How to Freeze Homemade Pizza
Homemade frozen pizza is obviously far superior to store-bought frozen pizza, and tastes just as delicious as fresh pizza! When baked, it has a flavorful crust, gooey melted cheese, and all of your favorite toppings. Let me show you how easy it is to freeze homemade pizza!
Think of freezing homemade pizza the same way you do casseroles, soups and more. It’s a great dinner to meal-prep and stash in the freezer for later!
Pizza night in less than 30 minutes, and without all the fuss of making homemade pizza dough, prepping toppings, etc. is a dream come true. So next time you make homemade pizza, consider doubling everything and putting half in the freezer for another time. Your future self will thank you!
Table of Contents
This article was originally published in 2015 when I was meal prepping for my second child. It’s been updated in 2025 with more thorough instructions, FAQs and helpful tips.
How to freeze homemade pizza
Let me show you how easy it is to stock your freezer with homemade frozen pizza, how to bake it so it tastes fresh and delicious, and also the best way to reheat any kind of cold pizza.
Prepare pizza dough
Homemade pizza starts with a homemade pizza crust. Feel free to use your favorite recipe, or even a fresh store-bought option like Trader Joe’s. You can also check out my basic pizza dough recipe (shown in these photos) or my easy no-knead pizza dough recipe (my current favorite recipe), both are delicious!
Once you’ve chosen your dough, prepare the crust according to the recipe instructions.
Tip: Make pizzas as big or small as you want! You can freeze small individual pizzas or larger pizzas to feed the whole family. Just adjust baking time as needed when ready to enjoy.
Par-bake crust and add toppings
The main trick you need to know for freezing homemade pizza is to par-bake the crust. All this means is that you partially bake the crust by itself before covering it with toppings and freezing. Partially baking the crust before freezing ensures a crisp, non-soggy pizza when you’re ready to enjoy it.
Roll out the pizza crust and bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet pan at 450°F for 4-5 minutes just until the dough is puffed and surface appears dry. The crust should be very pale still, not browned at all. Let it cool to room temperature, then cover with toppings of your choice.
Cover with plastic wrap and freeze
To avoid freezer burn, double wrap the prepared pizzas. You can do two layers of plastic wrap or one layer of plastic wrap and then slip it into a large ziplock freezer bag (a great option for smaller individual pizzas). Lay pizzas flat in the freezer and store for up to 2 months.
Tip: For the best flavor, make sure your frozen pizza is well-wrapped and air-tight. If using a ziplock bag, press as much air out of the bag as possible. This helps prevent the pizza from drying out and getting freezer burned.
Bake and enjoy when ready!
When you’re ready to bake, preheat oven to 500°F. Place frozen pizza(s) on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or directly onto a pizza steel (or pizza stone) and bake until crust is golden and cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. And then, enjoy!
FAQs
Yes, all types of pizza can be frozen. However, some ingredients freeze better than others. For example, fresh tomatoes will release extra moisture after freezing, which may make the toppings a little soggy. Also, fresh toppings that are typically added after a pizza is baked should not be frozen with the pizza (such as arugula or basil).
I prefer the method outlined here as it tastes the most like homemade pizza baked fresh. But yes, you can a wrap fully baked pizza the same way as instructed above. Bake from frozen at 450°F until cheese is melted again, 8-10 minutes.
Refrigerated leftover pizza is often soggy when reheated. To get the bottom crispy again and the cheese nice and melted, reheat in an air fryer at 360°F for just a few minutes. Or, place in a hot cast iron pan and let the bottom crisp for 1-2 minutes. Then add a tablespoon of water and cover with a lid. The steam will melt the cheese and reheat toppings.
Yes, pizza dough by itself freezes really well! I recommend freezing individual pizza dough balls in plastic wrap or freezer bags for up to 1-2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or for several hours on the kitchen counter. Let the dough come to room temperature a bit before rolling out and using.
Yes, as long as the pizza fits into your air fryer. Bake at 360°F for 8-10 minutes until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted, checking it every few minutes to make sure it doesn’t burn.
Get the recipe
How to Freeze Homemade Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 lb pizza dough , homemade or store-bought, at room temperature
- ½ cup pizza sauce
- 2 cups cheese , such as mozzarella or parmesan
- 2 cups toppings , such as pepperoni, olives, mushrooms or other veggies
Equipment
Instructions
- If you've chosen a homemade pizza crust recipe, prepare according to recipe instructions.
- Roll out the pizza crust into a large circle and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet pan. Bake at 450°F for 4-5 minutes just until the dough is puffed and surface appears dry. Pizza dough should be very pale still, not browned at all.
- Let the crust cool to room temperature, then cover with toppings of your choice.
- To avoid freezer burn, double wrap the prepared pizzas in plastic wrap. Lay pizzas flat in the freezer and store for up to 2 months.
- When ready to bake: Preheat oven to 500°F. Place frozen pizza(s) on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or directly onto a pizza stone or steel and bake until crust is golden and cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.
Notes
- All meat pizza toppings (such as sausage, bacon, etc.) should be fully cooked before assembling the pizza for freezing, as bake time is not enough to fully bake raw meat.
- Make pizzas as big or small as you want! You can freeze small individual pizzas or larger pizzas to feed the whole family. Just adjust baking time as needed when ready to enjoy.
Homemade pizza recipes
Thank you, this is helpful! Do you know if the frozen pizza, if a small one, can then be prepared in the microwave on a special crisper tray instead of in the oven?
I haven’t tested it with using a microwave, and there’s a lot of variety when it comes to settings and abilities. But if your microwave has some sort of “crispy” option or convection/air fryer mode, it might turn out awesome!
Just what I’m looking for. Can I make personal size and cook in air fryer? Thank you
I make homemade French bread pizzas. But I’d like to make them in advance and freeze them and take out in advance for an evening meal. Any advice.
And THIS article is why I love reading food blogs. You gave me the exact info I needed, thank you!
If I would like to freeze the pre-baked crusts without toppings, should I let the crusts thaw when ready to use before adding the toppings and then bake at 450 degrees? Also, my oven only heats to 450 degrees so would that work to bake a fully topped frozen pizza if I just add more time to the baking?
I have a lot of left over homemade pizza dough and toppings, so I’m gonna try this out! Do you have to thaw the pizza out before baking?
Nope! You bake straight from frozen.
This dish was really awesome thank you for sharing
This is fantastic. My 4yo daughter would love to make a bunch of frozen pepperoni pizzas for easy lunches!
However, having broken a number of stones due to “extreme” temperature changes (just taking them out of a 450- or 500-degree oven), I would really recommend NOT putting frozen pizza on a pizza stone unless the manufacturer specifically says it’s okay to do so.
I can relate to your stock up the freezer nesting. When I was expecting #7, in my third trimester I decided to stock my freezer with pancakes, waffles, biscuits, muffins, and cookies. On the day I decided to get all this done, I had a doctors appt. I was on my feet and busy all day up till time to go. When my doctor took my bp, it was way too high and sent me to the hospital for a stress test. After that I was on bedrest for 2 weeks. I guess I over did it that day! Take care and try not to over do the nesting!!!! Good luck, dear.
Thank you for sharing this!