How to Reheat a Cheeseburger

Co-authored by Janice Tieperman

Leftover cheeseburgers are a delicious option for lunch and dinner, but they don’t taste quite as fresh after a night in the refrigerator. When reheating a cheeseburger, the trick is to disassemble the burger and heat the patty and bun separately before putting them back together. You can have a delicious and warm cheeseburger in a matter of minutes by using your microwave, oven, or stovetop.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Disassembling the Burger

1
Let the burger rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Place the entire cheeseburger onto a counter or table and let it adjust to room temperature. This makes it easier for the burger to remain an even and consistent temperature during the reheating process.^{[1]
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- Make sure that you don’t leave the meat out for more than 2 hours, or else it might go bad.
2
Separate the burger contents onto a flat surface. Lay down on a cutting board or paper towel and take the cheeseburger apart on top of it. Sort the burger’s contents into different piles: the buns, burger patty, toppings, and condiments. When you go to eat the burger, you don’t want to be biting into any warm vegetables.^{[2]
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3
Scrape the cheese and condiments off the patty and buns with a dinner knife. A little can remain, but most of it should be removed. The burger will taste much more fresh and delicious if you add new condiments, anyway. Keeping the cheese on the burger patty won’t change how the patty reheats, but it could melt off during the warming process.^{[3]
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- Consider having some slices of American cheese on hand.
4
Examine the vegetables and other toppings for freshness. Lettuce and tomatoes have a tendency to get soggy during storage, so you may need to toss them. Pickles, onions, bacon, and other toppings with a lower water content tend to be okay and can be saved.^{[4]
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- If you want your burger to taste as fresh as possible, consider adding new slices of tomato, lettuce, and onions.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Using the Microwave

1
Place the patty on a microwave-safe plate. Use a microwave-safe plate or paper towel sheet to reheat your burger patty. Make sure to center the patty in the middle of plate so the burger can be warm throughout.^{[5]
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- Look on the bottom of the plate or dish to locate a microwave-safe label.
2
Microwave the patty for 1-2 minutes using a lower power setting. Set the patty into the microwave and close the door before starting to reheat the meat. Since the meat is cooked already, make sure to use the reheat or set the microwave to a low power (i.e, 30%) so you don’t cook the cheeseburger all over again. If your patty is especially thick, try pausing the microwave cycle and flipping over the burger.^{[6]
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- The exact amount of time can vary depending on the thickness of the burger patty and the wattage of your microwave. Check your microwave’s user manual to see if it includes any recommended reheat times.
3
Touch the patty to see if it’s warm. Touch the meat with a single finger to see how warm the meat is. If the burger is warm to the touch, then you can remove it from the microwave. If the meat is cold or just lukewarm, consider heating it for a little longer.
4
Reheat the patty as needed in 30 second increments. Try warming the patty for at least 30 seconds if the meat still hasn’t reached your desired temperature. If the burger is especially cold, try reheating it for another half minute. If you’ve reached the 1 minute mark but your patty is still cool to the touch, continue reheating in 10 second intervals.^{[7]
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- If you want to add a fresh piece of cheese, place it on top of the patty and microwave the two together for another 10 seconds.
5
Warm your burger buns for 60 seconds at a lower power setting. Wrap the buns in a slightly damp paper towel and heat them at 30-50% power in your microwave. Reheat the buns for 60 seconds, and see if they’re toasty enough for the burger.^{[8]
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- Aim for the cheeseburger buns to be warm, not hot.
6
Put the burger contents back together. Take the warmed burger patty and slide it between the reheated buns. If you’re reusing any old toppings like tomato and onion slices, put them in now—if not, grab some fresh slices from the refrigerator and place them on your burger. Add more condiments if you’d prefer to do so (i.e, ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, etc.).

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Heating in the Oven

1
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). This temperature is important, as it will heat the burgers quickly without overcooking them in the process. It’s important to do this ahead of time so your oven will be preheated by the time you’ve prepared the burger patty.^{[9]
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2
Set the patty on top of a metal rack and place it in the oven. Take a metal cooking rack and place the patty on top of it. Slide this metal rack onto a wide cooking pan or baking sheet, so no leftover grease from the patty falls onto the oven floor. Once you’ve assembled the rack and pan, go ahead and set them into the oven.^{[10]
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- If you’re using a baking pan, consider lining it with a sheet of aluminum foil for extra protection.
- Be sure to close the oven door after putting in the patty.
3
Flip the patty over after 3 minutes. Set a timer for 3 minutes and wait for the burger to reheat. Once the timer goes off, take a moment to flip the patty to ensure that the meat is heating evenly on both sides. Be sure to use an oven mitt or hot pad when you do this.
4
Add the buns onto the rack after flipping the patties. While you have the oven open, go ahead and put the cheeseburger buns on the rack, sticking them next to the flipped burgers. Keep the oven light on to ensure that the buns don’t burn in the last 2 minutes.
- If you want to melt additional cheese onto the patty, place a fresh slice on top of the burger during the last 1 or 2 minutes.
5
Wait another 2 minutes before removing the food. Set another timer for 2 minutes and wait for your burger patty and buns to reheat. If possible, turn on the oven light so you can keep a closer eye on the food and ensure that nothing is burning.^{[11]
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- Ideally, your cheeseburger buns will look toasted when you remove them.
6
Combine the burger and patty with other condiments and toppings. Stick the warmed patty between the toasted buns, and add any extra toppings that you saved from before. If you don’t have any leftover toppings, feel free to grab some lettuce and tomato slices from the fridge. Finish reassembling your cheeseburger by adding the condiments of your choice to the patty and buns.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Steaming on the Stovetop

1
Place the patty in a sauté pan and add tap water. Place the burger patty in a small pan that can comfortably fit the patty. Pour in enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Add 0.5 cups (120 mL) of water, or enough to create a thin layer on the bottom of the pan.^{[12]
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- Make sure that you have a lid that fits this pan, as the lid will be essential to the reheating process.
- Alternatively, you can add some chicken stock or white wine instead of water to give the patty an extra dimension of flavor.
- Since you’re unable to reheat the buns in the sauté pan, consider using the microwave or oven to warm them.
2
Cover the patty let it steam for 5 to 7 minutes. Place the pan on your stove, and set the stovetop to medium-high heat. Secure the lid on top of the pan before letting the patty sit for 5 to 7 minutes.^{[13]
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- By covering the pan, you allow steam to build up inside. This steam is the primary heat source responsible for reheating the patty.
- If you want to add a fresh slice of cheese, remove the lid and place the cheese on top for 30 to 60 seconds. Keep the lid off while the cheese melts.
3
Remove the patty from the pan and let it sit for 30 seconds. Take the patty out of the pan and transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate. Allow it to sit for 30 seconds, as this rest time should allow most excess water to drip off. After this, the burger should be a perfect temperature for eating.^{[14]
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- The liquid in the pan can be discarded at this point. Wait until the pan is slightly cooler before pouring any excess fluid into the sink.
4
Reassemble the cheeseburger with your desired condiments. Take the cheeseburger patty and place it in between the reheated buns. At this point, decide what kinds of toppings and condiments you want to add. Add ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, pickles, onions, lettuce, and tomato as you see fit.

Community Q&A
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Question

Can I reheat a McDonald's cheeseburger?

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Yes, it is perfectly fine to reheat a McD's hamburger. However, care must be taken to do so in a way that prevents making it soggy and undesirable, so we suggest you check out the above instructions to help you get it right.
Question

Can I reheat a veggie burger?

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Yes, you can reheat a veggie burger. In fact, most purchased veggie burgers are already fully cooked and are just being reheated when you make them anyway. For reheating a homemade or commercial veggie burger, remove from the packaging or bun (and remove any salad or cheese that was in the bun), and place in the oven or microwave to reheat slowly. Ensure it is heated thoroughly before building your veggie burger; it won't need as long as a meat burger though, so keep an eye on it to prevent burning or drying out. If microwaving, it's a good idea to add a glass of water at the same time, to add moisture to the veggie burger.
Question

Can you reheat cooked beef burgers?

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Sure, you can reheat cooked beef burgers but two things must be done: first, the burgers must have been refrigerated and not left out at room temperature and second, the burgers must be reheated sufficiently to raise the internal temperature to 165ºF to ensure they are safe. Reheating methods that retain moisture and heat sufficiently are suggested in the article above.