How to Reheat Pizza in a Toaster Oven
A toaster oven brings leftover pizza back to life better than a microwave, with a crust that stays crisp instead of turning soft and rubbery.
The microwave is convenient, but it does pizza no favors. The crust goes limp, the cheese sweats, and the slice comes out unevenly hot. A toaster oven solves all of that by using dry, radiant heat to warm the pizza through while crisping the bottom at the same time. It takes a few extra minutes, but the difference in texture is worth it. Whether you have a basic knob-controlled model or a larger convection unit, the process is straightforward.
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Set the Right Temperature
For most leftover pizza, 375 degrees Fahrenheit is the sweet spot. It is hot enough to melt the cheese and heat the toppings without scorching the crust edges or drying out the sauce. If your slices are thin-crust, you can go a bit lower, around 350 degrees, to avoid burning before the center warms up. Thick-crust slices handle 400 degrees well and benefit from the extra heat to cook the dough all the way through. Most toaster ovens take 5 to 10 minutes to preheat, so give it that time before the pizza goes in.
Use the Right Rack Position
Place the pizza directly on the rack or on the included baking pan, not on aluminum foil if you want a crispy bottom. The rack lets air circulate under the slice. If you put the pizza on a flat pan, the underside can steam instead of crisping. For most toaster ovens, the middle rack position gives even heat from both the top and bottom elements. If your oven runs hot on top and browns the cheese before the crust is ready, drop the slice to the lower rack position. A small adjustment like this makes a real difference in results.
How Long to Reheat
A single slice at 375 degrees takes 5 to 8 minutes in most toaster ovens. Two slices side by side may need a minute or two more. Check at the 5-minute mark by looking at the cheese: it should be melted and just starting to bubble at the edges. The crust bottom should feel firm if you lift a corner with tongs. If the cheese looks done but the crust still seems soft, give it one more minute. Pull the pizza before the cheese begins to brown at the edges, since it will continue to cook briefly from retained heat after you remove it.
Add a Small Amount of Moisture If Needed
If your pizza sat in the fridge uncovered and dried out, the toppings can taste a bit leathery after reheating. A very light sprinkle of water over the toppings before the slice goes in can help. You are not soaking the pizza, just adding a few drops to keep the cheese from turning rubbery as it heats. This is particularly useful for slices with a lot of protein toppings like sausage or chicken, which dry out faster than plain cheese slices. Do not add water to thin-crust pizza, since it can soften a crust that is already delicate.
Using Convection Mode
If your toaster oven has a convection setting, it circulates hot air with a fan and can cut reheating time by a couple of minutes. Drop the temperature by about 25 degrees when using convection, so 350 degrees instead of 375. The moving air crisps the crust faster and keeps the cheese from sitting under intense direct heat for too long. Not every toaster oven has this feature, but models like the Hamilton Beach 31156 (rated 4.4 stars across 10,000 reviews) and the Cuisinart TOB-40NNAS (4.2 stars, 7,400 reviews, 1800 watts) run efficient heating elements that do a solid job even without a fan.
What to Avoid
Avoid wrapping the pizza in foil if you want a crispy crust. Foil traps steam and produces the same soggy result as a microwave. Also avoid using the broil setting to speed things up. Broil throws intense heat from the top element only and will burn the cheese before the crust warms through. Stacking slices is another common mistake. Each slice needs direct exposure to heat, so reheat in a single layer. Finally, do not reheat at too low a temperature for too long. Slow, low heat dries out the toppings without crisping anything.
Storing Leftovers Before Reheating
How you store the pizza before reheating affects how well it comes back. Slices wrapped individually in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container stay moist enough that they reheat well without needing added water. Pizza left in an open box in the fridge overnight will have a drier crust and drier toppings going into the toaster oven. For best results, let refrigerated slices sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before reheating. Cold pizza straight from the fridge takes longer to heat through and risks having a warm top with a cold center.
Frequently asked questions
What temperature should I reheat pizza in a toaster oven?
375 degrees Fahrenheit works well for most pizza. Thin-crust slices do better at 350 degrees to avoid burning the edges. Thick-crust or deep-dish pizza can handle 400 degrees to heat all the way through. Always preheat the oven before putting the pizza in.
How long does it take to reheat pizza in a toaster oven?
A single slice takes 5 to 8 minutes at 375 degrees. Two slices side by side may need 7 to 10 minutes. Check at the 5-minute mark by looking at the cheese: melted and just starting to bubble at the edges means it is nearly ready. Slice thickness and topping density affect timing, so check a minute early the first time to get a feel for your oven.
Should I use foil when reheating pizza in a toaster oven?
Only if you want a softer crust. Foil traps steam beneath the slice, which softens the bottom instead of crisping it. For the best texture, place the pizza directly on the rack or on the bare metal pan that came with the oven. If you are worried about cheese dripping, put a sheet of foil on the rack below the pizza, not under it.
Why is my reheated pizza crust still soggy?
Soggy reheated pizza usually comes from one of three things: the oven was not preheated, the temperature was too low, or the slice was wrapped in foil. Make sure the toaster oven reaches the target temperature before the pizza goes in. Set it to at least 375 degrees, and skip the foil directly under the crust. Placing the slice on the rack instead of a solid tray also helps by letting air circulate underneath.
Can I reheat multiple slices at once?
Yes, as long as they fit in a single layer without overlapping. Overlapping slices block heat from reaching the toppings and the crust evenly. Most mid-size toaster ovens handle two standard slices side by side without issue. Add 1 to 2 minutes to the total time when reheating two slices compared to one.