I just finished cooking pizza for a birthday party, and now I am left with a lot of extra pizza dough. It would be such a waste if I just throw all of my pizza dough away, but I do not know how exactly I am going to preserve it. What would be the best way for me to store my extra pizza dough?
Pizza dough can be used in so many different ways, which makes saving them a great idea if you have anything to spare.
The best way to preserve pizza dough for future use is by freezing it. Freezing pizza dough will make it usable for another two to three months without any significant changes to its quality.
Can You Freeze Pizza Dough?
There aren’t any other methods of preserving pizza dough as effective as freezing it. Freezing will not only extend the dough’s life naturally, but it will also help it retain its quality through this process.
It is a quick and easy to freeze pizza dough, with the entire process taking approximately one hour depending on how much dough you plan to save.
If there is any problem that comes with freezing pizza dough, it would be the unpleasant flavor that tends to latch onto the pizza base. You will notice this flavor when you have thawed the dough and you start using it for your pizza.
Certain cooking and flavoring techniques will get rid of the unpleasant flavor. Anyway, the flavor is not strong enough to cause you to worry that much.
If you manage to correctly store your pizza dough in the freezer, it will remain fit to use for baking for two to three months.
If you want to take the dough out of the freezer to use, you need to let it thaw first by letting it sit on the refrigerator overnight, and then bathing the dough in cold water for one hour until it becomes malleable.
How to Freeze Pizza Dough?
Before you freeze your pizza dough, do not forget to also prepare olive oil or spray oil, as well as freezer bags that are big enough to hold all of your pizza dough supply.
Here are the steps you need to take in order to preserve your pizza dough by freezing:
- Prepare your dough as how you’d prepare it for baking.
- Create small, individual balls with the dough. The balls should be the size you’d need to make pizza.
- Coat each of the dough balls with baking spray or olive oil. Turn them over to make sure that the whole surface of each dough ball is evenly covered in oil.
- Slide the balls to a freezer bag and seal it. Make sure that no air is left inside the bag.
- Put the bag in the freezer.
If done properly, you will be able to use your supply of pizza dough for the next two to three months.
How To Use Up Extra/Leftover Pizza Dough?
Pizza dough is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of ways. But what do you do when you have extra pizza dough? Here are five delicious ways to use up your leftover pizza dough:
1. Make breadsticks – Breadsticks are a great way to use up extra pizza dough. Just shape the dough into sticks, brush with olive oil, and bake according to your recipe.
2. Make cinnamon rolls – This is a great way to use up any extra pizza dough you have on hand. Just shape the dough into rolls, add some cinnamon and sugar, and bake according to your recipe.
3. Make garlic knots – Garlic knots are a great way to use up extra pizza dough. Just shape the dough into knots, brush with garlic butter, and bake according to your recipe.
4. Make pizza bagels – Pizza bagels are a great way to use up extra pizza dough. Just shape the dough into bagels, add your favorite pizza toppings, and bake according to your recipe.
5. Make monkey bread – Monkey bread is a great way to use up extra pizza dough. Just shape the dough into balls, coat in sugar and cinnamon, and bake according to your recipe.
So there you have it – five delicious ways to use up your leftover pizza dough. Next time you find yourself with extra dough, try one of these recipes and enjoy!
Pizza Dough Recipes
If you want to cook homemade pizza but do not have that much time available, you can follow this recipe to create a quick and easy pizza:
You can also try this recipe if you and your family are in the mood for hot and spicy homemade pizza:
If you want to make pizza without using an oven, you can try this homemade recipe which you can do with a stove:
Wrap Up
Yes, you can freeze pizza dough. Pizza dough will last for 2-4 months in the freezer if stored properly. If you want to reheat it, defrost it first and then use the same instructions as for frozen chicken and dumplings (use a stovetop or microwave oven). Freezing also preserves texture which means your frozen meal will taste just as good after being heated up again. Follow these steps for freezing pizza dough: remove the desired amount from fridge, allow it to defrost in room temperature, place into a lightly oiled plastic bag, push out all of the air while sealing tightly (to avoid freezer burn), store properly, and label with today’s date.
Now that you know how to freeze your pizza dough, please share your experience with me in the comment below.