Cold pizza is undoubtedly delicious, but sometimes you just want to reheat your leftover pizza, specifically your Papa John’s.
There are a few foolproof methods in which to do this – one of them recommended by Papa John himself! The best way to reheat Papa John’s pizza is to use an oven or stovetop. Microwaving your pizza is not recommended.
The Best Methods to Reheat Papa John’s Pizza
There are two ways to use your oven to reheat your Papa John’s pizza, and a third method, using a skillet.
| Method | Result | When to Use |
| Oven Method 1 – Preheat Method | Warm and melty, not too crispy. | 2+ slices, when you have 10 or so minutes. |
| Oven Method 2 – Crispy Method | Hot and crispy! | 2+ slices, when you have 20+ minutes. |
| Skillet / Stovetop Method | Hot, but soft – not crispy. | 1 slice, when you’re on the go but don’t want cold pizza. |
Oven Method 1 – The Preheat Method
First things first – for every oven method make sure you remove your pizza from the box when reheating. You really don’t want an oven fire, and honestly, cardboard pizza taste is one we’d like to avoid.
This method actually involves putting your pizza in the oven before it gets hot. It’s a great way to reheat your Papa John’s pizza so that the heat distributes evenly, but you don’t overcook the pizza.
- Place your Papa John’s pizza slice(s) on a baking sheet.
- Make sure your oven rack is positioned in the center of your oven. This ensures that the heat reaches your Papa John’s pizza evenly.
- Set your oven to preheat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place your Papa John’s pizza in the oven as it is preheating.
- Once your oven has reached 375 degrees Fahrenheit, take your Papa John’s pizza out of the oven. It should be hot and melty, without being too overly crisped.
If you’re looking for a softer crust, put a small bowl of water (in an oven-safe bowl) in your oven as you preheat it, with the Papa John’s pizza. The steam will ensure that your crust doesn’t get too hard.
Oven Method 2 – Crispy Method
Sanctioned by Papa John himself, this is another great way to reheat your Papa John’s pizza. Again, make sure your pizza is not in the box for this method.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Your oven rack should be in the center of your oven.
- Place your Papa John’s pizza on a baking sheet.
- Cook for 10-15 minutes, until your desired level of crispiness has been reached.
If your crust starts to look like it’s burning, but your cheese isn’t as melty as you’d like it to be, you can cover the edge crust of your Papa John’s pizza with aluminum foil. This will ensure that it’s still being heated, without burning.
If you’re looking for piping hot Papa John’s pizza, without the crispiness, you can place a small oven-safe bowl with water in the oven next to your baking sheet. The steam released will make your Papa John’s just soft enough, without making it mushy.
Skillet / Stovetop Method
If you’re running out of time to reheat Papa John’s pizza, you can easily and quickly reheat your pizza in a skillet on your stove. This method is best used for reheating 1 or 2 slices of Papa John’s pizza and only takes 5 or so minutes. This method requires a non-stick pan, learn how to clean a nonstick pan without damaging it.
- Place a nonstick pan on your stovetop, over a low heat setting. You’ll want the pan to be large enough so that the pizza fits, but small enough so that you can put a lid or heat-safe plate over the top.
- Put your pizza in the skillet and cover it with your lid or plate. This will cause the moisture being released by the pizza to be trapped, ensuring that it will heat up more quickly, and give your pizza a slightly softer texture.
- Keep your Papa John’s pizza on the skillet for 5 or so minutes, or until heated to your liking. You can check on it every once in a while, to make sure it’s not burning.
Because Papa John’s pizza is generally thicker than other types of pizza, this method is best used when you’re not looking for a piping hot slice of pizza, but rather something warm or room temperature.
As always, with any method of reheating a bread product, it’s best to avoid using your microwave. This is even truer with your Papa John’s pizza.
Uneven heat from your microwave will cause the crust of your Papa John’s to become chewy, and your cheese could become greasy and separate.
The oven and skillet methods are easy and quick ways to reheat your Papa John’s pizza. Happy eating!
