I’ve Traded in the Microwave for These Better Ways to Reheat Leftovers

As a leftovers lover, I’ve tried all the best hacks and shortcuts on the internet to turn last night’s main course into today’s lunch. chicken, pizzanoodles or steakThere are much better ways to reheat leftovers than using a microwave, and most are just as quick and clean.

Read more: Cooking a whole chicken in the Airfryer is the best cooking trick I’ve discovered this year

Looking for the best way to reheat leftover Thai takeout, grilled beef from the weekend BBQ, or a whole mountain of pizza? Here’s how to reheat it so it doesn’t dry out or get mushy.

Skip the microwave when reheating food

The microwave is the appliance most commonly used to reheat leftovers, and it may be the fastest, but I would also argue that it is the worst. Most reheated food that comes out of the microwave has a degree of rubberiness, dryness, or mushyness that it did not have when it went in.

Microwaves also tend to heat food unevenly, resulting in food that is either too hot or too cold in some spots — sometimes both. Microwaves are also prone to messy explosions. Having to clean your microwave after heating food is not a time-saver.

“But it’s so much faster!” you say, but is it? Most of the methods described below take less than five minutes. air fryer cooks almost as fast as a microwave and, in my opinion, much better. Adding an air fryer to your kitchen may feel like an initial expense, but this budget friendly super convection ovens are the best first step to better leftovers. Plus, they’ll save on your energy bill over time.

Are there any dishes that you can heat up in the microwave?

Although most dense foods will shrivel or dry out in a microwave, some softer foods can tolerate microwave heat better. Items such as soup (covered), sauce, plain rice, or mashed potatoes do not lose much heat when microwaved. microwave is also a great place to quickly soften butter or make popcorn, or to heat up water, baby food, and other liquids. In fact, it’s one of my favorite ways to poach an eggso the microwave is certainly not a useless device.

Noodles, pasta and rice dishes

Best way to reheat: Non-stick pan

This broad category of classic takeout meals includes Italian pasta dishes; Indian curries with rice; Thai, Vietnamese, and Korean noodles; and Chinese stir-fries. We’re talking about any starchy dish, like rice or noodles, with diced vegetables, meat, or vegetable protein, and a sauce. The one thing they all have in common is that they taste best when reheated in a non-stick pan or stir-fry.

While you can probably get away with reheating plain fried rice, a microwave has a tendency to overcook pasta and noodles and will likely turn your chicken, shrimp, or shredded beef to rubber. Instead, just throw it all in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Toss occasionally, and in a few minutes you’ll have something almost as delicious as when it first arrived on your table—or doorstep—the night before. Nonstick pans typically only take 15 seconds to rinse clean.

For rice dishes, it is best to use a stainless steel, carbon steel or cast iron skillet to get crispy rice.

Pizza and flatbread

Best way to reheat: Airfryer

There are a handful of reasons why I love my air fryerbut none are as remarkable as reheating leftovers. Microwaves destroy pizza, so let’s just say no to them. A toaster and convection oven do a better job, but they still take too long to reheat and the pizza is dried out by the time it’s reheated.

The quick blast of an air fryer’s super convection will heat your pizza to crispy perfection at 400 degrees F in about two minutes, depending on how big and thick it is. Make sure you use the basket or wire rack, or the hot, flat bottom of the air fryer basket can burn the bottom of your pizza slice. I don’t reheat leftover pizza any other way. If you didn’t have enough reasons to buy one, Air fryers use much less energy than a large oven.

Fried chicken, fries and other fried foods

Best way to reheat: Airfryer

Leftover fried foods have historically been some of the most difficult to revive. Enter the air fryer, which can revive fried chicken, fried dumplings, mozzarella sticks, and even French fries like nothing else in the kitchen. Like pizza, it only takes a few minutes to heat up and you should have a crispy exterior just like when the fried food was originally cooked.

For thicker pieces of chicken, it’s best to keep the temperature lower, around 160 to 175 degrees Celsius, for about three minutes. This will prevent the outside from burning before the center is heated through.

Side note: Further warm up fried chicken: a good air fryer also makes delicious “fried” chicken and other dishes with much less oil than traditional methods.

Steak, pork chops, hamburgers and grilled chicken

Best way to reheat: cast iron or non-stick pan

Cuts of meat, including steak and pork chops, are also foods that can be difficult to revive. Fear not, because there is a way. While reheating grilled steak or fish in an air fryer or oven is not impossible, there is a good chance that the meat will dry out. Instead, I recommend quickly re-frying it in a covered hot pan cast iron skillet or nonstick pan for no more than a minute on each side. The hot surface of the pan should revive the crust. Keeping it covered will warm it up before the heat of the pan has time to overcook it. For delicate fish, you can use a non-stick coating in a frying pan so that the meat doesn’t stick or fall apart.

Fair warning: these types of reheated dishes will never taste as good as the first time you pulled them off the grill, pan, or plancha, but with this method, they should stay tasty. more then edible.

Stewed, roasted or slow-cooked meat

Best way to reheat: Covered skillet with a dash of liquid

Braised dishes like chicken in wine sauce or short ribs should be reheated in a way that mimics how they were cooked. Simply heat them gently for a few minutes in a covered nonstick or stainless steel saucepan with an ounce or two of water or chicken stock. The hot liquid will warm and revitalize the braised or slow-roasted meat, restoring its juicy tenderness.

For more tasty tips, see how to find them cheap wine in the supermarket and how to make a perfect whole chicken in the airfryer.