You were thinking of ordering more pizza for the party, and now, you ended up with 3 untouched boxes on your table!
What to do now? Would you throw them away? Well – stop – why not freeze the leftover pieces so that you have a treat for yourself later?
Pizzas are easy to store in fridges for some days. But this would need the right method to keep them fresh.
So, how can you freeze delivery pizza?
The best method to freeze delivery pizza is to separate slices in a container or bag. Wrap them with an outer covering like aluminum foil and keep them inside the box, ensuring no air enters. It will keep your pizzas good for around 4 days. You can easily reheat them in the oven to eat them later.
Read on to learn about freezing pizzas, cooking or reheating them, and many more.
Can You Freeze Delivery Pizza?
Of course, you can! What are fridges for?
As you store your leftover pizzas in the fridge from a takeout, you have more food for later.
Some people worry that the pizza will become bad due to freezing temperatures. But with the right method of covering and storing them, they will remain good for a couple of days.
In fact, the proper storing method can also allow you to freeze pizzas for months.
Best Ways to Freeze Delivery Pizzas
Regardless of how you decide to freeze your pizzas, like aluminum foil, a Ziploc bag, or a baking sheet, you must follow some steps to do it right.
- Let your pizza cool to room temperature before storing them.
- Separate the slices as you will store them apart to prevent any sticking.
- Cover each slice completely with plastic wrap and then the aluminum foil to retain moisture.
- Now place them on the baking tray and freeze them for 3 to 4 hours.
- As the slices are frozen, take the Ziploc bag or an airtight container to store inside the fridge.
1. Storing Pizza in Slices
It is better to store pizzas as separate pieces rather than the whole pie. When you cover each one, they won’t stick and damage from the moisture of another. Besides, pizza stacks can dry faster.
So, wrap each slice in separate plastic covers with aluminum for double protection. Now you can use your storage container to keep them in the fridge.
2. Using a Vacuum Sealer
Other than a regular container or Ziploc bags, use a vacuum sealer for the pizzas. These are even better for keeping your pizzas longer inside the fridge. There won’t be any discoloring, either. But the best part is vacuum sealing is very convenient.
You can either use a handheld hose or one without any hose to store pizzas. They will both freeze and allow you to reheat the pizzas.
Some Freezing Tips and Tricks
Keeping things inside the fridge doesn’t mean tossing them in a corner. Besides, pizzas need more care. So, keep in mind what you have to do.
- Let the pizza slices cool to room temperature for at least two hours.
- Keep warm pizzas as a whole inside the fridge to cool down quickly.
- Cover the slices when they are cooling outside.
- Store them individually, so you don’t need to take out the entire thing to reheat.
How Long Can You Freeze Delivery Pizza?
Delivery pizzas that were carefully stored and allowed to cool can remain good for around three to four days. But the quality starts to degrade with the days passing. This is why you might find some of them ruined even after storage.
If you keep the pizzas in airtight containers or zip-loc at zero degrees for freezing, they can remain for up to two months. But you must only let a slice thaw or defrost by taking out the whole thing.
Freezing doesn’t retain the freshness, however.
Is It Better to Freeze Pizza Cooked or Uncooked?
It depends on the type of food you would store. A cooked pizza is fully ready. The uncooked pizza is either raw or semi-cooked with some toppings and sauce. So, the best practice for storing your pizzas would be to cook them. Otherwise, these can get too hard to eat or cook later.
You can also choose a suitable temperature to freeze uncooked pizzas. But these won’t last long like the baked ones.
How to Cook Frozen Pizza in an Oven?
The oven is the most common way of reheating or cooking frozen pizzas.
- First, let your pizzas thaw for a while.
- Preheat the oven to a temperature of around 450 to 500 F.
- Now, bake the pizzas for 10 to 15 minutes until the crust becomes golden brown.
Using a Skillet to Cook
If you don’t have an oven, don’t worry; there are other options to cook a frozen pizza. The skillet can revive your frozen pizzas very well.
- Use the lid and let the skillet heat on medium for some time.
- Place the pizza slices and cook till the crust turns crispy.
- Add some water to the skillet to produce steam. It will cook the toppings even better.
Proper Method to Thaw Frozen Pizza
To thaw your pizzas, simply take them out from the fridge and let them sit on a surface for some time. They will slowly defrost and return to room temperature. Then they get ready for reheating.
If the pizzas were kept at zero degrees, you need a thorough pizza defrosting. For this, you can try the water bowl method, where you place the slices in a bowl of water, usually warm. Then the pizzas will easily defrost.
You can also use the microwave to heat the pizzas for 2 to 3 minutes to let them defrost. The electric oven can also do this within 10 minutes at 450 F. Use a pan for the pizzas and spray some oil before heating.
Ways to Refresh Frozen Leftover Pizza
Freezing temperature ruins the taste of your favorite pizza. But there are ways to revive them with some spicing up.
1. Baking with a Pizza Stone
This item is the holy grail for baking pizzas. It will evenly distribute heat to cook the frozen pizza from all over. Your pizza can then feel freshly baked from the oven again.
2. Seasoning the Crust
Use a little herb or other seasonings, except salt, on the crust. It includes oil, especially one that is flavored. These will add the lost flavors and freshen up the pizza.
3. Addition of Toppings
Make or take new toppings of your choice and add them to the already-cooked pizza. Meaty toppings like chicken, pork, seafood, etc., work best.
For veggie toppings, you can add bell peppers, mushrooms, chives, oregano, or even fruits like figs, pineapple, etc. Just don’t overload the crust.
4. Top off with More Cheese
Now that you add more toppings, you need more cheese to hold everything together. Mozzarella, feta, or parmesan is alright, but you will have the best taste from burrata cheese. It will offer an elegant touch.
5. Broiler Method
When any food is broiled, it is also evenly cooked. So, after preparing your pizza again, better to use a broiler if you don’t have a pizza stone.
The heat will re-cook your pizza with a crispy, golden brown color. But there won’t be any overcooking. Use a baking sheet on the broiler and cook each pizza slice for 4 to 5 minutes.
6. Drizzle Some Oil
Your pizza will remain incomplete without some oil. Good old olive oil on top is enough, but you can try something new like balsamic vinegar, honey, or lemon juice.
How To Tell If The Pizza Has Gone Bad?
Even with the right freezing, the pizzas can become stale. It becomes quite obvious to the eyes, but still watch out for three of these signs.
1. Texture
First, you need to check the texture, whether the pizza is still soft or has dried out significantly. Even if you cook the pizza evenly, it will turn too hard to eat.
2. Smell
Another very noticeable sign is an odor from the pizza that can indicate fungal growth. The unpleasant smell means it’s time to throw the leftover pizza in the bin.
3. Color
Lastly, look out for any discoloration. It happens if the pizza has become moldy and inedible in some parts.
If these happen, throw the pizzas immediately; otherwise, they will harm your health.
FAQ’s:
- Does Domino’s pizza freeze well?
If you have takeout from Domino’s, then these are very easy to store for later. The pizzas are made such that you can either freeze them as a whole or separately. But separating the slices for better freezing and more space is better.
The same thing goes for Pizza Hut or Papa John’s pizzas. Try to use a wax sheet before the double-wrapping method. It will keep your pizzas good for up to 3 months.
- How to freeze pizza dough?
It is easier to freeze pizza dough than cooked pizzas. Prepare your dough and let them rest to double in volume. Use some oil on top for a little grease. Separate the dough by making smaller balls. Now place each one inside an airtight container or a Ziploc bag. Keep at a low temperature inside the fridge. They will remain good for use for around 3 months.
- Can homemade pizzas be stored the same way as delivery pizzas?
Yes, you can freeze and store your freshly baked pizzas at home in the same method. After the pizza is cooked, let it cool down to room temperature or even colder. Then you can double-wrap the slices separately and place them inside the container. The colder the temperature of storage, the longer they last.
Summary
So, you can easily freeze your pizzas to let them stay for longer. Just grab some of your frozen pizzas whenever you are hungry and want instant food. Simply take them out and cook them using an oven.
But you must know how can you freeze delivery pizza properly to avoid them becoming bad too soon. Freezing can still ruin the pizzas after a while. So, don’t let them stay for more than 5 days.
Reheating in the oven, skillet, or broiler, along with some touch-ups, will make your pizzas good as new.
