Food & DrinkTaste Food and Drink

The Definitive Guide To Reheating Food

There are some foods that should never, EVER, be reheated.
By 

Taste Senior Editor, HuffPost

There's nothing better than opening your fridge and remembering that you have spaghetti left over from the night before. It's like winning the jackpot, but better because you get to eat it immediately and there's no greater score, if you ask us.

Leftovers can make a quick lunch or give you an excuse to skip cooking dinner. All in all, they're great. That is, until you have to reheat them. So often does an awesome dinner reheat into a sad, sad lunch. And it's all because people haven't done their homework when it comes to heating up leftovers.

We hate to be the ones to tell you this, but you can't just throw your Tupperware of spaghetti in the microwave and expect it to taste great. Reheating, like cooking, is an art. Some foods reheat quickly and nicely in the microwave, while others require the stove top and a little added oil. And then there are some foods that should absolutely, under no circumstance be reheated EVER. We've outlined it all for you below (mostly because we can't stand the thought of one more person microwaving their leftover pizza).

1
Eggs
Flickr: Wendy Hollands
According to the Consumerist, you should never, EVER, reheat your eggs. Eat them cold -- they're really good like that anyway -- or don't eat them at all.
2
Pizza
Flickr: anothertom
Whatever you do, stay away from the microwave. The oven isn't a good idea either because it takes too long. Bon Appetit taught us to heat up leftover pizza in a covered hot skillet for 3-4 minutes to obtain the best results.
3
Soups and stews
Flickr: Brian L
Soups were made on the stove and they should be reheated on the stove. Add about 1/4-1/2 cup of water to prevent scorching.
4
Muffins
Flickr: Josip Šulj
Warm these up in the oven at 350. Be sure to give it enough time to heat all the way through. Most muffins need about 15 minutes covered, and an additional three uncovered.
5
Steak
Flickr: Michael Fletcher
Bon Appetit warns that a good steak does not get better after a night in the fridge -- but, it can still be good. The best way to reheat steak or chicken is to slice it into small pieces and warm it in an oiled skillet.
6
Roasted Veggies
Flickr: sarah kieffer
There's a motto we like to go by: If it was cooked in the oven, it should be reheated in the oven. While this isn't true 100 percent of the time, when in doubt it's the best way to go. And when it comes to roasted veggies, only the oven will bring them back to their former glory.
7
Pasta
Flickr: Mark Crossfield
The microwave does strange things to pasta; the oven tends to dry it out. If you have to reheat your pasta -- guys, it's really tasty cold -- do it in a pan with a little oil.
8
Casseroles
Flickr: Rosann
Reheating casseroles in the microwave is just fine. Be sure to cover it with wax paper with a vent cut into it to allowing the steam to escape.
9
Coffee
Flickr: James Hayes-Bohanan
Just drink it hot the first time around, please. If you absolutely must, you can give coffee a couple seconds in the microwave but IT WILL NEVER TASTE THE SAME.

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