1. Rice
What goes wrong: Cold rice is dry and hard, and blasting it on high makes the edges crunchy while the middle stays cold.
The fix: Break up the clumps, sprinkle on a spoonful or two of water per cup, cover, and heat until steaming hot all the way through, either in the microwave or in a pan over low heat. Fluff with a fork. For fried rice, skip the water and heat it in a hot pan with a little oil instead. Cool leftover rice quickly and keep it in the fridge rather than leaving it out on the counter.
2. Steak
What goes wrong: The microwave turns a medium-rare steak gray and rubbery, and a hot pan overcooks it before the middle warms.
The fix: Warm it gently first: a low oven on a rack until it is just warm, or slice it thin and slide it into a skillet with a little butter or broth for a minute. If you want a crust back, give the surface a quick sear at the very end. Avoid reheating a steak a second time.
3. Pizza
What goes wrong: The microwave makes the crust chewy and the cheese greasy.
The fix: Heat a skillet over medium heat, lay the slice in, and cover the pan for a couple of minutes so the cheese melts while the bottom crisps. An air fryer for a few minutes, or a hot oven on a tray, also works.
4. Pasta
What goes wrong: Cold pasta clumps together and soaks up its sauce, so it reheats dry and gluey.
The fix: Warm it in a skillet with a splash of water, broth or fresh sauce and stir until loose and hot. Pasta that was stored with its sauce reheats better than pasta stored plain.
5. Fried chicken and anything crispy
What goes wrong: A covered dish or the microwave traps steam, so the coating goes soft.
The fix: Use dry heat: spread the pieces on a rack or tray in a hot oven, or use an air fryer, and leave them uncovered until hot through and crisp again.
6. Mashed potatoes
What goes wrong: Mashed potatoes tighten up in the fridge and go gluey or dry when reheated plain.
The fix: Add a splash of milk or cream and a little butter, then warm over low heat or in the microwave, stirring every minute or so, until smooth and hot.
7. Turkey and other sliced roasts
What goes wrong: Thin slices dry out fast, which is why reheated turkey tastes like cardboard.
The fix: Lay the slices in a dish with a few spoonfuls of broth, cover with foil, and warm in a low oven. In the microwave, cover with a damp paper towel and heat in short bursts.
8. Stuffing and casseroles
What goes wrong: Heating a casserole uncovered dries the top before the center is warm.
The fix: Add a splash of broth, cover with foil and heat until hot in the middle, then uncover for the last few minutes to crisp the top.
9. The rules that apply to every leftover
What goes wrong: Reheating a dish several times, or heating only until it is lukewarm, hurts both the taste and the safety.
The fix: Store leftovers in shallow containers in the fridge soon after the meal. Reheat only the portion you will eat, and heat it until it is steaming hot all the way through. Do not reheat the same food over and over. When in doubt about how long something has been stored, throw it out.
Recipes that use these tips
These recipes are good candidates for the techniques above:
- Instant Pot chicken and rice: a rice dish that reheats well with a splash of water.
- Chicken rice meal prep bowls: bowls built to be reheated.
- Freezer-friendly meal prep: make ahead, thaw and reheat.
- Thanksgiving sides: sides that reheat the day after.
- Fall soup recipes: soups that reheat gently on the stove.