You’re not the only one who has ever wondered how to freeze the pizza, and the straightforward procedure can take up to three months. Before freezing your pizza, you must be aware of a few factors. We’ll provide you with some advice in this post on how to label your frozen pizza and prevent freezer burn correctly. We’ll also demonstrate how to properly label your food and use airtight containers to guarantee safety.
A fantastic option to store a prepared meal for later is to freeze the pizza. Slices of pizza should be separately wrapped and frozen. Additionally, uncooked pizza can be frozen! The dough can be prepared in advance and frozen on its own for up to two months. Or you may build a frozen meal similar to what you’d find in a store by par-baking the dough and adding your toppings. For up to three months, store your frozen pizza.
Here are Some Ways to Freeze Pizza
Supplies You’ll Need
- Plastic wrap
- Airtight container
- Aluminum foil
Freezing Cooked Pizza
- If necessary, separate the pizza into individual slices. Use a pizza cutter to separate the extra pizza into individual slices if there is a lot. If you only have one slice to freeze, skip this step.
- Note- Most pizzas are already pre-sliced yet still joined along with the dough, and you must thoroughly separate the slices from one another.
- Wrap each slice in plastic wrap separately. Set a piece of plastic wrap on the counter after tearing it off. Please ensure the pizza slice is centred before placing it on the plastic wrap. To thoroughly enclose the pizza, fold the plastic wrap’s edges over it. Repeat the process with each slice.
- To avoid sticking, wrap each slide in wax paper or aluminum foil. It would help if you surrounded the plastic wrap with something since it tends to attach to everything. Wrap the pizza slice in wax paper or aluminum foil that you have torn off.
- Note- Try freezer or parchment paper if you don’t have wax or aluminum foil.
- Pizza slice(s) should be placed in a plastic freezer bag with a label. In a freezer bag, you can fit more than one pizza slice if the bag is large enough. You can use another freezer-safe plastic container if you don’t have any freezer bags. Use a permanent marker to mark the date on the bag or container.
- Note- Put the date on a piece of masking tape and stick it to the container if you don’t want to ruin it.
- Pizza can be frozen for up to two months. Place the pizza into the freezer after making some room for it. Before you consume it, keep the pizza in the freezer. It can remain fresh for as long as two months.
- Pizza should be baked after thawing in the refrigerator for two to three hours. Take your pizza out of the freezer and unwrap it when ready to eat. Let it thaw on a platter in the refrigerator for around two to three hours. It should be baked for 5 minutes at 350 °F (177 °C) in a preheated oven.
- Note- Pizza can be defrosted and heated in the microwave, but you might not get that just-baked flavour.
- For a well-done pizza, try 375 °F (191 °C) for 12 to 15 minutes.
Freezing Uncooked Pizza
- Two layers of foil and plastic wrap are used to wrap the pizza. Use as many plastic wrap sheets as necessary to thoroughly enclose the pizza. Then, cover it in aluminum foil. Again, cover the pizza with as much foil as is required. Freezer burn can be avoided using two layers of plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
- Note- In the absence of aluminum foil, use two layers of plastic wrap.
- Use the pizza within two to three months after placing it in the freezer. Make sure the freezer has enough room to fit the pizza. Make sure the pizza is flat before placing it in the freezer. Pizza should freeze for a few hours with the freezer door closed.
- Note- Using a permanent marker, mark the plastic bag with the date. You can use this to determine how long the pizza has been frozen.
- Although you should eat the pizza within two months, you might be able to store it for three months in the freezer.
- For 10 minutes, bake the pizza in an oven that has been preheated to 500 °F (260 °C). Start the oven and let it reach 500 °F (260 °C) before using. Take the pizza out of the freezer and discard the aluminum foil and plastic wrap. Place the pizza in the oven while still on the baking pan. When the cheese has melted, turn off the oven and let the pizza bake for around 10 minutes.
- Note- The pizza doesn’t need to be thawed first.
Freezing Raw Pizza Dough
- If necessary, make the pizza dough and allow it to ferment. This technique can freeze fresh pizza dough in the form of discs or balls. If your recipe calls for you to proof the dough and ferment it, only go through the fermentation process.
- As desired, shape the dough. You might choose to shape the dough into a ball or a crust by pressing it flat. A crust will require less work later, even though a ball may be simpler to store.
- Note- To make tiny pizzas, divide the dough into smaller pieces. This will make storage simpler.
- Sprinkle flour over the dough. In a basin of flour, swing the ball around. If you used a crust, dust the back with flour after flipping it over. This is crucial because it will stop the dough from sticking throughout the following processes.
- On a baking sheet lined with parchment, freeze the dough. The dough should be spread out on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper and placed in the freezer. Concerning covering the baking sheet, don’t. You will transfer the dough into a bag once frozen; this is simply the first freezing.
- Note- Whether you formed the dough into a crust or left it as a ball, the freezing process will take longer if you leave it as a ball.
- Put the dough in a container that can be frozen. Your dough is now prepared for freezing and storage. Fill a sizable freezer bag with frozen dough balls or pie crusts. Using two layers of plastic wrap to cover a large pizza crust could be simpler.
- Within one to two months, use the dough. Set the dough down in the freezer after making some room for it. Make sure the crust, if any, is resting on a level surface. Nothing should be placed on top of the pizza.
- Note- Write the date on the plastic bag you used to store the pizza. Using this, you can track how long the pizza has been in the freezer.
- The dough must be thawed before use. The dough can be defrosted on the counter at room temperature for one to a half hours or in the refrigerator for 10 to 12 hours. Whether you freeze the dough as a ball or a disc can affect how long it takes to thaw; the ball will take longer.
- Note- Allow the dough to rise for an additional hour or two before baking it if you didn’t let it rise completely before placing it in the freezer (or turning it into a pizza crust).
Extended Tips
Food safety
Many people enjoy eating pizza but frequently overlook the value of safe storage when keeping leftovers. Pizza leftovers must be stored correctly to guarantee that they are kept fresh and safe for a few days. Here are some recommendations for properly storing pizza. Be careful you take the following actions:
Instead of the freezer, use the refrigerator to store uncooked pizza. You could get sick from eating pizza if it infects dangerous microorganisms. Pizza that hasn’t been cooked should be stored at -18°F in the freezer and below 37°F in the fridge. Pizzas that are vegetarian, vegan, or made with cured meat should only be stored in the refrigerator for two to three days. A higher risk of foodborne illness can result from storing them in the refrigerator for longer.
Extending shelf life
The easiest strategy to extend the shelf life of your pizza is to store it in an environment that discourages the growth of microorganisms. Pizza packed in 50% N2 is less shelf-stable than pizza stored in 100% CO2. In addition, you can increase the shelf life of pizza by making it yourself and following the recipe instructions. Before keeping pizza, you should be aware of many other factors.
The pizza should first be kept in the refrigerator, and Pizza should ideally be eaten within 12 to 18 months. Pizza leftovers should be stored in the fridge if they are not consumed in one sitting after ordering. Preventing spoiling is crucial. You can increase your pizza’s shelf life and make sure it stays as fresh as possible by using the following advice.
Using air-tight storage containers
Airtight storage containers are essential when it comes to making a great pizza. They can contain a large amount of dough without letting the air out, and the crust may then acquire an unpleasant dry texture, which will only worsen the longer it is exposed to the air. A glass pizza container that contains 32 ounces of dough is the ideal option for your dough. They stack well for convenient storage and are dishwasher safe.
To keep your pizza dough from adhering to the container while storing it, flour it first. Transfer the dough to the airtight storage container after it has been well floured. To keep the air out, you can wrap the container in plastic or a towel. Please put it in the refrigerator to rise after that. You can bake your pizza a few hours later, and it is that simple.
Avoiding freezer burn
To prevent eventual adverse effects, freezer burn must be avoided. Although freezer burn doesn’t necessarily imply the food is damaged, it can affect taste and texture. Fortunately, there are a few techniques to keep freezer burn at bay. Here are three suggestions for avoiding freezer burn in food. The day before, you intend to serve it, freeze it, and ensure the temperature is maintained properly.
Remove your pizza from the freezer before storing it. After that, slice it thinly. You can chop a giant pizza into smaller slices if you have one. Pre-sliced pizzas must be separated if you only intend to store a single slice because they will still be attached along with the crust. When prepared, firmly cover each slice in foil or plastic wrap. Put the wrapped slices in a freezer bag or airtight container.
Use oil or gluten-free flour to cover the dough.
You can swap out the regular flour with a gluten-free blend if you’re worried about the flavour of your pizza crust. A gluten-free and cassava flour mixture should have a similar flavour to the ordinary dough. The yeast and baking powder in gluten-free pizza dough combine to raise the dough at different periods and in varying amounts.
Don’t worry if you’re freezing a gluten-free pizza. The taste of the dough is unaffected by freezing. This dough doesn’t contain gluten, unlike pizza dough made with wheat so you can eat it whenever. Check the ingredient list if you use gluten-containing flour to ensure it is gluten-free. Calzones and breadsticks can both be made with gluten-free flour.
What is the Ideal Method for Preserving Leftover Pizza?
Stacking and wrapping is the ideal method: On a dinner plate, arrange the slices in a single layer. Add a layer of wax, foil, parchment paper, or freezer paper on top. Stack the pizza and paper alternately until all of the pizza is on the platter. Place everything in the refrigerator after carefully wrapping it in plastic wrap. I’m done now!
Is it Possible to Freeze Baked Pizza?
Pizza leftovers will keep freshest in the freezer for one to two months. If you detest waste, you don’t have to toss it out because eating beyond this point should still be okay. But since it will be at its finest within two months, it is advisable to attempt to eat it then.
Conclusion
Pizza that is freshly cooked, without a doubt, tastes better. If you can’t eat your pizza right away, freezing is still a great option for keeping it fresh for up to 3 months. The pizza you wish to keep should always be wrapped in plastic and placed somewhere it can cool properly in under two hours, and this helps it stay fresh for later use by reducing bacteria. Some toppings reheat more quickly than others, and meat toppings often reheat the best. Any pizza you have, barring any mayonnaise, should be frozen.