When you think about fast food, the first dish that pops into mind is usually pizza. Restaurant chains have reinvented recipes in order to bring new and unique concepts to the consumer. One of the most popular pizzerias that has continued to amaze customers is Pizza Hut. However, many people wonder – are Pizza Hut’s pizzas frozen or made fresh?
No, pizzas at Pizza Hut are not frozen. The staff only prepares the dough in advance and freezes it until it’s time to add other ingredients. The toppings, cheese, and sauce that are added on top are fresh. However, their pizzas can be frozen if you want to leave them as leftovers.
Why Does Pizza Hut Use Frozen Dough?
Even though the pizzas are not frozen, the dough is still pre-made and shipped on a refrigerated truck to stores frozen in boxes. Once it is ready to be cooked, the staff layers the dough in a pan and leaves it in a walk-in freezer to thaw overnight. When the dough is properly thawed and ready the next day, they can continue to prepare it for hand-tossed, stuffed crust, or other kinds of pizza.
The main reason why the store opted for shipping frozen dough instead of making it fresh is the fact that it takes a couple of days to get the right flavor of the dough. The price of the pizzas would be higher if the employees had to make the dough from scratch, and customers would have to wait longer than usual for their meal.
Does Frozen Dough Impact the Taste?
Upon first trying Pizza Hut pizzas, you might think that the frozen dough would significantly alter the taste and leave you with a dry and bland crust. However, even though they freeze their crust, it is not soggy or flavorless. The best option is to get a stuffed crust. This variety has a juicy and delicious crust that makes up for the fact that it wasn’t made fresh.
Another option is to choose thin-crust pizzas such as ‘The Edge’ thin-crust pizza. Although the crust is crunchy, it is drier than the hand-tossed and stuffed-crust varieties. The better quality of the dough and the method of preparation would make this variety tastier.
They Make the Pizzas With Fresh Ingredients
The company prides itself on the wide variety of toppings and sauces the customer can have on their pizzas. All of the ingredients are fresh and never frozen. Some vegetable toppings such as mushrooms, tomatoes, green peppers, spinach, and red onions are pre-cut, while meat toppings such as bacon, beef, and pork are prepared in advance.
It is not a secret that their meats, pepperoni, and mozzarella cheese have to be top-tier on every pie. The fresh ingredients surely compensate for the unique taste that is lost with fresh dough.
Is the Price of the Pizzas Suitable for the Quality?
Pizza Hut’s prices are comparable with the other two major pizza chains, Papa John’s and Domino’s pizza. They offer customers various types of pizzas as well as customized pizzas at an affordable price. Since they are always in demand and orders stack every minute, the staff has to use the frozen dough to speed up the process and meet all the requests.
The quality of their dishes is on par with prices. The toppings, ingredients, and crust are well prepared, but they are not of high quality as in some exquisite pizzerias. It is still simply a fast food joint, and you will get the type of food you pay for.
Here is a table with prices so you can choose which one would be the best to order.
| Pepperoni Lover’s Pizza (Hand-Tossed) | Medium | $11.99 |
| Pepperoni Lover’s Pizza (Hand-Tossed) | Large | $14.99 |
| Ultimate Cheese Lover’s Pizza (Pan Pizza) | Medium | $11.99 |
| Ultimate Cheese Lover’s Pizza (Stuffed Crust) | Large | $16.99 |
| Veggie Lover’s Pizza (Thin N Crispy) | Medium | $11.99 |
Can You Freeze Pizza Hut Pizza and Save for Later?
Yes, if you want to leave Pizza Hut’s pizzas in your freezer and save them for later, you are free to do it. However, there are important things to consider before taking this step. You might be disappointed with the taste and texture after thawing. The dish cannot regain its original freshness.
It would be best to keep it in the freezer for two months maximum. After two months in the freezer, the dish will probably not be as tasty as the day it was prepared.
How Best to Freeze Your Pizza Hut Pizzas?
If you want to save your pizzas as a quick meal for later, you should follow our instructions on how to do it correctly. There are a few crucial steps that will help it last in the freezer:
- The first step is to let the pizzas cool down completely before freezing,
- Then, take a sharp knife and cut the dish into individual slices,
- Place all the slices in a bag or an airtight container,
- Before sealing the bag or container, try to squeeze out as much ait as possible,
- Put the dish in the freezer for up to 2-3 months,
- In case you want to reheat the slices, place them in a pizza pan and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
Now You Know Whether Pizza Hut’s Pizzas Are Frozen
Order takeout from the most popular pizzeria in the world without fear since the company doesn’t freeze their pizzas. The staff only uses frozen dough that is shipped to each store on a refrigerated truck, other than all the toppings, cheese, delicious ham, and sauces are made fresh.
However, you can freeze your pizzas for up to 3 months if you want to eat a quick meal later. Make sure to take all the precautions, such as cooling down the dish and choosing an appropriate container for it to be properly stored in a freezer.