How To Reheat Calzone – The 5 Best Ways

We all know that a fresh, hot calzone cannot compare to the cold leftovers we take out of the fridge – and you shouldn’t have to settle for this. You don’t have to order or make a calzone every time you crave it, either, since you can easily reheat it and it’ll be as good as new!

What is the best way to reheat calzone? The best way to reheat calzone is certainly the oven. However, you can also use your air fryer, toaster oven, or frying pan to get similar results. A microwave can be a little problematic, but we’ll get into that later. 

The best ways to reheat calzone

Calzone is probably one of the most popular Italian dishes, and it is basically a folded pizza, similar to stromboli, but simply folded over instead of twirled. When it comes to filling, it usually resembles typical pizza toppings, but the options are endless. 

Calzone can be made from salted bread dough, or pizza dough, depending on your preference. It is normally baked in the oven and stuffed with different kinds of cheese (mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan), ham, minced meat, and/or veggies.

Sometimes, when making or ordering calzone, you may get a bit too excited and end up with a lot of leftover food. This isn’t an issue at all when it comes to a calzone, since you can perfectly reheat a calzone using any of our methods. 

Make sure your calzone retains its freshness, aroma, and flavors when stored, by storing it in an airtight container if you’re keeping it in the fridge. To store it in the freezer, you want to choose aluminum wrap or foil. 

If you’re storing calzone in the fridge, it should retain its freshness for about 3 days. Frozen calzone, on the other hand, can be stored like this for up to 2 months – depending on the filling you’ve chosen.

Before refrigerating or freezing the calzone, you want to make sure it cools off. Once cooled off, you can store it whole or in pieces, depending on your preference. However, keep in mind that the filling may melt out of the calzone pieces if reheated this way.

On the other hand, a plus side of storing your calzone in pieces is that you can easily take out and reheat only the amount you need. Moreover, calzone slices take less time to fully reheat than the entire calzone. 

You also want to avoid storing calzone near other types of food, since it has a tendency to absorb other odors and flavors. This can also happen if you store calzone with different fillings – especially if there are different kinds of meat.

Whether you are expecting guests, or you don’t feel like making a fresh calzone from scratch, it is always a great solution to reheat leftover calzone, whether refrigerated or frozen.

Thanks to any of the following reheating methods, you’ll have a fresh, delicious calzone on your table in no time. Keep on reading to discover the best way to reheat a calzone, depending on your preferences and kitchen appliances. 

How to reheat a calzone in the oven

The oven is certainly the best choice, especially if you’re planning to reheat a whole calzone. With other methods, there is a risk of the calzone remaining partially frozen in the middle, while in the oven it will reheat and crisps up perfectly. 

Using the oven is the best way to ensure you’re getting a beautiful calzone that will taste just like you’ve made it from fresh dough that very same day. And since calzone is usually baked in the oven in the first place, it is only natural to choose this method over others. 

If you prefer the dough to remain moist and soft, you can achieve this is by covering the calzone with a piece of foil. You can remove the foil towards the end of the reheating process so that the top layer can crisp up.

If this is too much of a hassle for you, simply brush some oil or melted butter on top of your calzone and toss it in the oven. The extra moisture will keep it from drying out, but it will also create a crispy layer on top. 

Here are the steps to reheat calzone in the oven:

1. The best temperature to reheat a calzone in the oven is 400 degrees Fahrenheit, so preheat the oven to this temperature.
2. Place the calzone onto a baking sheet, or oiled tray.
3. Brush the calzone with oil/melted butter, or cover it with a piece of foil if you prefer softer dough.
4. Place the calzone in the oven and let it reheat for about 20 minutes, depending on how crispy you want it. In case you’re reheating a frozen calzone, it will need a bit longer to cook thoroughly – about 30 minutes.
5. Check the calzone with a fork, making sure that the inside is properly reheated, as well. 
6. Remove the calzone from the oven and let it cool off a bit before serving it whole or slicing it up into pieces. 

How to reheat a calzone in the air fryer

Many people can be quite skeptical about using an air fryer for reheating purposes. However, reheating your calzone in an air fryer is easy, convenient, and it preserves all the flavors while creating a nice, golden crust.

The best thing about using air frying to reheat calzone is that you don’t have to worry about the inside remaining cold, even if you want to reheat mashed potato calzone.

An air fryer works on the principle of circulating hot air, and it cooks the food thoroughly without making it dry.

If you want to make sure your calzone won’t dry out while being reheated, sprinkle some oil or melted butter on top. This will help in creating that golden crust we all love, but also lock in the moisture and make the dough soft on the inside. 

Since it doesn’t dry out the food, an air fryer is also a great choice to reheat sliced calzone. Also, what makes it super convenient is the fact that no preheating is necessary.

Here are the steps to reheat calzone in an air fryer:

1. Set your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place the calzone/calzone slices in your air fryer and let it cook for about 5 minutes (or until it is crispy enough). 
3. If you want to reheat frozen calzone, set the timer to 30 minutes and check with a fork to see if the inside is thoroughly cooked.
4. Once the calzone is properly reheated, take it out of the air fryer and let it cool off for a few minutes before serving it. 

How to reheat a calzone in the toaster oven

A toaster oven is a great choice if you don’t feel like using your regular oven, and you don’t have a large amount of calzone to reheat. Since it is usually much smaller than a regular oven, a toaster oven is a great choice to reheat half a calzone or calzone slices. 

If you want to prepare a small piece of calzone, there is no need to use your big oven for this small task. This is where small appliances such as a toaster oven come in handy. When it comes to results, you can expect your calzone to be just as crispy and delicious. 

Also, a toaster oven is a great appliance to use in the summer, when you cannot stand the heat from your big oven. It is convenient, easy to use, and a great oven alternative for reheating. 

Here are the steps to reheat calzone in a toaster oven:

1. Preheat your toaster oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Bake the calzone for about 5 minutes, or until it reaches your desired level of crispiness.
3. Remove the calzone from the toaster oven, and leave it to cool off for a few minutes before serving.

How to reheat a calzone in the frying pan

If you’re reheating calzone in a frying pan, keeping in mind that this is not an option for frozen calzone, as you could partially reheat it but the middle would probably remain frozen. It could be used for a whole calzone, but it is a far better option for calzone slices.

A big advantage of reheating your calzone in a frying pan is that you can easily check the reheating process, flip the calzone and check on the progress. It is quick, easy, and convenient. 

To prevent the calzone from losing all of its moisture, you want to add a little bit of water to the pan and cover it with a lid. This will allow the calzone to cook thoroughly, and the steam will keep the dough soft and moist. 

Here are the steps to reheat calzone in a frying pan:

1. Place your frying pan over medium-high heat and let it heat up a bit.
2. Add calzone slices into the pan.
3. Pour some water into the section away from the calzone if you want to prevent the calzone from drying out.
4. Turn the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid for a minute or two.
5. Remove the lid, flip the calzone, and repeat the process.
6. After a minute or two, remove the lid and check the sides, as well as the inside of the calzone using a fork.
7. If necessary, turn the heat back up and let the calzone fry for a bit longer to get a crunchy crust (but make sure it doesn’t burn).

How to reheat a calzone in the microwave

Reheating your calzone in the microwave may not be the wisest choice, since it will probably turn the dough all soft and mushy, ruining the crust. If you want a crispy, golden crust, it is better to go with any of the methods we’ve mentioned above. 

Nevertheless, if you’re used to reheating dough in the microwave and you don’t mind the softness, it could be an option (but we don’t recommend this for a frozen calzone).

Here are the steps to reheat calzone in the microwave:

1. Place your calzone on a microwave-friendly tray or plate.
2. Set the timer for a minute or two on a high setting.
3. After a minute or two, remove the calzone from the microwave and allow it to cool off before serving it.

Can You Reheat Calzone? 

Yes, you can reheat calzone, whether it has been refrigerated or frozen; whole or in slices.

Reheating your calzone in an oven is the best choice – especially if you have a whole calzone, and if it has been frozen. A downside of using an oven is that it requires preheating and it can be a hassle in the summertime, but it gives the best results. 

Air fryer and toaster oven are great methods to reheat your calzone, both whole, and slices. However, if you have a large amount of calzone, you will probably have to use the oven – depending on the size of these appliances. 

Use a frying pan only for refrigerated calzone slices – never for frozen calzone, as you will probably end up with a frozen inside of the calzone.

Finally, the microwave should be your last option, since it usually turns the dough all mushy and soggy.