Straight to the point – everybody loves a calzone. The folded-over pizza oozes delicious fillings of your choice and is the perfect comfort food for any occasion. Devouring a whole calzone is a feat on its own, and you might find yourself with a good amount of leftovers.
Or, you might be wanting to plan ahead and make a couple of calzones to keep in the freezer. When it comes time to reheat the calzone, which is the best way to do so? The best way to reheat a calzone is to do so in the oven for the best taste and texture. You are also able to reheat a calzone on the skillet, but it might not heat internally as well as using the oven. Don’t use the microwave, as it will turn the crust soggy and heat the insides too quickly, ruining the quality of your calzone.
In this article, we’ll show you how to reheat calzones in the oven and in the skillet, and explain more why using the microwave is not a good idea. I hope this helps you reheat the calzone of your dreams!
The Best Way To Reheat A Calzone – In The Oven
Reheating the calzone in the oven is the best way to have it taste as great as it did the first time around, and for it to be reheated all the way through.
It is the best method to use to have your calzone tasting freshly made, even if it has been in the fridge or freezer.
Here is how to reheat a calzone in the oven:
- Preheat the oven to around 400 degrees Fahrenheit
- Remove the calzone from the fridge, and place it onto a baking sheet (something like this from Amazon would be perfect)
- If you have kept the calzone in the freezer, you can place it into the oven from frozen, but it will take longer to reheat
- Spritz some oil onto the calzone, which will allow it to have a golden, crispy finish
- Put the calzone into the oven on the baking sheet and allow it to bake for 20 minutes. If you are placing the calzone in the oven from frozen, you should leave it for 30 minutes, and check to see if it has reheated through after this amount of time
- When taking the calzone out of the oven, cut into the center to check that the filling has heated through thoroughly. If not, place it back into the oven in 5-minute increments until heated through
- Remove the calzone from the oven when fully reheated and allow it to cool for a bit before serving.
Pros of using the oven – The oven gives the best results when reheating a calzone. With a bit of oil, the calzone will have a golden brown and crisp crust.
Reheating the calzone in the oven also allows for it to be heated throughout, so you won’t be left biting into some cold patches, and some piping hot ones as well.
The other benefit of using the oven is that you can reheat the calzone from frozen, so you do not have to worry about leaving it to thaw for hours beforehand.
The calzone will need to be reheated longer if from frozen, but it is still a fraction of the time it takes to thaw the calzone in the fridge.
Cons of using an oven – There really is only one con when it comes to reheating a calzone in the oven, and that is that it takes longer to do so compared to the skillet.
First, you have to wait for the oven to heat up, and then wait around 20-30 minutes for the calzone to reheat.
This might not seem like a long time, but when you are starving, the minutes add up!
Reheating a Calzone in a Skillet
The skillet may be a quicker solution to reheating a calzone, and while it can successfully be used to warm up any leftovers, it does require some skill, and some added attention to ensure the calzone does not have a burnt crust, or that the filling does not warm up.
Here is how to reheat a calzone in a skillet:
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat on the stove
- Place the calzone onto the skillet and allow it to cook for around 2 minutes, or until the bottom side is crispy
- Flip the calzone onto the other side and allow it to cook for a further 2 minutes
- Adjust the heat down to low
- Add in 4 drops of water away from the calzone into the skillet
- Cover the skillet with a lid
- Allow the water to steam in order to reheat the filling
- Remove the calzone from the heat and allow it to sit for 1 minute for the heat to distribute
- Serve immediately and enjoy it.
Pros of using the skillet – While there are a few extra steps involved, and you need to keep a watchful eye to ensure the calzone does not burn, it is a lot quicker to reheat the calzone on the skillet compared to the oven.
With a little bit of water and a lid to allow steaming, the filling on the inside will be reheated, while the crust becomes crispy again.
Cons of using the skillet – If left for even a minute too long on either side, the crust of the calzone can burn and become hard and not tasty at all.
You also need to be careful not to add to much water into the skillet, and not too close to the calzone, as this could lead to a soggy crust. You will need to check the calzone a few times to ensure the filling has reheated.
Another downside is that you cannot reheat the calzone from frozen, and you will need to have taken it out the freezer hours before to ensure it thaws enough to be reheated on the skillet.
Why You Shouldn’t Use the Microwave
Microwaves are terribly convenient, heating up food, both from the fridge and freezer, in next to no time at all. It seems to be the perfect kitchen appliance to use to reheat leftovers, however, this is not true for calzones.
You should avoid placing your leftover calzone into the microwave to be reheated. Microwaving the calzone will turn the crust very soggy, and it will lose all of the crispness that is so great about a calzone.
While you might be tempted to try it out in the microwave for a few minutes, rather stick to your guns and use the oven or skillet to ensure that the calzone is at most edible. Avoid the microwave at all costs!
Reheating a Frozen Calzone
Reheating a frozen calzone is incredibly easy if you are using an oven.
As stated above, you can simply pop the frozen calzone into the oven for around 30 minutes, without worrying about having to thaw it before.
However, when using the skillet, you will need to thaw the calzone through before reheating.
The safest way to do this is to leave it to thaw in the fridge overnight. This does require some planning and is not helpful for when you want an instant fix.
The calzone is best when thawed in the fridge overnight or for a few hours, as it does not allow it to reach the danger zone, a temperature range from 40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, which is conducive to bacteria growth.
As delicious as a calzone is, you still need to protect it, and yourself, from harmful bacteria that could lead to food-borne illnesses.
Related Questions
How do you store cooked calzone?
If you have cooked extra calzone, it pays off to know how to store them properly, to ensure that they can be enjoyed in good condition, and safely at a later stage.
If you are storing the calzones in the fridge, you should place it in an airtight container and eat it within 3 days.
If you are storing the calzone in the freezer, you can choose to place it into an airtight freezer container, wrap it in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, or place a few in a freezer bag.
The calzones in the freezer should be eaten within 3 months to ensure they retain their best quality.
Can you reheat a calzone in the air fryer?
It is possible to reheat a calzone in the air fryer, and it offers an incredibly quick way to do so.
In order to reheat a calzone in the air fryer, you should turn the air fryer on to around 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and place the calzones inside the air fryer for 3-4 minutes.
The air fryer will keep the crust crispy and will have the filling reheated up as well.
What is best served with a calzone?
Calzones usually have fillings with strong flavors, so the best side dish for a calzone is a simple green salad, with a light ranch dressing or a balsamic vinaigrette.
How to Reheat a Calzone
There is no need to cry over soggy calzones anymore. Using the oven or the skillet, you can easily reheat your leftover calzone in a short period of time, keeping the crust super crispy and golden, while not drying out the filling.
The one rule to reheating calzones is to avoid placing them in the microwave. Only use the oven or a skillet to ensure you have the most delicious calzone to enjoy in all of its glory!
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