I want to give you all a gift. It’s that time of year, after all. Taste, aroma, texture, and thrift — this gift has it all. As a big thank you for keeping me company on the wide world of the internet this past year, here’s a small present:
Leftover pizza.
Yes, really. It’s more exciting than it sounds.
Stick with me and I’ll prove it. But first, a little context.
I’m devoted to pizza. I could happily eat some variation of it several times a week. Crispy crusts, gooey cheese, salty toppings, and fragrant garlic, all flecked with charred bits and molten marinara — it’s no wonder I’m obsessed.
For all my love of fresh, hot pizza, I used to think I disliked leftovers. The great appeal of pizza, to me, is threefold: melted cheese, a crisp bottom crust, and a chewy-yet-soft interior. Reheated pizza, at least the versions I’d tried, sacrificed one or more of those things. Microwaved slices often came out with rubbery or translucent cheese and an unpleasantly chewy crust. Oven-warmed slices could be soggy or muted in flavor. Disappointing, to say the least.
Then I remembered a trick from my dad. He makes grilled cheese by toasting the sandwich in a pan, then adding a little water and covering it so the cheese melts thoroughly without burning the bread. One day, staring at a fridge full of cold pizza, I realized that same idea might rescue leftovers.
It worked — and then some. The result is what I call Better Than Yesterday Pizza. The method produces perfectly melted, gooey cheese, a hot interior, a crackling crisp bottom, and a top dotted with lovely charred bits. It can actually taste better than the original fresh slice. Now I purposely make extra pizza so I’ll have leftovers to transform.
A quick warning: this process yields a slice that’s piping hot and temptingly irresistible. If you’re impatient like me, you’ll probably burn the roof of your mouth if you dive in immediately. Let it cool a touch before taking that first blissful bite.
Better Than Yesterday Pizza
You will need a heavy cast-iron or a good non-stick skillet with a tight-fitting lid.
Ingredients (per slice):
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil (canola works, but olive oil has the best flavor)
- 1 slice cold leftover pizza
- 1 teaspoon water
Instructions:
1. Place a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the oil and swirl to coat the pan evenly and heat it until shimmering.
3. Place the pizza slice topping-side down in the pan and cook for about one minute. Leave it longer if you want more charred bits.
4. Carefully slide a spatula under the slice and flip it so the crust is down.
5. Add one teaspoon of water to the pan, then immediately cover with the lid. This creates steam that melts the cheese thoroughly while the pan crisps the bottom.
6. Cook, covered, for about one minute.
7. Remove the lid and continue cooking for another one to one-and-a-half minutes, until the water has evaporated and the bottom crust is crisp and golden.
8. Transfer the slice to a plate and let it rest briefly to avoid burning your mouth. If you like, finish with a sprinkle of crushed red pepper for that pizzeria touch.
That’s it. Fast, simple, and reliably delicious — leftover pizza transformed into a slice you’ll look forward to eating as much as the original.