After a long day at work, no one wants to spend hours in the kitchen prepping a five-course meal. We want something easy to cook and eat right ahead – that’s where a frozen pizza comes in. Frozen pizzas are a delicious, effortless fix for when you are tired or short on time.
But how do you make this delightful meal, you may ask? Importantly, how do you make your frozen pizza taste like that of your favorite pizzeria? Read on! We provide a step-by-step guide on how to cook frozen pizza to answer these questions and more.
Ingredients/Materials Needed For Cooking Frozen Pizza
- Frozen pizza
- Pair of scissors (if needed)
- Extra virgin oil
- Basting brush
- Container
- Oven/microwave
- Non-stick baking sheet
- Oven mitt
- Pie server (if needed)
How To Cook Frozen Pizza
Step 1: Defrost Your Pizza
Even before you start cooking, make sure to thaw the pizza. Get it out of the freezer and set it on your kitchen countertop to defrost.
If you cook your pizza without defrosting, the frozen outer layer will melt and change to liquid, leaving the toppings and crust wet and soggy.
To ensure complete defrosting of the pizza, don’t put it in the freezer when you bring it home from the store, especially if you plan to cook immediately.
Step 2: Take The Pizza Out Of The Box
Most pizza boxes will come with a tear strip that seals and secures the opening of the box. Remove this seal to detach the cardboard flaps.
Slip your palm beneath the pizza and take it out, ensuring the side with the toppings is faced up. Once the pizza is on your hand securely, peel away and remove the outer wrap and cardboard base.
Since some packaging has firm seals, it may need a pair of scissors to cut the outer wrap open. [Can You Put a Pizza Box in the Oven?]
Step 3: Add Some Flavor
You want your homemade pizza to taste like that of your dearest pizza joint, right? How about we add some flavor and crunch to it?
To do this, put a small amount of extra virgin olive oil in a container and soak a basting brush. Then rub the brush over the crust surrounding the edges of your pizza.
When the pizza begins to cook in the oven or microwave, the oil will be sucked into the crust, producing a subtle taste. Adding this oil layer also helps the cheese near the crust brown nicely.
Step 4: Start Baking
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Oven-Cooked Pizza
Preheat the oven: Read the instructions on the package to know what temperature suits your pizza. Most frozen pizzas require a temperature between 375 and 425 °F to cook thoroughly.
Have your oven set to “bake” mode to ensure your pizza cooks evenly. Some people select the “conventional” setting instead, but it varies on the oven model available.
No matter what type of oven you are using, however, avoid setting it to “broiler”—as this is one-directional heat. Such heat will likely overcook the top of the pizza and leave the rest of it undercooked.
While your oven heats up, you can finish preparing your pizza.
Put the pizza on a baking sheet: Grab a non-stick baking sheet and place the pizza while ensuring it is positioned perfectly at the center.
If you still got time, try reorganizing any clustered or loose toppings. It will guarantee the toppings are evenly distributed and cover more parts of the pizza.
Set the pizza in the oven: Slip your pizza into the oven, and secure it in the middle of the rack. Situating it this way ensures that the heat evenly spreads since the pizza is not too close to the oven’s heating element below or above it.
While at it, check to see if you have positioned the baking sheet lengthwise to make it easier to remove when the pizza is ready. As soon as you have set the pizza inside, close the oven door to keep the heat locked inside.
Cook for the specified period: Frozen pizzas usually take between 15 and 20 minutes to cook properly. But the time will also depend on the number of toppings, with some pizzas taking up to 30 minutes to bake.
Set your timer so you can know when your pizza is ready. Plus, it will help you not forget you have something in the oven. You will know that the pizza is ready when the cheese starts to brown and bubble steadily.
Take the pizza out of the oven: Once the pizza is ready, open the oven door and carefully reach for the pizza. Then, using an oven mitt, hold the baking sheet from the edge and slide it out of the oven. Now place it on a level with a heat-safe surface.
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Microwave-Cooked Pizza
Lay your pizza on the microwave plate: If the microwave plate is too small to hold the pizza, replace it with a bigger one. And also ensure that it is microwave-safe.
Position the pizza on the platter and lay it perfectly in the center. Then open the door of the microwave and set the plate inside.
Cook for the recommended time: Most frozen pizzas will cook for about 3 or 4 minutes in a microwave set at high heat. Thicker or larger varieties, however, will take a little more time, say between 5 and 6 minutes.
Read the package instructions to know how long you should have your pizza in the microwave. You will also want to watch the pizza keenly as it cooks to avoid overcooking.
Remove your pizza from the microwave: As with the oven, the platter holding the pizza will most likely be quite hot. So be careful when pulling it from the microwave. We recommend using a pie server to slide the pizza onto an awaiting platter.
Step 5: Give Your Pizza Time To Cool
Whether you have cooked your pizza in an oven or microwave, allow it some time to rest before slicing it. Three to five minutes will be ideal for most pizzas to cool.
The resting time is necessary not only in allowing the pizza to reach the perfect and safest temperature for eating; it also allows the cheese that melted earlier some time to solidify a little, making cutting up the pizza less messy.
Step 6: Slice Up Your Pizza
Now that your pizza is ready, nothing much is left other than cutting it up into slices and enjoying the work of your hands. Get your pizza cutter and slice the pizza into as many pieces as you wish to serve.
Any frozen pizza of average size should be able to give you about 6 or 8 slices. And don’t worry if you don’t have access to a pizza cutter; even a sharp kitchen knife can get the job done.
So, there you have it – six easy and quick steps for cooking frozen pizza. If you like to learn more about this, check out this video:
Extended Tips: Tricks To Make Your Frozen Pizza Better
Get High-Quality Pizza
The first order of business is to buy the best-frozen pizza you can get. A high-end pizza usually comes with a slightly higher price tag. But it will certainly set you up for a high-quality meal from the start. It would be difficult to improve a pizza that already was poor quality from the get-go.
Add Seasoning
One of the easiest and most effective ways to make your frozen pizza tastier is adding some fresh toppings before cooking. Green vegetables, chopped peppers, coleslaw, pulled pork, pine nuts, or barbeque sauce are just a few of the ingredients that could add extra glory to your pizza.
Use A Pizza Stone
Another trick to upgrade your frozen pizza is cooking it on a pizza stone. Preheat the stone once you start your oven—and you will enjoy a tastier, crispier crust.
If you do not have a pizza stone, use a cast iron pan or place the pizza directly on the oven rack.
Cook In High Heat
While most pizza brands recommend cooking their pizzas at a distinct temperature range—if you want your crust a little crispier—going higher than the specified temperature can give you that.
Just turn the temperature of your oven to the maximum and reduce the cooking time. But remember to stay close to make sure the pizza is not burning.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Should you bake frozen pizza on foil?
While it’s possible, wrapping a frozen pizza in foil offers undistributed heating. Here’s an unconventional trick you can do instead!
Poke tiny holes at the bottom of the crust using a fork. That way you’ll let off the steam on the dough, preventing sogginess. Then, place it on the lowest rack of your oven without anything wrapping it.
Also, the temperature must reach the highest heat setting (500 above). But check it occasionally if you don’t want to end up with a charcoal-colored crust.
2. What is the best brand of frozen pizza in the market?
Pepperoni and cheese are among the classics of pies, and these brands are not falling behind. Here are our top four picks, including their toppings and allergens.
| Frozen Pizza Brand | Toppings | Allergens |
| Tombstone Roadhouse Loaded Pizza | Pepperoni, Italian sausage, Peppers, Caramelized onions, and Mozzarella cheese | Contains milk and its derivatives |
| Classic Crust Pepperoni Pizza by Red Baron
|
Zesty tomato sauce, pepperoni, 100% real cheese | Contains wheat |
| Screamin’ Sicilian Pizza Co. Bessie’s Revenge Cheese | Shredded mozzarella, White cheddar cheese, Wisconsin mozzarella cheese | Contains what, soy, and milk |
| Blackbird BBQ Chick’n Pizza (Vegan) | Plant-based chicken and BBQ sauce, red onions, and Violife vegan cheese | Contains wheat and soy |
3. Is baking a frozen pizza in the oven than the microwave better?
If you want to accentuate all the pizza flavors, go with oven bake. The oven can be time-consuming, but it can guarantee a crispy crust and browned cheese. Conversely, microwaving is fast and easy but can result in waxy cheese. Also, it needs a larger heating plate to cook the whole pizza.
Overall, the latter method is convenient if you don’t have an oven available at home. But the former is a clear winner if you want a quality meal on the go.
Summary
A frozen pizza is a quick meal you can make any day if you don’t want to spend the rest of the evening in the kitchen. Follow these simple steps, and you will have a delightful, finger-licking pizza in just a few minutes:
- Start by defrosting the pizza.
- Next, add some flavor (optional but recommended).
- Then slide the pizza into the oven or microwave.
- Once ready, take it out, let it cool, and slice it as desired.
Do you like cooking frozen pizza? Tell us some of the steps you use to prep it in the comment section.
Barbara is an enthusiastic food-exploring person that goes through different culinary experiences. She got inspired by creating a pizza blog post after she tasted one of the best-selling pizzas in Toledo.