Have you fallen prey to the irresistible lure of the classic Burger King Whopper? Ordered a few too many, and now you’re wondering if you can store them to reheat later?
You’re in luck.
I’ve tested four different reheating methods to determine how best to keep your patties juicy and your buns soft and fresh. I’ve also managed to establish which condiments and toppings you can save in the process.
Of course, how you store your leftover Whoppers is just as important as how you reheat them, so I’ve included some tips for refrigerating and freezing them too.
In a rush? Here’s the short answer.
The best way to reheat a Whopper is in a frying pan. Remove the lettuce, condiments, and buns add place the patty in a medium-hot frying pan. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the pan and cover. Fry for 1-2 minutes, then toast the buns separately. Assemble and serve immediately after reheating.
A note on my experiment
Over the weekend, I brought a few too many tasty Whopper burgers home, so I decided to save them and experiment with different reheating methods the next day.
I wanted to learn how to retain the Whopper’s signature taste of flame-grilled goodness in a soft, sesame seed bun and what to do with the lettuce, pickles, onion, mayo, and ketchup.
The techniques I tried included:
- Reheating a Whopper in a frying pan (best results overall)
- Reheating a Whopper in the oven (convenient for reheating several Whoppers at once)
- Reheating a Whopper in the microwave (quick and convenient with okay results)
- Reheating a Whopper in the air fryer (most disappointing, dried out the burger)
In terms of restoring a Whopper to its former glory, the frying pan method works best. It reinvigorates the flavors of the burger without drying out the different components.
The oven method, on the other hand, produces a noticeably dryer burger lacking in the Whopper’s well-known chargrilled taste.
The Whopper reheated in the microwave was still really delicious, but it didn’t taste as fresh as the one I reheated in the frying pan.
I wouldn’t recommend using the air fryer method, as this renders the burger dry, chewy, and a little dull in flavor.
Related: How To Reheat A Big Mac
Reheating a Whopper in a frying pan
Deconstruct your Whopper and set the toppings aside. Scrape off as much mayo and ketchup as possible. On medium-high heat, fry your patty (in an oiled pan) for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the buns to the frying pan, add a splash of water, cover, and heat for a further 1 minute. Reassemble and serve.
If you prefer, you can opt to toast your buns separately instead of steaming them in the pan with the patty.
How to reheat a Whopper in a frying pan:
- Disassemble your Whopper.
- Place the lettuce, onion, tomato, and pickles to one side.
- Scrape off the mayo and ketchup and set aside.
- Set your stove to medium-high heat.
- Lightly oil a frying pan.
- Fry your patty for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add a small splash of water to the pan, add your buns and cover for one minute.
- Reassemble* your burger and serve immediately.
*Note: you may choose to either reuse or replace the burger’s veggies and condiments. As a general rule, burger lettuce, in particular, doesn’t keep well for more than a day in the fridge.
Adding a little water to the pan at the end of this reheating process restores some lost moisture to both the patty and the buns.
Covering the pan steams the bread and warms it evenly.
The oil in the frying pan brings out the patty’s signature flame-grilled taste, reintroducing the burger’s overall just-made taste.
My verdict
This is my favorite way to reheat a Whopper.
The patty tasted almost as good as new, and the steamed buns felt even softer than when they were first prepared.
To crown it off, adding fresh mayo, ketchup, and lettuce really goes a long way to restoring this burger’s original taste.
Reheating a Whopper in the oven
Set your oven to 350°F (180°C). Disassemble your Whopper. Set the toppings and condiments aside. Wrap the patty in foil and heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle the buns with water, wrap them in foil, and heat concurrently for 4 minutes (or toast them separately for 30 seconds). Reassemble and serve.
For best results, turn the patty once at the halfway mark. This will ensure it is heated evenly.
How to reheat a Whopper in the oven:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Disassemble your Whopper.
- Set the toppings and condiments to one side.
- Wrap the patty in foil and heat for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once.
- Sprinkle your buns lightly with water.
- Wrap them in foil and add them to the oven at the halfway mark.
- Remove the burger components from the oven, reassemble, and serve.
Adding water to the buns reintroduces some moisture. You may also want to sprinkle a tiny bit of water on the patty before wrapping it in foil.
Related: How To Cook Burgers In The Oven Without Smoke
I highly recommend removing the toppings, mayo, and ketchup as possible before proceeding with this reheating technique.
When reassembling, you can either reuse the Whopper’s onion, lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles or replace them for an extra kick of freshness.
My verdict
Unfortunately, added moisture notwithstanding, this technique still dried out my Whopper to a noticeable degree.
While the patty tasted good, it was distinctly less smokey than before and duller in flavor.
The oven is a good way to reheat several Whoppers at a time, but it is a little disappointing and unnecessarily labor-intensive for just one.
Reheating a Whopper in the microwave
Remove the Whopper’s lettuce, onion, tomato, and pickles and set aside. Cover the burger with a damp piece of paper towel and place it on a microwave-safe plate. On medium-high heat, microwave the burger in 30-second intervals until piping hot. Allow resting for 30 seconds, reassemble, and serve.
Typically, reheating a Whopper in the microwave won’t take longer than about a minute.
How to reheat a Whopper in the microwave:
- Remove the veggie toppings from the patty and set them aside.
- Cover the burger with a piece of damp paper towel on a microwave-safe plate.
- On medium-high heat, microwave the burger in 30-second increments.
- Once piping hot, remove from the microwave and rest the burger for 30 seconds.
- Readd the burger toppings (or replace them) and serve immediately.
Covering the burger with a damp paper towel introduces steam to the microwave, turning stale buns soft and fresh (great for Whoppers that have been in the fridge for a while).
However, wrapping the burger too tightly can make the bottom bun soggy, so try to avoid this.
For an added boost, use fresh vegetables when you reassemble your Whopper.
My verdict
The microwave method is really convenient, and the result is a delicious burger with soft buns and a juicy patty.
It didn’t taste 100% freshly made, though, as the microwave doesn’t restore the smokey taste of the meat.
The secret to pillowy, soft buns is the damp paper towel.
Reheating a Whopper in the air fryer
Set the air fryer to 350°F (180°C). Disassemble the burger, setting the toppings aside. Sprinkle the patty with water and place in the fryer basket for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once. Sprinkle the buns with water. Once the patty is heated, toast the buns for 30 seconds. Reassemble and serve.
This method (and its result) is similar to the oven method but slightly more convenient.
How to reheat a Whopper in the air fryer:
- Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (180°C).
- Disassemble the burger, setting the toppings aside and scrape away the condiments.
- Sprinkle the patty lightly with water.
- Place it in the basket and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once.
- Meanwhile, sprinkle the bun halves with water.
- Once the patty is heated, remove it from the basket.
- Toast the bun halves in the basket for 30 seconds.
- Reassemble the burger and serve.
This is quite a harsh direct heating method, so keep an eye on the patty to make sure you don’t burn or overcook it.
While adding water to the buns is meant to reintroduce some moisture, it isn’t terribly effective, and the buns generally end up quite crispy.
My verdict
This method produced the worst results, in my opinion. The burger patty was dry, and the buns weren’t soft. Instead, they were dehydrated and crunchy.
If you choose the air fryer for convenience, save yourself the trouble and opt for the microwave method instead.
How to store a Whopper
To keep your Whopper as fresh as possible, wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Remove lettuce, tomato, pickles, and onions that may make the Whopper soggy, and discard or store them in a different container. Consume the burger within 3 to 4 days.
If you want to cut back on plastic, you can tightly wrap your Whopper in a paper towel instead before storing it.
Can you freeze a Whopper?
Remove the lettuce, onion, tomato, and pickles from your Whopper. Next, wrap the burger tightly in plastic wrap. Place it in a freezer bag, removing as much air as possible before sealing. You can keep Whoppers in the freezer for 3 months, but they are freshest when reheated within 1 month.
A double layer of protection keeps your Whoppers safe from freezer burn and locks in existing moisture.
How to freeze a Whopper:
- Allow your Whopper to cool to room temperature.
- Disassemble the burger, removing its toppings.
- Reassemble the buns and patty and wrap tightly in plastic or paper towel.
- Place in a zip-lock freezer bag.
- Remove excess air and seal the bag tightly.
- Consume within 3 months.
To remove excess air from a freezer bag (if you don’t have a vacuum sealer), you can press down on it with your hands while you close it or use a straw to suck out the extra air.
I strongly advise removing the veggies from the burger as they will neither freeze nor defrost well and will likely ruin your burger when reheated.
How to thaw a frozen Whopper
The best way to thaw a frozen Whopper burger is to place it in the fridge overnight. If it is frozen solid, it may take up to 8 hours to thoroughly defrost. Once thawed, you can use any of the methods outlined above to reheat it.
When you have reheated your Whopper, adding fresh toppings and condiments will reinvigorate your burger and give it a lovely flavor.
How to reheat a frozen Whopper
Set your oven to 400°F (200°C). Separate the patty from the buns. Warm the patty, wrapped in foil, in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, turning once. Meanwhile, on a paper-towel-lined microwave-safe plate, zap your buns for 20 seconds in the microwave. Reassemble and serve immediately.
*Note: you can also use your air fryer if you have one.
Resting your buns on a dry paper towel in the microwave will soak up excess moisture.
Adding fresh toppings will renew the taste of your burger.
How long does a Whopper last?
If you’re wondering how long you can keep your Whoppers for, you can use the following guidelines.
- Room temperature: Cooked food should never stand out for more than 2 hours once cooled. For this reason, store your Whoppers as soon as they are at room temperature.
- Refrigerated: In the fridge, Whoppers will stay fresh for 3 to 4 days. The buns tend to go stale after 2 to 3 days. Remove the toppings before storing.
- Frozen: You can store Whoppers in the freezer for up to 3 months, but you’ll have the freshest-tasting results if you reheat them within 1 month.
Related: You know what always goes great with a Whopper? Onion rings. Read How To Reheat Onion Rings Now.
The Best Way To Reheat A Whopper
Ingredients
- 1 portion Burger King Whopper
Instructions
- Disassemble your Whopper.
- Place the lettuce, onion, tomato, and pickles to one side.
- Scrape off the mayo and ketchup and set aside.
- Set your stove to medium-high heat.
- Lightly oil a frying pan.
- Fry your patty for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add a small splash of water to the pan, add your buns and cover for one minute.
- Reassemble* your burger and serve immediately.
![How To Reheat Cobbler [I Test 4 Methods]](https://pantryandlarder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Featured-image-cobbler-200x200.jpg)
![How To Reheat Texas Roadhouse Rolls [I Test 5 Methods]](https://pantryandlarder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Featured-image-Texas-Roadhouse-rolls-200x200.jpg)
![How To Reheat Focaccia [I Test 5 Methods]](https://pantryandlarder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Featured-image-focaccia-200x200.jpg)
![How To Reheat Biscuits [I Test 5 Methods]](https://pantryandlarder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Featured-image-biscuits-200x200.jpg)