Can You Reheat Kebab? – Is It Safe?

Kebab is a popular takeaway meal, who doesn’t love some freshly cooked meat, wrapped in a pita with some lettuce, tomato, and another garnishing?

The great thing about kebabs bought from takeaway places is that the takeaway joints are usually generous with their portioning, but that also means you might have a bit leftover once you have eaten your fill.

So, can you reheat kebab? Yes, kebabs can be heated the next day to be eaten again, but it is not a good idea to heat them up again after that. Kebabs are layers of meat, whether it be lamb, chicken or beef, on a thin rod and heated throughout the day, sliced off when needed.

This is not always the most hygienic way to prepare and store meat, but from the right kebab shop, you should be fine. However, heating it up a third time might cause the meat to have more bacteria, or to lose its taste or become overcooked. Make sure you leave yourself enough for one more meal.

How To Heat Kebab

There are a few different ways that you could heat up leftover kebab at home, either in the microwave, in the oven or on the stovetop.

Microwave 

Heating the kebab in the microwave is possibly the easiest, and quickest way to have the kebab warm and ready to eat. When storing the kebab, try and keep the meat and salad refrigerated separately.

When you want to heat it all up, place the meat in a microwave bowl and pat it down with a kitchen towel to remove any excess fat.

• Warm the meat for 30-second bursts in the microwave, leaving it to sit for 30 seconds between so the heat can distribute evenly through the meat.
• Continue this until the meat is all heated through, but don’t overdo it as the meat can become overcooked and tough.
• Place the pita bread in the microwave and warm it for 20 seconds. Bread tends to heat up very quickly in the microwave, so you will not need anything more than this.
• Place the pita on a plate, put the heated meat onto the pita and then spread over the cooked salad. If you have any sauce leftover, drizzle it all over the meat and salad for extra flavor.

Oven 

If your kebab is wrapped altogether in foil, the best way to heat it would be in the oven. Turn the oven onto 300 degrees Fahrenheit, and leave to heat. Then place the kebab, still in the tinfoil, into the oven and leave it to heat for around 30 minutes.

The foil actually helps to stop the kebab drying out, and keeps all the flavor and juices of the kebab. The oven method also heats up the pita at the same time, so you will not have to do it separately.

Check after 30 minutes to see that the kebab is heated through completely and if it has not, leave it in for another 5 minutes before checking again.

Stove

Heating a kebab on the stovetop is a good way to keep all the juices in the meat, and to ensure the meat is not overcooked. You can also add more flavor to the meat when cooking it on a skillet.

Remove all the meat from kebab and throw it into a hot skillet on the stovetop. Toss the meat around to warm it through, but do not leave it on long enough to overcook. You can add more spices to the meat while it is cooking, or add in some garlic for extra flavor.

Warm the pita on the top of a toaster if possible, or in the microwave for a few seconds. Once the meat and pita are warm, place them together and top with any salad that was leftover as well.

Leftover Kebab Ideas

If you do not feel like having the leftover kebab in a pita the next morning and are looking for a different way to enjoy the leftovers, there are a few different ways to serve the kebab the next day.

Breakfast

One of the best ways to enjoy a kebab the next day is as breakfast. It is really simple to use kebab for breakfast. Simply separate the meat and veggies and chop them up into smaller bite-sized pieces.

Next, get everything ready that you would need for an omelet. Start cooking the omelet on a suitable frying pan, and just before it is ready to serve or flip with your handy omelet spatula, place the meat and veggies inside the omelet and leave to warm up.

A good omelet can be made so much better with some extra meat and veggies, and it offers a simple, yet fulling way, to eat your leftover kebab!

Sandwich

While similar to a kebab, making a sandwich using leftover kebab meat and veggies is a good way to freshen up the leftovers a bit.

Remove the meat and veggies from the kebab and chopped them up into smaller pieces, place them in a bowl and mix in some mayonnaise or another condiment of your liking.

Choose your favorite bread, such as rye or sourdough, and spread on some more mayonnaise or butter. Place the veggies and meat onto the bread, and add in some lettuce, mustard, tomatoes or onion if you want, and make up the sandwich. Cut in half and enjoy!

Dinner

Did you know you could make some really good pasta using leftover kebab? All you need to make a portion of pasta is pretty much waiting for you in your kebab leftover.

Cook up some pasta, either penne or screws, whichever you prefer, and heat up the meat and veggies in a skillet over high heat. 

Toss the cooked pasta in with the warmed up veggies and meat and drizzle some extra olive oil over the top to stop it being too dry. Add some garlic, parmesan, or chopped tomatoes to the sauce to make it more to your liking.

Is It Really Safe To Eat Kebab The Next Day?

There is a lot of speculation as to whether or not kebab is safe to eat the next day, and it does tend to make many people more nervous to enjoy their leftovers.

This wariness is due to how the meat is cooked and stored at kebab takeaways, continuously heated on a metal stick, with layers upon layers of meat.

While some kebab shops might not be as hygienic as others, if you are purchasing your takeaway from a reputable store, there should be no problem.

The best way to ensure your kebab is fine to eat the next day is to place the leftovers in the fridge right away. Place the pita, meat, and veggies in an airtight container and place it near the back of the fridge to ensure it stays as cool and fresh as possible until the next day.

Do not leave the kebab out of the fridge overnight. This creates a breeding ground for bacteria and will more than likely ruin the meal. Refrigerate leftover kebab as soon as you are done eating, and it should be perfectly fine to eat the next day.

Related Questions

Is it safe to reheat chicken kebab?

No matter how well the chicken is cooked the first time, it is only safe to reheat chicken kebab once after cooking. It can be heating in a microwave, on the stove or in the oven, but it must be consumed after one sitting.

After being heated a second time, there is too much risk that there will be more bacteria on the chicken, which could lead to serious illness or food poisoning.

The same rule applies to other kebab meat as well, if you do not finish it after the second heating, throw it away.

How can I reheat the pita?

The pita is one of the easier parts of the kebab to heat up, but it needs to be done properly to avoid it becoming soggy. The first way to do it would be to heat the pita bread up in the microwave for 20 seconds. This is all the time it needs to heat up thoroughly.

The second way would be to heat the pita bread up over the toaster. Many toasters have an attachment that allows you to place bread on the top of the toaster to heat up. Alternatively, you can warm the pita bread up on a dry skillet to avoid it becoming soggy, and to add some crunch.

Reheating Kebab

You can definitely heat up your leftover kebab to enjoy as lunch the next day, as long as you store it properly in the fridge overnight, and you have not reheated it already.

Leaving kebab out overnight or reheating it more than once is a sure way to have a meal that has way too much bacteria, which could lead to food spoiling or food-related illnesses, which are never fun.

Rather, make sure to store your kebab in an airtight container in the fridge, and reheat it in the microwave, stove or oven for the best results.