Food can be reheated without a microwave, right? Yes! It’s safer, simpler, and healthier to do. Discover 9 simple methods for reheating meals with this how-to manual’s step-by-step instructions, using the kitchenware and equipment you already own.

By Stove

The majority of the food you previously prepared on the stove can be quickly reheated there. This includes stews, curries, vegetables (like chicken fried broccoli), and sauces (like spaghetti sauce).

Put the ingredients in the pan and cook them over low to medium heat before serving. Usually, it takes me less than 5 minutes to reheat my lunch (YMMV depends on how powerful your stove is). Don’t let it burn, and watch it carefully. Providing it’s hot enough.

Recall that moist foods, like soup, are best suited for this strategy. Try one of the following techniques if you have dry food that needs heating, like pancakes.

Instant Cooker Double-Layer Cooking Pot

Another option for reheating steamed food is to use a quick cooker or an electric pressure cooker. I really like this choice, because when the food is reheated, you can go away and do other things. You only need one of the most popular instant cooker accessories – tripod.

Add a cup of water to the inner pot, and then put a metal tripod on the bottom. Put the food you want to reheat in a heat safe container, such as a glass food storage container or a stainless steel bowl. Place the container on a tripod. Cover the quick cooker and lock the steam outlet. Set the quick cooker to high pressure for 5 minutes to reheat most of the food. For vegetables, you may need to cook for 2-3 minutes.

When it is finished, do a quick release, release steam. Then, open the lid and check the food to make sure it is thoroughly heated again. Remember, it takes about 10 minutes to apply pressure before cooking, so add up these times.

Have you just come into contact with a fast burning electric pressure cooker? Take a look at my instant pot tips and techniques, because this useful appliance can save you a lot of time in the kitchen.

Steaming

The mild cooking method of steaming, also referred to as a “moist-heat” or “wet” cooking method, is ideal for warming frozen dishes, foods that clump together, and meat that can easily dry out (like chicken breast).

Use a steamer basket as directed. Use a metal colander in a large soup pot and a lid if you don’t have one (this is my current technique).

In the absence of a colander or a large enough soup pot, you can set a plate atop an upside-down bowl to serve as a temporary stand. As you can see in the photo below, I used a heatproof bowl as a stand. Make sure the water doesn’t evaporate all the way and stays off the plate.

Air Frying Pan

Air frying pan is a good way to heat pizza, fried food, steak, barbecue ribs, chicken nuggets, chicken wings, baked potatoes, preserved egg cakes, and foods similar to toaster ovens or ovens. Air frying pans help keep food crispy outside and thoroughly cooked inside.

First, preheat the air frying pan at 400 ℃ for about 5 minutes. Spray the air frying basket with cooking spray (I like avocado or coconut oil). Put the food into the empty fryer basket, and then put the basket into the empty fryer. Adjust the temperature to 350 degrees and heat the food for 3-4 minutes. Test the food to see if it is ready, or add it for another 1-2 minutes as needed.

If necessary, put parchment on the bottom of the basket, and then put food on it, such as pizza, barbecue ribs or anything that may get dirty.

Boiling

Boiling is the quickest method of reheating previously cooked items (like broccoli or beans). I recently bought ramen and the instructions said to boil the noodles first, then reheat the sauce packet by dipping it into boiling water.

In a sauce pan, bring water to a boil. Add the item you want to reheat. Boil the food for 2 to 3 minutes, or until thoroughly heated (depending on volume and how cold the food was).

Foods with sauces and flavorings should not be boiled because the water will wash the flavorings away. Avert boiling cooked dishes high in carbohydrates as well (like pasta and rice). If you boil them for an extended period of time (unless you’re making porridge), they might get mushy.

Adding Boiling Water

Certain foods will warm up just by remaining in boiling water. This method is my favorite because it is mild, doesn’t call for using a burner (I use a kettle to boil the water), and doesn’t need to be watched over. When you’re camping or staying in a hotel with a hot water dispenser, try this reheating method.

Soft-boiled eggs, hotdogs, tofu, and tiny amounts of green vegetables (like green beans) can all be heated by adding boiling water.

Boil water on the stove or in a kettle. Put the meal you wish to reheat in a small sauce pan, Pyrex measuring cup, or another heatproof container. Over it, pour boiling water. The food needs at least five minutes to warm up.

Using A Water Bath

The most gentle option is a water bath. It does, however, take the longest. Therefore, it’s advisable to save it for small amounts of food or extremely delicate meals (like scrambled eggs).

Directions: Put the meal in a container that can withstand heat. A glass jar was employed. Simmering water in a pot with the glass jar inside. Stir the meal frequently until it is well hot.

Frying

Many foods can be heated by frying. This is an ideal “dry” cooking techniques, is suitable for Fried foods (chicken), oil or fat in their food (pizza, Mexican pancakes, fruit pie – yes, my father-in-law with a frying pan fry a piece of cherry pie to heat), and will be wet after boiling or steaming hot food (rice, quinoa, pasta).

One of our former roommates loved to fry homemade Macs and cheese in a frying pan that she had frozen before. When heated, MAC and cheese have a nice hard crust on the outside. That’s why the pan is a great way to heat the rest of the pizza, because the pan makes the crust crisp again.

Directions: Heat food in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. If the food is not particularly greasy, add 1/2 teaspoon of oil or butter to make sure it doesn’t stick together. These instructions for reheating crepes provide a step-by-step guide.

Note: Frying pans are a great way to reheat food and turn it into a new dish. For example, you can turn dumplings into pot stickers by reheating them in a frying pan.

Bowl of hot stones

Are you seeking for a different stovetop cooking method? Employ a hot stone bowl. I can’t get enough of my Korean stone bowl. Rice, meat, and vegetables are piled in a dish called bibimbap, which I enjoy cooking at home. It cooks the entire dish when you cook it on low to medium heat with the lid on. It’s similar to the option above, but you can eat directly from the dish, simplifying cleanup.

A Korean hot stone bowl, also known as a “dolsot,” is available on Amazon or at your neighborhood Asian market. To help prevent sticking, apply cooking spray inside (I prefer cooking spray with coconut or avocado oil). Then I add the items I want to heat, such as.

Put It In The Oven And Bake It

Heating frozen pizza, casseroles, and food in an oven or toaster is a well-known method. This is also a good way to reheat a lot of food without drying.

For example, on the day after Thanksgiving, my parents in law usually have a second Thanksgiving dinner. Even if they have a microwave oven, we still use the oven to reheat the remaining Turkey, because there is too much meat, so we have to heat it in the microwave oven for a long time. In addition, the oven allows you to layer the meat and seal it to avoid drying. This is the best result of reheating the remaining Turkey.

How to eat: preheat the oven to 350 º F. Bake frozen foods according to the packaging instructions. If you want to reheat the leftovers, put them in the oven and bake them for about 20 minutes until they are completely heated.

Note: if you want to reheat the turkey, remove the remaining meat from the turkey. Put the meat on one layer. Add a few drops of water to the baking pan (no more than half a teaspoon – you don’t want to soak it). Seal the baking tray with foil. Bake at 350 º f for about 15 minutes. Check every 5 minutes after 15 minutes to make sure the turkey is not dry. When the meat is hot, it can be served out.

Use Broilers

Not to be mistaken for boiling, broilers provide very hot “dry heat”. This is a quick way to heat dry or fried foods (chips, chicken nuggets, fish sticks, pancakes). You can even use it to heat up your pizza.

Directions: Set broiler to low and place food on baking sheet. Bake for 2-3 minutes. When you’re happy with the warmth, it’s ready. You can also grill it high up, but you need to watch the food like a hawk to make sure it doesn’t burn.

Warning: Broiler overheat. This means your food can burn in less than 5 minutes when broilers are high. Turn on the oven light and watch the food heat up. Be extra careful when you take the food out, as it can easily rub on the roast chicken and burn your hands. Always use oven gloves.

Waffle Machine, Sandwich Press, Iron And Ironing Board…

If you have electricity and the surface is thick and hot, you can reheat a lot of flat foods. Waffle irons and panini presses aren’t just for heating breads, sandwiches, wraps, pancakes and cookies. You can reheat fish, chicken breasts and other flat foods without much sauce or juice.

My friend Lucy shared a photo of someone in quarantine baking bread with a hair straightener. You can make a grilled cheese sandwich with an iron and iron.

How to Use: Heat waffle iron or Panini iron. Put your sandwich on a hot plate and press. Grill food until it is hot.

Use A Higher Temperature Environment

I used to microwave cold watermelon slices in the fridge because OF my sensitive teeth. Since I didn’t have a microwave, I’ve been taking fruits and vegetables out of the fridge and “warming them up” on the kitchen counter. I use “free” ambient air to bring my food to room temperature.

For meat and other frozen foods that involve food safety, I defrost them in the fridge. Yes, it requires more advance planning than a microwave that can defrost quickly in minutes. But if you set a calendar reminder, or do it the night before, it works great.

If you’re in a hurry and can’t be flexible with your meal plan, you can dunk food in cold water to speed up thawing.

Instructions: Leave food on the counter overnight. Or leave your food in the fridge overnight to defrost.

Use A Variety Of Skills

The methods I described above complement one another well. Linking these technologies together makes sense in order to get the quickest reheating rate.

For instance, I often pack my lunch and bring it to room temperature in the morning. My lunch is then fried or cooked in a pan, and I reheat it before eating. Food that is kept at room temperature reheats much more quickly.

Reheating cold food with hot food is a second, more startling illustration of how technology is being combined. For instance, I cook curry when I want it because boiling it makes it easy to reheat. Rice heating is becoming old for me. Instead, I combine cold rice with scorching curry. 

Summary

It’s crucial to reheat food and leftovers to prepare meals, cut down on food waste, and save money. You may successfully reheat food and leftovers without a microwave by using other kitchen appliances.