Have you ever been in the middle of preparing a meal and wondered: can plates go in the oven? The last thing you want is to potentially ruin or damage a nice dish, or cause lasting harm to your oven.
Luckily, this guide has lots of handy information that will help you determine exactly what plates can and can't go in the oven. Read on to ensure your dishes are kept in peak condition.

Can Plates Go in the Oven?
The short answer? Yes!
But as a longer answer, this isn't true across the board. There are certain kinds of oven-safe plates that are okay to put in the oven especially at low temperatures. Others will burn, melt, warp, or be otherwise damaged by the heat.
As a rule, look at the bottom of the plate to see if any text indicates the plate is "oven safe." This may be printed, embossed, or show an oven- safe symbol.
Why would one might need to keep a plate in the oven? There are lots of reasons, but the primary one is to keep food warm. It can be convenient to ensure one component of a dish stays hot while you work on preparing other aspects.
For instance, if you're making fajitas, you'll want the tortillas to stay warm and soft while you cook the filling.
Recipes that Are Good to Keep Warm in the Oven
- Chicken Fajita Skillet Tacos - As mentioned above, keeping tortillas on a plate in the oven is a great way to keep them warm and pliable while you prepare a fajita filling.
- Crock Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos - The same logic applies to soft tortillas for chicken tacos!
- Pepperoni Bread - If you want to make sure your pepperoni bread is warm and melty when you serve it, keep it hot in the oven until it's ready.
- Oven Baked Sausage and Peppers with Potatoes - A dish like this is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. If your family's schedule is hectic, you may not all be able to eat at the same time. Put a portion on a plate in the oven to keep it warm for any latecomers to dinner.
- Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes - For a holiday dinner, your side dishes may be ready before the main course. Keep things like potatoes in the oven so they're fresh and crispy when you serve them!
- Warm Brussels Sprout Slaw - Especially for side dishes like this slaw, the oven is a great way to keep them warm but not hot. Store in the oven at a low temperature just to prevent the slaw from getting lukewarm.
Oven Safe Plates
Not every type of plate is safe to keep in the oven. In addition, not ever oven-safe plate is safe in the oven at all temperatures. Here are some tips and things to watch out for when considering a plate for oven use.
Metal Plates - Plates made from metal like stainless steel are fine to put in the oven. Just be aware that they'll be hot when you take them out. Use a protective layer to pick up metal from the oven.
Glass Plates - Most glass plates are oven-safe, as long as they're not submitted to thermal shock. This is what happens when there is a sudden temperature change and glass is suddenly exposed to an extremely high temperature, or moved from a hot oven to cold water. If using glass, make sure it's only in reasonable temperatures and allow it to cool before washing.
Ceramic Bakeware and Plates - Ceramic dishes are generally good for the oven. There are some exceptions, including plates with any kind of vinyl decals or certain glazed ceramics. Ensure your ceramic plate is oven-safe before using.
Porcelain Plates - Though not as common, porcelain is a great material to cook with. It's durable and can withstand fairly extreme temperature changes.
Cast Iron Plates - Like other metal plates, cast iron is fine to go in the oven. Once again, be careful of how hot the plate will be when removing.
Silicone Plates - Using food-grade silicone is a great option, as it can withstand incredibly high temperatures and is virtually indestructible.
Plates That DO NOT Go in the Oven
Here are some plates that almost never do well when faced with oven temperatures.
- Plastic Plates - While some plastics are alright at high temperatures, most plastic plates will melt, burn, and potentially release harmful gases.
- Disposable Plates - This includes things like plain white paper plates and styrofoam plates. Because they're disposable, paper products are not manufactured to be durable in extreme heat. These plates pose a fire threat at very high temperatures, and melted styrofoam can release bad chemicals into the food or air. Also never put paper towels in teh oven either.
- Wooden Plates - This type of plate can burn or warp in the oven.
How to Tell if a Plate is Oven Safe?
As a general rule, when in doubt, look for a label on the dish that explicitly mentions that it's safe to use in the oven. It may be in text or there may be an oven icon for indication that it can withstand high heat.
If you're unsure about whether or not a plate is safe for the oven, err on the side of caution. Default to something that is guaranteed to be okay when exposed to high temperatures like a baking sheet pan.
In a pinch, you may be able to find information online, or even contact the manufacturer to double-check.
More Oven Safety Tips
- Almost any plate that's been in the oven for an extended period of time will be very hot. Use oven mitts or some other protective layer to remove or adjust the plate.
- Don't leave any dish unattended for too long.
- To avoid fires and other hazards, clean your oven and get rid of built of grease, grime, and other bits of food.
- If a fire starts in the oven, turn it off and keep the door closed until the fire is out.
- Keep a fire extinguisher close to your oven, just in case.
- Don't use your oven for storage. You may forget and turn it on, which could potentially damage whatever dishes or items are kept inside.
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