How to keep pizza warm and ensure it stays hot longer? The best method to keep pizza from getting cold is wrapping it with aluminum foil or putting it inside a pizza bag with an insulated seal. If you own an oven, it is possible to put the whole pizza box in it to stay warm.
Pizza is a delectable food that is consumed at any time of the day. It’s a great option if you are hosting a gathering or planning an outdoor picnic without having to take a ton of items.
The only bad thing about pizza is that it can go cold very quickly. Pizza is a favorite with most people at a party, but nobody wants to eat a cold slice!
Read on to find out how to keep your pizza fresh and warm and how to cook it safely, and more!
In This Article
How To Keep Pizza Warm – 5 Easy Ways
When you’re planning a pizza-themed party or need to keep leftovers warm, here are few suggestions to keep your pizza cool and cozy.
1. Aluminum Foil
Aluminum foil is an excellent way to keep heat in and guarantee that your pizza stays warm and toasty for up to 30 minutes.
One disadvantage to aluminum foil is you’ll have to wrap each slice because aluminum foil won’t wrap a pizza in a single piece.
If your pizza becomes cold after around 30 minutes, you can reheat your pizza even though it’s covered in foil. The foil helps spread the heat throughout without drying out your pizza.
Bake the pieces in the preheated oven of 400 degF for 5-10 minutes, then the pizza will taste the same delicious as it was in the past!
2. Pizza Box In The Oven
You can keep the whole pizza warm by putting the whole pizza in an oven that is warm.
The best way to cook this safe is to ensure that your oven stays at a low temperature that is 140 degF. Since it is constructed out of cardboard, and you don’t want to set it on fire by putting it into a too-hot oven.
The majority of pizza boxes come with vents that allow steam to escape and prevent the pizza from becoming watery.
If your boxes don’t include ventilation holes, then you’ll need the fork and poke holes through the top of the box in order to let steam escape.
Pre-heat your oven until it is at 200 deg F. When the oven is hot then, lower the temperature until it is at 140 deg F. Then, put the whole pizza box into the oven, and leave it in the oven for approximately fifteen minutes or up to 15 minutes, or until the cheese begins to bubble.
It is possible to turn off the oven to stop your pizza from becoming burned. The remaining heat will allow the pizza to stay warm for approximately one hour.
As your guests arrive, you can serve pizza right out of the oven!
3. Pizza Stone
The pizza stone isn’t just good for baking pizzas made from scratch. If you own an oven for pizza, it is also possible to use this to preserve your pizza’s temperature for as long as 3 hours!
The pizza stone will absorb heat from the oven and remain hot for more than an oven rug and it’s even able to take in excess moisture to stop the pizza from becoming soggy.
For a pizza stone to keep your pizza warm, you’ll have to heat the pizza stone in a preheated oven, at 404 degrees F for approximately 45 minutes. When the stone has taken in the required heat to be warm, you can reduce temperatures to around 140 deg F.
Place your pizza on the stone, wrap the pizza in aluminum foil, and place the edges under the crust. Aluminum foil can hold and evenly distribute heat and not make the pizza dry!
The stone should be placed back in an oven set in a 140F deg for approximately 15 minutes, after which you can turn off the oven. The remaining heating generated by the oven will maintain the pizza’s temperature for some hours.
4. Insulated Bag
If you’re planning to take the pizza to an outdoor picnic or camping trip, then you can keep it warm with a bag that is insulated.
Food containers that are insulated are constructed using a layer of thermal insulation and a nylon or vinyl exterior.
The thermal bags keeps the heat inside, allowing your food items to remain warm for longer. The waterproof outer layer will stop any rain from entering the bag.
Most insulated bags are constructed with grommets that let the steam be released. This can stop your food from becoming soggy.
To get the best results, cover the slices of pizza with aluminum foil first, separating the slices and keeping the heat in check. Then, you can put the pizza slices in an insulated bag and carry them with you!
A bag with insulation will ensure that your pizza stays warm for around 3 hours It’s recommended to pack a freshly made pizza for your picnic and enjoy it as soon as you get it.
How To Reheat Your Pizza
The process of heating cold pizza is challenging because if not attentive, the pizza might not cook evenly, and certain parts could be burned while others remain cold. There’s also the possibility of a soggy pizza, where the crust becomes spongy and turns tasteless.
Here are the top ways to reheat your pizza if it has gone cold!
1. In The Oven
If you own an oven, you may heat the pizza on your middle rack.
The most effective way to prevent pizzas from being soggy during baking in an oven is to cook your pizza directly on the rack of the oven (instead of the baking tray). The middle rack is also the one that will provide the most constant heat and the pizza will be evenly warm.
To begin, begin to heat your oven to 200 degF. Once the oven is warmed up, lower the temperature to 140 deg F and then place your pizza in the middle rack in the oven.
It is recommended to warm the pizza for 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese begins to bubble and then turns golden brown.
Switch off your oven. It will remain warm for a few minutes due to the remaining heat however it is recommended to eat the pizza warm within one hour.
If you’re looking for the pizza to be warm for more than an hour, put an entire cup of water that is boiling on top of the oven under the pizza.
The water will stop your pizza from becoming dry, and the heat from the water will keep it warm. The warmth from this water can ensure that the pizza stays warm for a longer time.
2. In A Pan
If you want to warm up a few slices of pizza, you could also do so in the oven or in a non-stick skillet. The benefit of cooking pizza by this method is that it’s extremely fast, and the pizza crust will remain crisp thanks to the skillet.
To begin, heat up the non-stick pan at a moderate temperature. Once the pan is heated, then reduce the heat to the lowest possible temperature. Utilizing moderate heat guarantees the pizza is cooked evenly, without burning.
Put the slices of pizza in the pan, crust facing up. Cover the pan with the cover. The lid will keep the heat within the pan and let the pizza be heated thoroughly in both directions without flipping the pizza slices.
You could also add droplets of water to the surface of your slice. Once the moisture has evaporated, it will warm the topping.
After approx 3 to 5 minutes, make sure the slice is evenly warm while the crust remains crisp. Serve immediately to ensure the best flavor.
3. In The Microwave
The microwave method of reheating your pizza is not everyone’s preferred method to heat pizza since it will always be wet.
If you’re on the go, there’s a simple and quick method to heat food in the microwave without losing the crusty taste.
This method involves heating your pizza and pouring it into a glass of water at the highest setting and 30-second intervals until your pizza has warm enough.
When you cook pizza using microwaves in the microwave, the energy is absorbed by the pizza crust, causing the liquid of the pizza toppings to disappear later to be absorbed in the pizza’s crust.
This is why microwaved pizzas are always watery, and the toppings are never dried!
If you warm the water in a glass with the pizza, it will allow the heat to be dispersed equally as well as the pizza will be able to absorb less of the waves, meaning that it won’t heat as quickly, and the moisture won’t go away in the same speed.
In the end, the crust will not absorb moisture and will remain crisp even after being microwaved!
Tips For Keeping Pizza Warm And Fresh
- Do not leave your pizza to cool for more than 2 hours. It is the perfect temperature at which bacteria can flourish and can cause a hazard to your food and cause it to spoil quicker.
- If you have to preserve the freshness of your pizza, the best way to do that is to bake it by baking it in the oven at a lower temperature of around 140 deg F. This will help keep the pizza warm while preventing it from burning or overcooking.
- Do not put pizza boxes in the oven if the temperature exceeds 140 degrees F. The pizza box can be ignited and catch on flame if the temperature is too high.
