How Long Does Pizza Dough last in the Fridge?

So, you made a lot of pizza dough, and ended up shoving the leftover dough in in the fridge but how long does pizza dough last in the fridge until it goes bad?

The life of the pizza dough is important to consider when you store fresh homemade pizza dough in the fridge.

Most of the time, I try to make the right amount of dough so I do not have to worry about storing it in the fridge since I always forget to use it before the 5 day mark.

I do not go beyond the 5-day mark as the pizza dough then gets flat, and it is pretty much dough and not pizza dough anymore.

So, to answer it once and for all, you can store pizza dough for about 5-7 days in the refrigerator.

If more than that, you are dealing with a dough that will not rise. Homemade Pizza Dough has a limited shelf life, so make sure you use it before the 5-7 day mark.

This is because yeast slowly dies the longer you store pizza dough it in the fridge.

So, when does the bacteria formation begin?

If you see your dough has changed in texture, if it has some discoloration or is slimy to the touch, throw it out immediately.

That is when

To use homemade pizza dough safely from the fridge, you must store it correctly.

I always recommend using air-tight jars or storing pizza dough in these pizza-proofing containers that do the trick.

You can wrap the pizza dough container with cling wrap if you do not have either.

But before discussing different ways you can store pizza dough, let’s see how to tell when it has gone bad!

Table of Contents

Can Pizza Dough go bad?

Yes, Pizza dough can go bad, and it is just like any other food item out there and has its own shelf life.

Homemade Pizza dough will go bad sooner because they have no preservatives and are made from scratch.

If your pizza dough has milk or eggs, it will go bad faster. However, I NEVER recommend using milk and eggs in pizza dough.

I mean, this is pizza dough, not a cake or muffin batter that you need to add eggs and milk. If these are the recipes you use, never tell anyone you got the recipe from this website(which you never did in the first place), lol.

Cook pizza the right way using my authentic Neapolitan pizza dough recipe, and you can save all your eggs for later.

Since Pizza dough contains basic ingredients like flour, yeast, salt, and water, it will not easily go bad.

If you make your pizza dough using the ingredients mentioned in the previous line, then your pizza dough will easily last up to 5-7 days.

After seven days the yeast will slowly die, and the pizza dough will cook out flat. If stored properly, you can stretch it for more than seven days, but I assure you, the pizza dough won’t rise and will not taste like pizza anymore.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF PIZZA DOUGH HAS GONE BAD?

Here are some quick and easy ways to tell that your pizza dough has gone bad; check if it shows any of these symptoms and immediately throw it out in case it does.

You should not consume spoilt pizza dough as it can cause health issues, and it is not fun to take part in toilet Olympics just because you like pizza.

Matters can get even worse if you get seriously ill by consuming it.

Now, going back to the symptoms of ‘pizza dough gone bad,’ check for these signs-

1. Texture and Smell

If you have a keen sense of smell like I do, this should be your first go-to move to check if the pizza dough has gone bad.

If your homemade pizza dough does not smell like dough and has any pungent or rancid smell then that is your cue.

Another way is to check the texture of the pizza dough, if it is slimy then you know pizza dough has gone bad.

2. Mold growth and Texture of the PIZZA dough

Pizza dough is beige or white(depending on the flour you use for pizza dough) in color, and that is how it should be.

If you see that the pizza dough has mold, then the color of the dough changes to grey, or it has some grey spots.

This is when you know your pizza dough has gone bad, and you need to get rid of it.

It is pretty easy to say by looking at the appearance of the pizza dough that it has gone bad.

If you think you see ANY unusual growth on the surface of the dough, then it is time to bid goodbye.

P.S. Mold growth can happen even when the dough is in the fridge, so be careful.

3. Freezer Burns

Another way you know that the pizza dough is not worth using is when it has freezer burns. Freezer burns are quite tricky to figure out but look out for when you have some ice crystals on the surface of the dough.

Freezer Burnt Peas- Look at the crystallisation that occurs

That is when you know your dough has freezer burns. This happens when you do not store pizza dough the right way.

If you store pizza dough the right way, it can last about 2-4 months. The freezer-burnt dough can still be cooked, and you won’t fall ill, but it won’t taste like a pizza crust.

4. Pizza Dough stored for too LONG

When pizza dough is stored in the fridge for more than 5 days, the yeast in the dough gets exhausted and you will get a flat dough when cooked.

You also get a thick crust formation on top which means the dough has dried out.

This is something I despise since one of the best parts of the pizza is its crust. If you have a nice fluffy and crispy crust, then everything seems right.

So, do not let the dough stay for more extended periods of time in the fridge, and do yourself a favor and consume it before that because flat pizza crust is not so appetizing.

This may not cause you illness but it does take away all your will to cook a pizza again, hence it is worth mentioning it in this post.

Does refrigerated pizza dough go bad?

Yes, just like any food item, refrigerated pizza dough does go bad. If the pizza dough is kept on the countertop you cannot keep it for more than 24 hours.

The time depends on how much yeast is used in the dough; if you make Neapolitan pizza dough that requires less yeast, you can leave it out for 24-48 hours.

But if you are making a quick pizza dough with more yeast, keep it out for a few hours, around 2-6 hours, and not more.

Once you keep your pizza dough in the refrigerator, it will only last you a couple of days, and to be specific, Neapolitan pizza dough lasts about 5 days and not more than that for me.

After that, the dough goes dry, and if left longer, I have mold growth on the dough(still kept inside the fridge).

How long does pizza dough last in the fridge?

If you have been reading up until now, then you know the answer to this question.

Pizza dough can last in the fridge for around 5-7 days and not more than that. It is not necessary that the mold formation will happen after 7 days but the pizza dough surely loses its stretchy texture and cooks flat.

How long does pizza Dough last at room temperature?

If you are making a pizza dough that you would cook within a few hours of making the dough then I’m guessing you are using the quick pizza dough recipe.

In this case, you use a lot of yeast compared to the amount of yeast used in cold fermented pizza dough recipes or the Neapolitan pizza dough recipe.

This quick pizza dough lasts for about 8 hours at room temperature, and after that, I’m sure it starts to smell funky.

Neapolitan pizza dough is best when left to ferment overnight in a cool environment, this way the fermentation happens slowly.

Neapolitan or cold fermented dough can be stored outside if you do not live in a very HOT climate for 24-48 hours easily.

If you stay some place hot, then leaving it on the countertop overnight is suitable for Neapolitan pizza dough.

So, should you prepare pizza dough in advance?

Yes, it is best to prepare pizza dough in advance.

I’m not a fan of those quick pizza dough recipes that you can start making pizzas with within a few hours.

I love to keep mine on the countertop overnight and make amazing pizzas the next day.

The overnight fermentation packs in so much flavor into the pizza dough. You enjoy the dough’s taste and flavor when making pizzas.

But I always think of making enough dough that would last not more than 2-3 days. That’s how I work, and I think you should see what works best for you.

You can make it fresh and always store it in the freezer.

I do not make pizza dough in bulk and store it in the freezer because I always forget to use it on time.

I just get lost in making other recipes, and the pizza dough container gets kicked to the end of the freezer, and since I do not see it in the front, I assume it doesn’t exist,lol.

But that is just me; if you do not get confused that way, then I highly recommend freezing pizza dough, so it lasts longer and stays as good as fresh.

How to store Pizza dough so it lasts longer?

It is crucial to store pizza dough properly so it lasts longer in the fridge. I recommend storing it in an air-tight container so it does not form a dry crust top layer that it usually does if not stored properly.

Also, if you plan on using it after a few weeks, then I recommend freezing pizza dough in a container.

TIP- If you do not want your dough to form a crust while proofing on the counter, then cover your container with a clean wet cloth. The moisture from the cloth avoids the formation of the crust on the top layer of the pizza dough

If you freeze pizza dough, I always recommend freezing it by converting the dough into pizza balls and wrapping the individual balls in aluminum foil and then store them in an air tight container.

This way, you can take out one dough ball at a time and thaw it depending on how many pizzas you plan to cook that day.

If you want to thaw your frozen pizza dough ball, then the best way is to keep it overnight in the fridge and then take it out the next day and let it sit out for about 2 hours before you cook it.

When the dough balls poofs up a bit and is at room temperature, that is when it is ready to get stretched.

Can I use pizza dough straight from the fridge?

I do not recommend using pizza dough straight from the fridge. The refrigerated pizza dough has to come to room temperature before you can cook it again.

I usually wait for about 3-4 hours before I can start stretching the pizza dough and lay down pizza sauce and toppings.

The idea is to let the dough come to room temperature and let it proof a bit before you start making your pizza.

So, patience is KEY when it comes to pizza dough. Proof it right and everything is sorted!

How long should pizza dough sit out after being refrigerated?

As I mentioned above but this is IMPORTANT so I like to repeat it again for anyone who missed this, it is essential to let pizza dough sit out for about 2-3 hours once you take it out of the fridge.

I usually love for the pizza dough to proof a bit before I start making my pizzas and that takes about 3-4 hours.

So, make sure your dough has not only reached room temperature but also doubled in size before making pizzas.

How long does it take for dough to get to room temperature?

Well, I say it takes about 2 hours for the pizza dough to reach room temperature when you take it out of the fridge, and let it sit for additional 1-2 hours for proofing.

Conclusion

Hope this clears up everything you want to know on how long to leave the pizza dough out and how long it lasts in the fridge and the freezer.

If you have any questions or want to add some information on this, leave your suggestions in the comments!

If you like the post, then do not forget to share it on social media!