Can you microwave frozen pizza?

microwave frozen pizza

If you have been wondering if you can microwave your frozen pizza, yes, you can. The microwave is always convenient as it is quick. You could be considering the microwave because the package your pizza came in might have instructed on using the microwave: if so, follow the provided instructions for the best results.

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Pizza

Pizza is a savoury dish originating from Italy. The word pizza is Italian for pie. It is made of flattened dough topped with cheese, tomatoes, sauces and other ingredients. A pizza is quick to make and it is cooked at high temperatures. The pizza is now one of the popular fast foods in the world and is tastier when served hot. Most companies sell ready-baked frozen pizzas to be reheated in an ordinary home oven.

Microwaving frozen pizza

  • Choose a microwave safe dish: a microwavable frozen pizza usually comes with a heat reflective tray. If your pizza is on one, use it as it is designed to produce a crispier crust. If your frozen pizza did not come in such a tray, choose a microwave safe plate, big enough to hold the entire pizza while fitting comfortably in the microwave. Do not use a pizza stone in the microwave, ever. You might also have heard that microwaving your frozen pizza will result in a soggy crust, that is true, but it can be avoided. Before you place the frozen pizza on the microwave safe plate, put enough wrapped sugar cubes on the plate to support the pizza. If you don’t have sugar cubes, try putting anything else that is microwave safe between the plate and the pizza. Put the frozen pizza in the centre of the plate, allow it to be fully supported by the wrapped sugar cubes.
  • Add olive oil on your pizza: Dip a basting brush in virgin olive oil and brush the crust around the edges of the pizza. When the pizza is heated, it absorbs the oil making the crust smooth, flavourful and crunchier. The olive oil coating also enhances the brownness of the cheese next to the crust.
  • Set your microwave on high heat for 3-4 minutes: The time which frozen pizza take to cook vary depending on the thickness or size of the pizza.

A mini pizza which is frozen will take 3-5 minutes

8-9 inches takes 4-6 minutes

Pizza on French bread takes 7-8 minutes

10-11 inches takes 5-7 minutes

11 inches takes 6-8 minutes

11-12 inches takes 7-11 minutes

You could check the box your pizza came in to see if there aren’t any directions on how much time you should microwave your frozen pizza. Watch your pizza closely as it cooks so that it doesn’t overcook.

  • Allow your pizza to cool for 2-3 minutes: Use oven mitts to remove your pizza plate from the microwave so that you don’t burn your fingers. Allow it to cool a little then serve.

This same method works if you are reheating your frozen pizza too but you will have to cut on the minutes the pizza lasts in the microwave.

How to reheat frozen pizza in the microwave

  • Put a microwave safe glass of water in the microwave next to your pizza. The water is meant to reduce the amount of energy going to the pizza as it provides an additional mass in the microwave slowing down the heating process for the pizza.
  • Heat up the pizza for 45seconds.
  • Leave it to cool before you serve.

You can actually make your own frozen pizza instead of buying one.

How to make homemade frozen pizza

This will take you approximately 2 hours 45 minutes and all that time will pay out. If you are not up to the task, you can buy pizza dough but making your own is always better.

Ingredients

1 and 1/2 tablespoon instant dry yeast

1 and 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar

1 and 1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups warm water

3 tablespoons olive oil

5 cups flour

Pizza sauce

Cheese

Toppings

Equipment

Parchment paper

Rolling pin

Baking stone

Plastic wrap

Aluminium foil

Stand mixer

Directions

  • Add yeast, brown sugar, salt, water and flour in the stand mixer bowl.
  • Knead until the dough comes together to form a nice, soft dough ball.
  • Grease a big bowl: dump the soft dough ball in the greased bowl and cover it with a paper wrap.
  • Leave it to rise until it is doubled: That should take an hour or two.
  • Divide the dough into three equal pieces and roll each piece into a pizza round: Place the dough ball in the middle of a piece of parchment paper. Roll it out to your preferred thinness. If the dough starts to shrink back, allow it to rest then roll it out again.
  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and place a baking stone in the oven.
  • Par-bake the pizza rounds for 3-5 minutes: Place the parchment paper with pizza rounds on the baking stone. Bake until the pizza crusts are dry on the top but still pale. To par-bake is to particularly bake the pizza crust. It is done to ensure an extra crispy texture of the crust upon final baking.
  • Allow the pizza crust to cool off completely.
  • Top the pizzas after they cool: Spread your sauce, cheese and other toppings of choice.
  • Freeze the pizzas: You can also jump the previous step and freeze the pizzas without placing the toppings. Place the pizzas on a baking sheet and freeze uncovered for at least 3 hours until solid. This prevents the wrapping from sticking to the topping making it easier to unwrap later.
  •  Wrap the pizza with a double wrap: Once solid enough, remove the pizzas from the baking sheets and wrap them in plastic wraps, first then in aluminium foil. The double layer prevents both the pizza crust and toppings from drying out in the freezer as that can result in not so good pizzas. When stored this way, the pizzas can last for 2-3 months. When you decide on baking the pizzas, you don’t need to thaw them, you can bake them in their frozen state.

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