If you love pizza but don’t have time to make homemade pizza from scratch and find pizza delivery too expensive, frozen pizza is a godsend. However, it also has a reputation for tasting, well, like it came from the freezer. But if you learn how to make frozen pizza better, you’ll come out with a gourmet pie that’s so good that your friends and family will want to know where you ordered it from.
All frozen pizzas need a little pepping up to have a fresher and more delicious taste. Now you can skip the delivery fees and wait times to make your frozen pizza better with these tips!
How to Make Frozen Pizza Better
Always Start with High-Quality
While frozen pizzas have made leaps and bounds over the years, you’ll still want to know how to make it taste better simply because it’s still not as good as a fresh-made one. That said, there are some brands that are definitely better than others. It’s certainly a matter of taste, and while you don’t need to buy the most expensive ones, those cheap ones will still taste like cardboard no matter how you try to dress them up. Look for ones that are made with quality ingredients to stock in your freezer. Over here at HomePerch, we love Totino’s frozen pizza.
Stick with Cheese Pizza
Some of the toppings you’ll find on frozen pizzas sound delicious. However, if you want to make a frozen pizza better, buy the plain cheese version of the brand you like. You can add your own fresh toppings at home that will taste way more delicious than the ones they freeze on top.
Turn Up the Temp
At your favorite local pizza place, they use high heat to cook your pizza to perfection. Steal a page from their playbook and turn up the temperature in your oven. Most frozen pizzas call for a range of 400°F to 450°F but go even higher when cooking frozen pizza to the max allowed by your oven at 550°F. This will simulate that brick oven heat, though make sure to keep your eyes on the cooking time because it will cook much faster at these temperatures.
Let the Broiler Work Some Magic
For those that don’t want too crispy a crust but want the cheese to be extra melty and have extra toasty toppings, finish it with your broiler. With this method of making frozen pizza better, you’ll bake it according to the box instructions but then turn on your broiler for a minute or two after that initial timer has gone off. Watch it closely so you don’t wind up toasting it too much!
Put It on a Pizza Stone
Did you get a pizza stone for Christmas that’s collecting dust? Well, get it out and let it make your frozen pizza better! You’ll want to preheat it with the oven as it gets to the right temperature before putting the pizza on top. A cast iron pan will also work if you don’t have a pizza stone. Putting it directly on the rack is another option to keep your frozen pizza from having a soggy texture.
Add a Little Something to That Pizza Crust
Most frozen pizzas have a pizza crust that underwhelms. But you can change all that by jazzing it up in the last few minutes of cooking. Brush it with some melted butter or olive oil, then sprinkle on some seasonings. Some great ideas are parmesan cheese, minced garlic (or garlic powder from your spice rack), red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning. You can even go way out there with other seasonings and have fun experimenting.
Put More Freshness On Top
If you love veggies on top of your pizza, they’re so much better fresh. That’s why buying a frozen cheese pizza is the best because you can fake a homemade taste by adding fresh veggies on top. You can add all sorts of things – tomato slices, red onions, peppers, mushrooms, and more. Toss them briefly in a little olive oil and seasonings first to help them cook to perfection. Leafy greens are a great addition too, but they should be sauteed first with garlic and olive oil.
Don’t Forget Those Meats
For meat lovers, you can make your frozen pizza better by adding all the meats you love. Doing it yourself, it’s far cheaper than ordering pizza delivery. All those meats drive up the price. Go beyond pepperoni and let your charcuterie favorites join this pizza party. Think of prosciutto and salami, or go with bacon and sausage.
And, of course, leftover cooked chicken is another versatile meat for jazzing up that plain frozen pizza. It works great with barbecue sauce, or take it in the buffalo wings and blue cheese direction, making them a perfect game-day treat!
There is Always Room for More Cheese
Incidentally, whether you love plain cheese pizzas or like all the toppings, always add more cheese to your frozen pizza. Choose top-quality cheeses that will melt while they bake, or add something like feta or blue cheese right after you pull it from the oven. You can’t go wrong by adding more cheese to your frozen pizza to make it better.
Try the Unexpected with Lemon
Lemon is a great way to add brightness to so many things, including frozen pizza. With a squeeze of fresh lemon or even some zest, you’re going to have a delicious pizza on your hands. This trick to perk up pizza can also be done with lemon-infused olive oil.
Swirl a Little Something Extra On Top
When you pull that frozen pizza out of the oven, you can make it shine even more with the addition of sauce. Try a drizzle of top-quality olive oil, aged balsamic, ranch, or even spicy honey. A spoon or squeeze bottle will ensure you don’t spill too much at once.
Throw On Fresh Herbs
Fresh herbs are the secret topping to making a frozen pizza better. That bright and aromatic flavor will make everyone think you’re joking about the pizza being frozen. Chop up fresh oregano, basil, chives, or whatever you like. If you’d prefer, you can mix it with some olive oil too. Either way, do this right after you take the pizza out of the oven, just before you serve it.
Join the Spice World
For those that love spicy things, they’re the perfect way to make a frozen pizza better. Adding these things fresh on a frozen cheese pizza will give it those kicked-up flavors you crave. Slice rings of chili peppers on top, or add thin slices of garlic for a different kind of spice. You can even sauté that garlic first if you want some sweet contrast. Crushed red pepper or cayenne works great too. Combine them all for a fiery pizza feast!
Add Simple Seasonings
No matter what you add to that previously frozen pizza, it needs more seasoning. Simply adding salt and pepper will give it a great boost, but those dry herbs and spice blends will make for a tastier pizza.
Make Your Own Margherita
While Margherita pizza is similar to a cheese pizza, there are some differences, namely in that the tomatoes are usually sliced, and there’s fresh basil. You can upgrade your frozen cheese pizza into an extraordinary Margherita pizza by slicing up a tomato or using cherry tomatoes. Toss those tomatoes in olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. Then pop them on your pizza before baking. When it’s finished, add that basil on top, and prepare to be amazed!
Go Big with Burrata
Another way to make an impression with upgrades to your plain frozen pizza is with burrata. This Italian cheese is more solid on the outside, like fresh mozzarella. But the interior is creamy and soft, making it a sensational delight that adds instant luxury to your pizza.
Don’t just put it on and bake it with the pizza from the start, though. When the pizza has about 5 minutes to go before it’s ready, pull it out and then tear off pieces of burrata to throw all over the top. Make sure you add a little salt and pepper, plus any other seasonings you love at this point, before finishing it off for the rest of the baking time.
Try a Sweet and Savory Pairing
Some people love pineapple on pizza. And while not everyone agrees that it belongs there, if you are a fan of Hawaiian pizzas with pineapple on top, then exploring other sweet and savory pairings while making your frozen pizza better is a must! Think about figs, peaches, apples, or pears, all great additions to any white pizza.
You’ll want to slice any of these fruits first and toss in some olive oil. Then you’ll add them to your pizza prior to baking. When it’s done, you can add something spicy or savory (or both), like a drizzle of sauce. A balsamic glaze would be amazing with any of these fruits for a gourmet pizza pie right from your own oven.
Add Even More Toppings After the Bake Time
Some pizza toppings shouldn’t go in the oven. That’s certainly the case for something like arugula. Adding any fresh toppings after a pizza cooks can really make that frozen pizza better. You get more flavor and texture from these final additions put on just prior to serving. Marinated artichokes, shaved parmesan, olives, and other gourmet delights are just a few suggestions that come to mind with this frozen pizza tip!
Wait Before Cutting
The final tip for making a frozen pizza taste better and like it came from a pizzeria or that you made it from scratch has to do with how you cut it. When you cut it too early, you may ruin it because the cheese and toppings will stick to your pizza cutter.
Tempting as it is to slice into it right away and start burning your mouth on that hot, delicious pizza, let it sit for just a few minutes after you pull it from the oven. You’ll be able to slice it so much more easily. Plus, the flavors have a few more minutes to bond together, making for perfection in every bite.
Now that you know how to make a frozen pizza better, you probably have big plans for the one sitting in your freezer right now. Try combining several of these tips to achieve pizza perfection, even from frozen. The difference is incredible, and everyone will want to know how you made such a good pizza in your own oven. It will be up to you if you want to share your frozen pizza secrets or if you want to keep them a mystery!
FAQs
How long can frozen pizza sit out?
According to the USDA, frozen pizza should not be left out for more than two hours.
How long does frozen pizza last in the freezer?
Frozen pizza can last for up to 5 to 18 months in the freezer, depending on the brand and how it is stored.