Pizza is one of the most eaten foods on the planet. There are so many food places that offer varieties of pizza on their menu. You can order boxes of your favorite pizza for a party, sleepover, picnic, lunch, and so many other events.
Pizzas are delicious and they combine different ingredients to satisfy our cravings. Pizzas can also be customized to serve different diets. If you’re a vegetarian, no problem! You can easily find a pizza recipe that’ll meet your requirements.
Because of how affordable and filling pizzas are, it is very easy to find yourself with excess portions that cannot be finished at once. If you don’t want to waste the leftover pizza, you’ll have to preserve it somehow.
Fresh pizza needs to be consumed within 2 hours of being made. If the pizza has been left to sit out beyond that time, you’ll need to throw it away. According to the USDA, any perishable food that has been exposed to room temperature beyond 2 hours must be disposed of.
To keep your leftover pizza from spoiling, what do you do?
Can you freeze leftover pizza? Yes, you can freeze leftover pizza. Freezing increases the shelf life of leftover pizza by up to 2 months. You’ll need to wrap the pizza in some plastic wrap and then also put it in a layer of aluminum foil before freezing. If done correctly, the original texture and taste of the pizza will be preserved without any alterations.
On many occasions I have successfully preserved leftover pizza for several weeks through freezing, and I’d like to share how I did it with you.
Freezing Leftover Pizza
Pizza is very affordable and is quite satisfying. It is also common to have bought more pizza than you can actually finish at once. However, thanks to freezing, our leftover pizza doesn’t need to be wasted. If you’ve frozen pizza before and the result was bad, it’s probably because you didn’t follow the right steps.
To avoid more wastage this time around, I have put all the necessary information you need in this article. You should always remember to use or preserve whatever pizza leftovers you have within 2 hours of being purchased or made.
If your leftover pizza has changed color and has an off smell, you must throw it away. Although the side effects may be minimal, it is never a good idea to eat bad food.
How to Freeze Leftover Pizza
It is important to use the right approach when freezing leftover pizza. Simple steps you can follow include:
Step 1: Allow the Leftover Pizza to Cool
If your leftover pizza is still hot, you’ll need to give it a little time to cool. It is unsafe to put hot food directly in the freezer. The presence of hot food in the freezer will cause the temperature of other food items in the freezer to rise. Those other food items will end up thawing and refreezing repeatedly till their taste and texture are compromised.
Be careful not to leave the pizza sitting out for too long. Once it cools down, start packaging it for freezing.
Step 2: Separate into Slices and Wrap in Layers
After the leftover pizza has cooled down, grab your pizza cutter and separate each individual slice from the other; you’ll also need some plastic wrap at this point. Cut some of the plastic wrap and lay it down on the kitchen counter. Place an individual pizza slice on the middle area of the plastic wrap and start lifting the sides of the wrap to cover the pizza slice.
Cover the pizza slice completely in a layer of plastic wrap for safe keeping inside the freezer. Go ahead to wrap all the other pizza slices in the same manner.
Step 3: Wrap Individual Slices in Aluminum Foil
After wrapping the pizza slices in some plastic wrap, you’ll need to cover them in one more layer of aluminum foil. This layer is added because plastic wrap has a tendency to stick to surfaces. The aluminum foil will stop the plastic wrap from coming in contact with the freezer’s interior and sticking to its surface.
Cut a portion of aluminum foil that’s large enough to wrap one pizza slice and completely wrap it around the slice. After wrapping the first slice, go ahead and wrap all the remaining slices.
Step 4: Transfer into Freezer-Safe Bag and Label
Put as many wrapped slices as can fit into the freezer-safe bag. If one freezer-safe bag isn’t big enough, use some more. You should also label the bag with the present date so that you’ll always know how long the pizza has been frozen for.
With these proper steps, the pizza will keep safely in the freezer for up to 2 months.
How to Thaw and Reheat Frozen Leftover Pizza
When the time comes to eat your preserved pizza, you’ll need to thaw and reheat it. This must also be done correctly so that the desired texture and taste are gotten. You can thaw the pizza by leaving it to sit inside the refrigerator for some hours – about 3 hours should do.
Next, preheat your oven to 350⁰F for a few minutes. Allow the pizza to heat in the oven for about 6 minutes before taking it out to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions:
When it comes to pizza leftovers, there are some questions that people frequently ask. Some of these questions, and their answers, are:
How Long Does Leftover Pizza Last in the Fridge?
Leftover pizza can last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The pizza must be refrigerated within 2 hours of being made or purchased. If the pizza is kept in the fridge beyond 4 days, it will become unsuitable for eating. Your best shot at long-term preservation of leftover pizza is through freezing.
How Do You Know if Leftover Pizza Has Gone Bad?
Some of the noticeable signs of spoilt leftover pizza are dryness and hardened texture. There may be a change in the original color and the presence of an off smell.
Make sure to dispose of any spoilt pizza.