Ground Beef
$2.29per plate
Prep
2 min
Dinner · Ground Beef
How to Reheat a Burger
A reheated burger does not have to be a rubbery disappointment. The trick is gentle heat and a little moisture, so the patty warms through without cooking a second time and drying out. Reheating leftovers costs nothing but a splash of water, which is the whole point: the burgers below already cost about $1.90 a plate to make, and warming them up the right way stretches that spend across a second meal. Here are the best methods, ranked, with times for each.
$1.90per plate
Estimated recipe total
$7.59 · serves 4
Cook
8 min
Total
10 min
Serves
4
1 How to make it
1
Best method: covered skillet with water
Set a cold patty in a skillet over medium-low, add a teaspoon of water, and cover with a lid. The trapped steam warms the burger through in about 3 minutes without cooking it further. This is the closest a leftover gets to fresh, juicy and evenly warm.
2
Oven for a batch
To reheat several at once, set patties on a rack over a sheet pan in a 325 F oven for 8 to 10 minutes. The gentle, even heat warms them through without the dry edges a hot oven would cause. Add cheese for the last 2 minutes.
3
Air fryer for crisp edges
Reheat at 350 F for 3 to 4 minutes. The moving air crisps the outside again, though it dries the patty faster than the skillet, so keep the time short and check at 3 minutes.
4
Microwave only if you must
Wrap the patty in a damp paper towel and microwave at half power in 30 second bursts, checking between each. Half power and the damp towel are what keep it from turning to rubber. Reheat the bun separately or not at all, since it goes tough in the microwave.
5
Refresh the bun and rebuild
Whatever method you use, toast the bun fresh in a dry skillet or the oven for 30 seconds. A warm, crisp bun does most of the work of making a reheated burger taste new again. Add fresh lettuce and tomato rather than reheating the old ones.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Skip the fresh cheese. If the burger already has cheese, just warm it as is. The optional slice is only there if you want to refresh a plain leftover patty.
- Broth or a pat of butter for the water. A splash of beef broth or a small pat of butter in the covered skillet adds a little flavor back to a patty that has been in the fridge a few days. Water works fine and costs nothing.
- Fresh bun for the original. Day-old buns can go stale in the fridge. A fresh bun, or even a slice of toast, brings a tired leftover patty back to life for pennies.
3 Budget tips
- Cook a double batch on purpose. Reheating is so easy that grilling or frying eight patties instead of four turns one cookout into two dinners for almost no added cost.
- Store patties and toppings separately. Lettuce and tomato go limp in the fridge, but a bare patty reheats perfectly, so keep them apart and dress the burger fresh.
- Freeze extra cooked patties flat in a bag. A frozen patty reheats straight from the freezer in a covered skillet, which beats buying fast food on a busy night.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Store cooked patties in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, buns and fresh toppings kept separate. Label the container with the date so you use them in time.
Freezer
Freeze cooked patties in a single layer, then bag them for up to 2 months. Reheat straight from frozen in a covered skillet over medium-low, adding a minute or two.
Reheating
The best way to reheat a burger is a covered skillet over medium-low with a teaspoon of water for about 3 minutes. The steam warms it through and keeps it juicy, where a microwave on full power dries it to rubber.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
430
Protein
26g
Fat
25g
Carbs
26g
Estimates per reheated cheeseburger, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to reheat a burger?
A covered skillet over medium-low with a teaspoon of water. The trapped steam warms the patty through in about 3 minutes without cooking it a second time, which is what keeps it juicy. The oven is best for reheating several at once.
How do I reheat a burger without drying it out?
Use gentle heat and a little moisture, and stop as soon as it is warm. The covered-skillet-with-water method is the most forgiving. Avoid a hot oven or a full-power microwave, both of which cook the patty further and squeeze out the juice.
Can you reheat a burger in the microwave?
Yes, but it is the riskiest method. Wrap the patty in a damp paper towel, use half power, and go in 30 second bursts so it warms instead of overcooking. Reheat the bun separately, since microwaved bread turns tough.
Why is there a cost on a reheating guide?
Reheating itself is free, but the badge shows what the burgers cost to make in the first place, about $1.90 a plate for four. The point of reheating well is to get a second meal out of that spend instead of tossing leftovers.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
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- 12-inch nonstick skillet. A wide nonstick skillet browns ground meat, fries rice, and builds a one-pan sauce with less oil and easier cleanup. Best for everyday stovetop dinners like skillet meals, fried rice, pasta sauces, and patties.
- Cast iron skillet. Cast iron holds heat for a deep sear and moves from stovetop to oven, and it lasts for decades with basic care. Best for searing chops and chicken, and recipes that start on the stove and finish in the oven.
- Chef's knife. One sharp chef's knife handles almost all the chopping, from onions to chicken, and replaces a drawer of gadgets. Best for all-purpose prep in essentially every recipe on the site.
- Cutting board. A large, stable cutting board makes prep faster and safer, which matters when you cook most nights. Best for everyday chopping of onion, garlic, and vegetables across nearly every recipe.
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