Many people might consider defrosting the frozen pizza dough quite difficult and troublesome. Defrost pizza dough in the microwave so it is pliable and easy to stretch out.
In reality, the process is quite simple and the thawed pizza dough is ready to work with in just a minute.
How do you defrost pizza dough in microwave? Lightly coat a microwave-safe plate and the frozen pizza dough with olive oil. Set it up on the plate and wrap with microwavable plastic wrap.
Microwave on the defrost setting for 1 minute, then flip and repeat the thawing process on the other side for another minute. Let it sit on the counter at room temperature to allow the yeast to rise.
Easily defrost dough in a microwave if you don’t have much time and need to prepare the pizza quickly. The fridge can take really long, but it requires little effort.
This article covers everything you need to know about how to defrost pizza dough in microwave. Answered below are the frequently asked questions about thawing pizza dough using precise microwave tips.
Can you microwave a frozen pizza dough?
Yes, microwaving frozen pizza dough would be the most suitable option when you’re really short on time and need to quick fix. However, the method might result in a partially cooked pizza dough.
Microwave is known to quickly thawing pizza dough, but not always the best method for microwaving frozen pizza if you want a crispy crunchy crust.
Cooking time for frozen pizza depend on the wattage of your microwave and also the different size of the pizza:
- 8-9 inches: 4 to 6 minutes
- 10 to 11 inches: 5 to 7 minutes
- 11 to 12 inches: 7 to 10 minutes
- French bread pizza: 7 to 8 minutes
- Mini pizzas: 5 to 7 minutes
Start with high setting with 25 seconds to thaw the frozen pizza before cooking them in the microwave to get crispy and cheesy results. It is easy to microwave a frozen pizza slice in just 1 to 2 minutes.
If the frozen pizza doesn’t come with a susceptor built into the packaging, this it is recommended to use a microwave crisper pan to give crunch to the crust.
Will pizza dough rise after being frozen?
The pizza dough can be frozen prior to stretching, or post if the dough has gotten a chance for yeast to rise. If the pizza dough has risen and is fully stretched out, then the pizza toppings can be frozen on top as well.
However, you’ll have to remember when by placing a label on the packaging. With this you’re able to know whether you have to allow it to rise with defrosting or whether it is ready to become a crust.
For ease in the future, it is preferred to allow the pizza dough to rise like usual. Then, freeze it at the point it would have normally been baked.
After rising through the first proof, you need to shape it to a ball or multiple balls, each having the ideal size for pizza crust that you’ll make at a latter date.
If you freeze a large pizza dough, then it will be hard to divide into multiple pizzas. Therefore, it must get divided before packing for freezer storage.
The pizza dough will begin to rise after the microwaving and the thawed pizza dough is placed at room temperature on the counter. Within an hour the previously frozen pizza dough should have proofed and be ready to work with.
How do you thaw frozen pizza?
Various methods are available for thawing a frozen pizza. The method you choose depends on the time you’ve got on hand for thawing.
The slowest method is keeping it inside the fridge and defrosting takes approximately 8 hours for the pizza to thaw. Other than that you can leave it at room temp for an hour, an oven for 5 minutes and a microwave for 2 minutes.
Pizza is considered a perishable food that should be safely stored and heated the proper internal temperature before serving. Therefore, is not considered to be safe to eat cold pizza without heating it to 74°C or 165°F beforehand.
With any of the above methods you would be easily able to defrost pizza pizza if you have made it and baked it ahead of time, but it’s better to try the conventional methods of defrosting if you’ve got time. Leaving the pizza on counter works great if you’re not in a hurry otherwise the microwave gets the job done like a pro.
Depending on the type of frozen pizza you are working with, read the instructions carefully unless it is homemade.
In general, it is not recommended to thaw frozen pizza before cooking. The frozen pizza doughs are made to be cooked from frozen and do not require you the thaw beforehand.
Additionally, some instruction manuals indicate not to thaw frozen pizza due to risk of contamination if you thaw and refreeze.
How long does frozen pizza dough take to thaw?
As there are different methods used for thawing pizza dough, you can also use cold defrosting methods when you’ve got time. However, warmer ways of defrosting take lesser time.
Thawing pizza dough in a fridge will require 10 to 12 hours, while using a microwave to defrost pizza dough only takes a minute or two.
Other methods include thawing by leaving the pizza dough outside at room temperature. Although this method is time consuming with 3 to 4 hours taken on an average, it ensures that no harm is caused to the dough or you’re not cooking it accidentally.
How do you defrost frozen pizza dough quickly?
The quickest method for defrosting pizza dough is by using a microwave. However, there is a chance that the outside may cook a little, but it does thaw in under a minute.
Let’s find out how to defrost pizza dough quickly!
- To defrost pizza dough in microwave, use a microwaveable plate, plastic wrap and olive oil.
- Lightly coat the microwave-safe dish plate with oil. Store bought cooking spray can also be used or lightly drizzle with favorite oil type and use a paper towel to spread it around.
- Place the frozen pizza dough on plate and wipe it with olive oil.
- Cover the dough with sheet of microwaveable plastic wrap.
- Set a 25 second defrost timer on the microwave
- Afterwards, flip the pizza dough over and set for another 25 seconds on the microwave defrost setting.
In addition, letting the dough rest in the microwave undisturbed for about 5 minutes with the door closed. Defrost the pizza dough quickly. and activate the yeast so that it can stat to rise.
How to freeze pizza dough
The best thing about making pizza dough from scratch is that it can be saved for later.
To freeze pizza dough you can divide the dough into equally cut portions for an adequate pizza size. Coat the pizza dough with olive oil, and tightly seal in freezer bag.
Ensure all the air has been squeezed out before sealing the airtight bag. Frozen pizza dough can last more than three months when properly stored in a freezer.
The yeast in the pizza dough can get killed at high heat temperatures, but remains unaffected if frozen when the yeast has already risen once before freezing. Also, by freezing the dough, it does not change the texture of the crust when baked.
Pizza dough freezing is simple and the yeast dough is known to freeze well without harming the active cultures. Freezing food such as pizza dough can extend the lifespan.
Simply thaw it when you’re ready to prepare and cook the pizza pie. The freezing process is great for saving on preparation time and quickly feeding sudden cravings.
Proofing frozen pizza dough
Proofing frozen pizza dough requires external factors like moisture and heat, make use of a large bowl greased lightly with olive oil with a clean dish cloth over the top. This also ensures that the dough won’t stick after rising and will generate moisture in the gradually warmed environment.
To speed up the proofing frozen pizza dough, gently warm the dough in a microwave oven on the defrosting setting.
Afterwards, cover the bowl with a clean towel and let it rise for an hour to double the size before making the pizza.
In defrosting process it is necessary to remove any plastic wrap that is not safe to use in a microwave before you nuke the dough. After removing the wrap and placing the pizza dough on the work surface, following instructions for the specific recipe.
How to use frozen pizza dough
Firstly before using the frozen pizza dough you need to thaw the dough inside refrigerator for approximately 12 hours, or use the microwave method to quickly thaw the frozen pizza dough.
Once the pizza dough has thawed, let it sit at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes or until it doubles in size. After that you can use it as a crust to proceed with the pizza recipe like usual.
A ball of pizza dough does take longer to defrost as it is much thicker. The larger the ball, the longer it will take for the core to completely thaw.
However, if the dough has been frozen for a long time, you will notice excessive moisture attached to it. In this case, use a bit of more flour to roll out to recover the desired consistency to prevent it from being too sticky.
Flatbread toppings can also be tried that work fine beyond the thought of your typical pizza. The crust can be ideal base for recipes at breakfast, lunch and also dinner.
Try new variations like making the pizza without sauce or using unique toppings to expand your palate.
Defrost Pizza Dough In The Microwave: Conclusion
Making pizza dough from scotch is extremely rewarding, and when you have leftover raw dough don’t be afraid to free it properly to use it at a later date. With the initial step for the process being to defrost pizza dough, the microwave method takes much less time compared to any other defrosting technique.
Use a microwave-safe plate and spray with olive oil. Also, lightly rub or spray the dough to cover the surface with olive oil as well.
Wrap with microwavable plastic wrap to ensure the dough does not stick while defrosting.
Set the microwave on defrost setting for 1 minute. Remove the dough from the microwave, flip the dough on the other side to repeat the defrosting process.
Use the defrost function and microwave for another minute to completely thaw the dough. Keep the dough in the warm microwave for 1 to 2 minutes after the first round with closed door to let the dough absorb the residual heat to let the yeast rise.
There you have it, defrost frozen pizza dough in the microwave with safe and convenient methods. Now you’ve got the base ready, you’re good to move ahead with making a delicious pizza!