---
slug: how_to_reheat_fried_food
category_path: home_kitchen/kitchen_dining/cookware/saute_pans
type: informational
title: "How to Reheat Fried Food"
lead: "Reheat fried food in an oven, toaster oven or air fryer at around 190°C on a rack for a few minutes, so hot dry air re-crisps the coating while it warms through. Skip the microwave, which steams the crust soft and greasy, and don't cover it — trapped steam is exactly what makes it soggy."
recommendation:
  name: "Dry heat at ~190°C (oven, toaster oven or air fryer) on a rack, uncovered — not the microwave"
  reason: "Fried food goes soggy on reheating because its crisp coating soaks up moisture, so the goal is dry heat that drives that moisture back off. An oven or toaster oven is the reliable choice: preheat to about 190°C, set the pieces on a wire rack over a tray (or straight on a preheated sheet) so hot air reaches underneath, and heat for roughly 5–10 minutes until crisp and hot through. An air fryer does the same job faster with its strong circulating air — a few minutes at 180–200°C, shaken halfway — and is ideal for chips, nuggets and small pieces. For a shallow-fried piece like a cutlet, a hot, dry sauté pan or skillet re-crisps the underside well. Whichever you use, take the food out of the fridge a few minutes ahead so it heats evenly, keep it in a single layer, and leave it uncovered, because covering traps steam and softens the crust. Avoid the microwave for anything you want crisp — it heats fast but steams the coating limp and greasy — and if it's all you have, microwave briefly and then crisp the surface for a minute in a hot pan or air fryer."
published: 2026-07-09
updated: 2026-07-09
---


<ComparisonTable
  columns={["Method", "How", "Result"]}
  rows={[
    ["Oven", "~190°C on a rack, 5–10 min, uncovered", "Even, reliable re-crisping"],
    ["Air fryer", "180–200°C, a few min, shake halfway", "Fast and very crisp; great for small pieces"],
    ["Skillet", "Hot dry pan for shallow-fried cutlets", "Re-crisps the underside"],
    ["Microwave", "Avoid; only in a hurry, then crisp after", "Steams the crust soft and greasy"],
  ]}
/>