Cold pizza? Not everyone is a fan, and it’s better to be safe than sorry – especially if you’re attempting to feed a crowd.
Whether you’re trying to keep a pizza warm during a birthday bash or you want to keep them nice and hot until the kids get home, there’s one great appliance to do: in the oven.
If you need to know how to use the oven to keep pizza warm, you’ve come to the right place. Below, we’re discussing the two techniques plus lots of must-know info for warm pizza.
How to Keep Pizza Warm in Oven
As mentioned previously, there are three great ways to keep pizza slices nice and warm.
And in case you were wondering – yes, you can use a portable oven or toaster oven to keep your party pizza or leftover pizza nice and warm.
Method #1: Whole Pizza In the Box
Did you know that you could keep pizza inside the cardboard box? While some people think it could catch fire, this won’t happen as long as the temperature is below 400F.
Keeping pizza warm inside of the oven using the box is simple.
All you need to do is turn the oven to the lowest temperature. Place the box, closed, on the middle rack. Consume within two to three hours.
Double-check that the vents are closed before placing them in the oven. Most pizza delivery boxes have them to allow steam to escape. Close them to keep the heat inside, ensuring piping hot pizzas.
Method #2: Whole Pizza Out of the Box
Some people may fear fires or simply don’t have the box anymore, and that’s okay.
You can use the same technique mentioned above.
The only difference is that you will need to swap the box for another item, such as a preheated pizza stone, baking sheet, or baking tray large enough to accommodate your pizza.
You can also slide the bare, whole pizza onto a rack in the oven without worry.
Method #3: Slices Out of the Box
Don’t have the pizza box anymore? Only need a few pizza slices heated? Don’t worry – you can still use your handy-dandy oven to keep pizza warm.
Now, remember that this method is best suited for those who want to reheat pizza and keep it warm rather than keeping it warm.
To use this method, all you need to do is crank your oven up to 400F and place the pizza on the middle rack.
If you don’t want to place the pizza directly onto the rack, you can always put them on top of a pizza stone or baking sheet. Make sure the pizza stone goes in the oven while it’s preheating.
Plenty of people prefer to wrap their pizza in aluminum foil.
The aluminum foil will create the perfect “insulated bag” for your pizzas, holding pizza heat inside while keeping the pizza crust crispy and avoiding soggy crust (yuck).
Regardless of how much pizza you place in the oven and whether you indulge in wrapped pizza or not, you won’t want to leave the pizza in the oven for longer than ten minutes.
After that, the cheese starts burning and crust – especially thin crust pizzas – starts to burn and get overly crunchy.
Tip: Ovenless Pizza Lovers Can Use the Stove
Okay, so this isn’t necessarily a tip to keep pizzas warm in the oven, but I had to add it – you know, for those that don’t and won’t ever use the oven.
The “frying pan method” works to quickly achieve hot pizza.
Simply heat a cast-iron pan or stainless steel pan over medium heat to high heat. Add a few drops of water to the pan to create some steam.
Place the pizza on the pan for about two minutes. Cover, and wait until the cheese melts and the crust is firmed up.
What’s The Oven Temp to Keep Pizza Warm?
If you just purchased pizza from a pizza place for a pizza party, and you need to keep your pizza warm until guests arrive for up to three hours, the lowest temperature is recommended (170F, for instance).
If you’re looking more for reheating pizza and keeping it warm for around ten minutes, you will need to crank the oven temperature up to 400F.
How Long Can You Keep Pizza Warm in The Oven?
If your pizzas arrive early and you need to keep them warm inside the cardboard boxes, you can keep them inside the oven for no more than three hours.
While the oven will keep the pizza hot, too much time in the oven will lead to dried-out, potentially burnt slices.
Can You Put a Pizza Box in the Oven?
Many people are under the impression that you can’t place pizza boxes inside of a preheated oven. They’re concerned about a fire starting after putting the box inside.
While this is possible at high temps, it’s not possible in temperatures below 400F.
So, when the pizza arrives, and you need to keep the food warm, simply place the pizza inside the oven at the lowest temperature.
A low temp will ensure your pizza remains warm for the party (no cold slices!) while avoiding potential fires. It’s a win-win situation, pizza lover(s)!
FAQ
Can You Put a Pizza Box in The Oven at 170?
You can successfully put a pizza box in the oven at 170F. That said, you can definitely keep your pizza warm by placing the entire pizza box inside the oven.
The best part is that you don’t have to worry about fires starting at 170F, and you will keep pizza slices warm without worrying about burnt or soggy pizza.
How Do You Keep Pizza Warm and Not Soggy?
Are you worried about sogginess? Whether you’re heating a slice for a lunch picnic, outdoor party, or an indoor fiesta, the best option is to wrap the pizza in aluminum foil before putting it in the oven.