The Best way to reheat Stromboli in an Air Fryer
Stromboli is a delicious Italian turnover typically filled with cheese, meat, and vegetables, then rolled up into a log shape before baking. The dough seals in the savory filling, creating a handheld hot pocket bursting with flavor. Leftover stromboli makes for an easy and tasty meal the next day. However, what is the best way to reheat stromboli to get it crispy and hot without overcooking it?
One of the best methods is using an air fryer! Air frying is a great way to reheat stromboli slices quickly while crisping the crust .I will provide a step-by-step guide to perfectly reheating leftover stromboli in an air fryer, along with tips, suggestions, storage advice, and alternative reheating methods to get your stromboli back to its original delicious state.
What is Stromboli?
For those unfamiliar, stromboli is a rolled Italian turnover stuffed with your choice of cheese, meat, vegetables, and other fillings. Typical fillings include mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions, peppers, ham, and spices. The dough is stretched into a rectangle; the toppings are layered on, then rolled into a long log shape and sealed. Egg wash and spices like garlic powder, Italian seasoning, or Parmesan are often brushed on top.
Stromboli is baked until the hearty bread dough is golden brown, and the cheese and fillings are melted and piping hot inside. Slices are cut to serve, revealing the layers within. It makes for a fun and filling meal or appetizer!
What is an Air Fryer?
For those unfamiliar, an air fryer is a small countertop convection oven that uses hot air circulated at high speed to cook food. It gives a crispy, golden texture similar to deep frying but uses little to no oil. Air fryers have become popular in recent years as a healthier cooking method.
Air fryers have a basket inside to hold food while the rapidly moving hot air quickly cooks it from all sides. The compact size makes air fryers convenient for reheating smaller portions or leftovers. Preheating for 3-5 minutes before air frying helps ensure the outer layer gets super crispy.
Why Reheat Stromboli?
Eating cold or room-temperature stromboli isn’t nearly as satisfying as having it fresh and hot. There’s nothing like biting into a warm stromboli and tasting that crispy browned crust followed by the gooey mozzarella and savory fillings within.
Reheating returns a delicious crispy texture on the outer dough and melts the inner cheese and meats. It returns the stromboli to optimal hot, melty, delicious perfection.
While you can reheat stromboli in the oven, microwave, or toaster oven, air frying is one of the best options. Air frying avoids overcooking the interior filling while crisping the outer dough to perfection.
Step-by-Step Guide to Air Frying Stromboli
Equipment
- Air Fryer Butter/Olive oil
Instructions
- Allow refrigerated stromboli to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before reheating. Letting it come closer to room temp prevents the dough from getting soggy during reheating.
- Cut the stromboli into slices between 1-2 inches thick for even cooking. Thinner slices will reheat faster. Cut along the seam where the dough is sealed.
- Brush both sides of each stromboli slice with olive oil, melted butter, or cooking spray. This gives color and prevents the dough from drying in the air fryer.
Air Fryer
- Preheating the air fryer helps ensure the dough gets super crispy outside. Preheating for 3-5 minutes at 400°F is recommended.
- Place stromboli slices in the air fryer basket in a single layer without overcrowding. Too many layers prevent even reheating.
- Set the air fryer to air fry mode at 400°F and cook for 5-7 minutes until hot. Flip slices halfway through for the best results.
- Check after 5 minutes. The cheese should be melted again, and the crust should look golden brown and crispy.
Finishing Touches
- Allow the reheated stromboli to sit for 1-2 minutes before serving. This lets the interior finish heating through.
- You can add parmesan cheese or Italian seasoning on top after air frying for extra flavor. A sprinkle of red pepper flakes also adds a kick.
- Eat the stromboli immediately while hot for optimal enjoyment. Leftover individual slices can also be appropriately stored for later.
Notes
Additional Handy Tips for Air Frying
- For even crispier results, brush the tops and bottoms with olive oil or melted butter before placing them in the air fryer.
- An extra 2-3 minutes may be needed to thoroughly reheat larger stromboli rolls or thick slices. Check often to avoid overcooking.
- To reheat frozen stromboli, allow them to thaw for 10-15 minutes at room temperature before air-frying. Add 3-5 extra minutes to account for it being frozen.
- For the best results, open the air fryer basket midway through and check frequently. Adjust cook times based on thickness and your air fryer model.
- Don’t overfill the air fryer basket. Reheating in batches ensures proper air circulation for an evenly crisped crust.
Other Methods for Reheating Stromboli
While air frying is the top reheating method in terms of convenience and quick results, here are a few other ways to reheat stromboli if you don’t have an air fryer on hand: Oven – Preheat oven to 375°F. Place stromboli slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Bake for 10-15 minutes until hot, frequently checking to avoid overbaking. Toaster Oven – Great for reheating smaller portions. Set to 400°F and toast for 5-10 minutes based on thickness. Keep an eye on it to prevent burning the edges. Microwave – The quickest reheating method but can make the crust soggy. Microwave individual slices for 45 sec – 1 min, checking frequently. Cover with a damp paper towel to prevent drying out. Skillet – You can mimic the crispiness of frying by pan-frying in butter or oil over medium-high heat. Turn frequently until hot and lightly browned, about 2-5 minutes per side. The oven then Broiler – Bake at 400°F for 8-10 minutes to heat through, then broil for 30-60 seconds to crispen the crust. Watch closely to avoid burning.
Storing and Reheating Leftover Stromboli
Storage
- Stromboli is best eaten fresh, but leftovers can be stored for later.
- Let stromboli cool entirely before storing.
- Store at room temperature for 2-3 hours.
- Refrigerate for 3-5 days in an airtight container or wrapped well in plastic wrap or foil.
- Freeze for up to 3 months in freezer bags or airtight containers.
Reheating
- For refrigerated stromboli, allow it to come to room temperature before reheating for 15-20 minutes.
- For frozen stromboli, thaw first in the refrigerator, then bring to room temp before reheating.
- Reheat frozen stromboli in the oven at 300°F for 15 minutes until thawed, then follow air fryer instructions.
- Only reheat stromboli once for food safety reasons. Use leftovers within 3-5 days.