kitchens You only need a frying pan and a burner | Bottom of the slice can burn before the cheese meltsConstant supervision required |
Final Thoughts
Reheating pizza in the oven typically only takes a few minutes, but precise times vary depending on the thickness of the slice, the number of slices, and the temperature of the oven.
If you’d like to reheat your pizza faster, or you don’t have access to a conventional oven), then you can use a microwave, air fryer, or other common kitchen cooking devices to turn your cold leftover pizza slices into mouthwateringly melty snacks.
Microwaves tend to reheat pizza in the shortest time, while toaster and conventional ovens often take much longer.
