How to reheat pita bread - The best way

Who doesn’t like fresh and hot pita bread to accompany sauces and dips? We also love filling the hot pita pocket with meat and all kinds of fillings. But you can’t enjoy pita bread well when it’s cold.

What is the best way to reheat pita bread? The best way to reheat pita bread is over an open flame. The fire makes the pita bread hot, puffy, and well charred. Other methods for reheating pita bread are in the oven, microwave, skillet or toaster oven, and on the grill. 

In this article, you will get step-by-step instructions on how to reheat pita bread on fire and many other ways as well.

Not only that, but we’ll also tell you how to reheat frozen pita bread and how to get dry pitas hot and soft.

Can pita bread be reheated?

Pita, the famous Middle Eastern bread, is at its best when it’s hot. Of course, you can eat the pita bread cold. However, heating pita bread makes it softer and somehow more delicious.

If you have pita bread from a few days ago and you don’t feel like eating it, reheat it. Reheating the pita bread revives it and makes it taste like it was freshly baked.

How to store pita bread to reheat later

If you’re a pita lover but also worried about carbs, you need to find a way to store your leftover pitas for later use. If you don’t store your bread properly, reheating it won’t make it taste very good.

If you plan to reheat and eat the bread within a few days, the best place to store the bread is in resealable plastic bags. Put the pita bread in the bag, squeeze out any excess air, and close it tightly.

For long-term storage, the freezer is the ideal place for pita bread. Wrap the bread in food wrap or put it in resealable plastic bags, pushing out any excess air.

Then, wrap the bread in a layer of aluminum foil to protect it from freezer burn and drying out.

Pita bread stored in the freezer keeps well for up to 3 months.

Do not leave the pita bread in a regular plastic bag. The plastic bags that bread comes in can trap moisture, especially if you expose the bag to fluctuations in temperature. This will make the bread moldy and soggy quickly.

The best way to reheat pita bread

There are many ways to reheat pita bread, but the easiest, fastest, and most effective is to reheat pita bread over an open flame.

This is the best way to reheat pita bread:

1. Turn on the gas stove. Keep the heat low to medium.
2. Put the pita bread over the open flame with tongs.
3. Leave the bread on the open flame for about 40 seconds. It will begin to swell and create the familiar pita pocket.
4. Flip the pita bread over to the other side so it heats evenly. The open flame will also make the bread nicely charred.
5. Leave the bread on the flame for another 40 seconds.
6. Remove the bread from the gas stove and put it in a plastic bag. The steam from the bag will revive the bread and give it a much fresher taste.
7. After a few minutes, remove the bread from the plastic bag and serve it with your favorite fillings and sauces. You will be surprised at how soft and chewy the warm bread is. Like it was freshly baked!

Other Methods to Reheat Pita Bread

As we have mentioned, there are several ways to reheat pita bread. Here are other methods in case you don’t want to deal with open flame.

Method 1: In the oven

There are two ways to reheat pita bread in the oven.

The first method is to wrap the pita bread in aluminum foil and leave it in the oven for about 10 minutes. The foil wrapper will keep the bread warm evenly.

Another way to reheat pita bread in the oven is to put it on the oven rack. Make sure you put the rack higher so that the bread is well charred. The bread will also puff up well in the oven.

10 minutes in the oven heated to 350 degrees F is enough for the pitas to heat through.

Tip : When you reheat the pita in the oven without foil, brush it with a little olive oil on both sides and season it. Doing this will make the bread taste even better.

Method 2: In the microwave

The microwave is, as always, the fastest reheating method. You can reheat pita bread in the microwave without any fuss by simply placing it on a microwave-safe plate and reheating for about 15 seconds.

If you don’t need the pitas to be whole and you have a few more minutes, you can do the following

Cut the pitas into triangles. Put the pieces on a plate lined with a damp paper towel. Microwave the bread for about 30 seconds.

Afterwards, you can continue heating the pita bread in 15-second intervals until it’s hot.

Method 3: In the skillet/skillet

When you’re in an active cooking process, the most convenient way to quickly reheat pita bread is in a very hot skillet or casserole dish.

Brush the pita bread with olive oil and put it in a hot skillet or saucepan. A few minutes per side will make the bread piping hot and puffy.

If you are reheating multiple pitas, be sure to keep the hot ones covered until you finish reheating them all.

Method 4: On the grill

You can also reheat pita bread on the grill. To do this, spread the bread with a little olive oil on both sides. Place the pita breads on the grill, grilling for about 40 seconds on each side.

Grilled pita bread, with the strips toasted, looks exceptionally appetizing.

Method 5: In the toaster oven

If you have a toaster oven, you can use it to reheat the pita bread. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap the pita bread in aluminum foil and leave it in the toaster oven for about 10 minutes.

Related questions

Now that we’ve shown you the best ways to reheat pita bread, let’s dive into some additional questions you may have.

How to reheat pita bread so that it is soft again?

It is a common problem for pita bread to dry out. Especially if you leave the bag half open after taking one out.

But if the pita bread has dried out, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad. As long as there is no mold or any organic growth on the bread, the chances of saving it are very high.

Here’s what you need to do to revive dry pita bread:

1. Moisten a clean kitchen towel. The towel should not be soaked. Drain to remove excess moisture. Make sure there are no dry spots on the towel or it will burn.
2. Wrap the dry pita bread in the damp towel.
3. Place the bread on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for about 10 seconds. You can also use the oven to reheat the bread. Leaving the bread in the preheated 200 degree F oven for about 10 minutes will cause the bread to warm up and soften.

If you want to make your job easier, use parchment paper instead of a towel . Using parchment paper is more convenient if you are reheating a few pitas at a time.

Wet the parchment paper. Squeeze it to make it moist more quickly. Wrap the pitas in the damp parchment paper and stack. Reheat them in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

Tip : If you want the bread to soften and reheat without a damp towel or parchment paper, leave the pitas in a plastic bag along with a damp slice of bread for about 12 hours. The pitas will absorb the moisture from the bread and soften.

How to reheat frozen pita bread?

Freezing pita bread is a good way to keep it longer, but how do you reheat frozen pita bread?

To reheat frozen pita bread, you first need to thaw it . Take the bread out of the freezer and leave it at room temperature until it comes back to life. It is not necessary to remove the bread from the plastic bag in which it has been frozen.

Since the pita is not very large and is also thin, the bread will not take long to defrost.

Once the bread is defrosted, sprinkle a few drops of water on it and microwave it for about 10 seconds. You already have warm pita bread for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

If you have time, you can use other methods to reheat the bread.

Note : Do not refreeze pita bread once thawed. Drastic temperature changes and condensation will make the bread too soggy. Refreezing bread can also cause it to taste stale.