I have been making my own pizza sauce at home whenever I want to make my own homemade pizza. Making the sauce is one thing but storing it so it does not spoil is another.
Most of the time, I would store the pizza sauce in the fridge since I use it frequently but I do not really know how long it can last there.
What if I bought a jar of pizza sauce and I stored it in the fridge without opening it, how long would it take before it goes bad in there?
What about uncooked pizza sauce? Will it go bad or will it stay fresh when sealed and stored in a cold place like the refrigerator?
These questions have been running through my mind since I make pizzas all the time. There are instances when the pizza is not as good as I want it to be and I wonder if the pizza sauce caused it.
If the pizza sauce has gone bad, in what way will I be able to tell the signs? It can be hard to just see the signs and there are also times when the sauce does not show any sign that it has gone bad.
So I wrote here all the answers to these questions along with some surprising facts about storing pizza sauce in the fridge by the end of the post.
Table of Contents
What Causes Pizza Sauce To Go Bad?
Bacteria is the main reason why pizza sauce goes bad. This goes with other types of food as well as bacteria can act up and develop harmful effects on the stored food
If the pizza sauce is left outside at room temperature or above 5 degrees Celsius, there is only an hour before the food or pizza sauce goes bad and is too unsafe to eat.
The warmer the temperature where the pizza sauce is stored, the faster the bacteria will develop. That means that the pizza sauce will go bad quicker.
Bacteria develop into molds that are clear signs, along with others, to throw away the pizza sauce instead of using the pizza sauce that has gone bad.
Exposure to air means there will be more bacteria that can enter the pizza sauce but even if the pizza sauce container is closed, the high temperature can develop the bacteria.
Just remember to always close the pizza sauce container when it is not in use.
How Long Does Pizza Sauce Last In The Fridge Once Opened?
An opened jar of pizza sauce will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Depending on the ingredients used in the pizza sauce, it can go bad as soon as 3 days in the fridge.
Tomato-based pizza sauces can last up to 5 days in the fridge if they have been sealed and stored properly. If you have Cheese-based sauces, then they can expire or go bad a lot sooner.
If the pizza sauce is stored properly with a seal at a temperature between 35 degrees and 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the pizza sauce can last for up to 5 days with no signs of going bad.
An opened pizza sauce will stay good at room temperature for 2 hours, no more than that. Seal it properly and then store it in the fridge.
It goes a little different with unopened pizza sauce jars but it is important to make sure that the pizza sauce is stored properly, all the same.
How Long Does Jarred Pizza Sauce Last In The Refrigerator?
If you have opened a jar of pizza sauce, it will only last 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. For store-bought pizza sauce that is not opened yet, it can last for months in the fridge.
I have bought a jar of pizza sauce in the past and I never opened it for a month and was still good when it was used. That is because store-bought pizza sauces have preservatives in them.
They last longer in the fridge compared to homemade pizza sauces. If you open a store-bought pizza sauce, it can last in the fridge between 1 to 2 weeks because of the preservatives.
Unopened store-bought pizza sauce can even last for months in the pantry because of these preservatives. Checking the date is always a good habit to make sure the pizza sauce is safe.
I do not usually let my pizza sauce last for more than a month in the refrigerator but if the pizza sauce is stored properly and the preservatives are really effective, then it can last for months.
Homemade pizza sauce is a different story since I do not add any preservatives to the mix. That is why they should not be stored like how store-bought pizza sauces are stored.
How Long Does Homemade Pizza Sauce Last In The Fridge?
Homemade pizza sauce can only last in the fridge for 5 to 7 days as long as the temperature stays under 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Since there are no preservatives in the homemade pizza sauce, they do not last as long as store-bought pizza sauces.
If the homemade pizza sauce is stored in the freezer properly, it can last longer. This is one way to prolong the shelf life of the homemade pizza sauce as it can stay good for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Even if the pizza sauce is cooked or not, it can still be stored in the freezer to make sure that it lasts longer.
How Long Does Uncooked Pizza Sauce Last In Fridge?
If kept at a temperature of 35 degrees to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, an uncooked jar of pizza sauce can last in the fridge between 5 to 7 days.
Just like your cooked homemade pizza sauce, uncooked pizza sauce can last for up to a week in the fridge as long as the pizza sauce is stored and sealed properly to prevent bacteria from entering.
More authentic pizza sauces do not require to be cooked before putting it on the pizza. Once they are made and jarred, they can be placed in the fridge immediately to be stored for a week.
I make sure to use the uncooked pizza sauce within the week so I can get the freshest flavors from the sauce that will go to the pizza.
I avoid making it a habit to use the pizza sauce on the 7th day as there are chances that the pizza sauce might have gone bad even when stored properly in the fridge.
Can Pizza Sauce Go Bad In The Fridge?
Yes, pizza sauce can go bad in the fridge even if you stored it in a sealed container. The fridge or colder temperature is meant to prolong the shelf life of the sauce, but not forever.
This can happen to all types of food, they are going to spoil eventually, and refrigerating them is meant to slow down the spoiling process but not indefinitely.
As mentioned above, the pizza sauce can only last in the fridge for 3 to 5 days if opened and about 2 weeks if unopened and has preservatives.
Even if the pizza sauce is stored in the most perfect way in the fridge, it can still go bad and some signs will start to show.
How To Tell If Pizza Sauce Has Gone Bad?
Has the pizza sauce gone over the set date on the jar? Not sure if the pizza sauce is still usable? Here are some signs that might tell the pizza sauce has gone bad.
1. Visible Signs Of Mold
The most obvious sign that the pizza sauce has gone bad is the formation of mold. The most common are green, black, and white molds that might show up on the surface.
These molds can develop on top of the pizza sauce and can be seen even outside of the jar. They can also develop on the side of the jar.
The worst sign that the mold has spread out is when you see some of it on the lid of the jar.
Important Note:
Mold can grow even in the fridge and even after scraping off the visible mold, the pizza sauce is still not safe to use as the mold might have developed underneath the surface. It is best to throw the pizza sauce away.
2. Bad Odor And Taste
If you open the jar and you are met with a funny smell, then the pizza sauce might have gone bad. If you cannot smell anything weird but the taste is sour, too tangy, or bitter, the pizza sauce has gone bad.
Pizza sauce and other tomato-based sauces do not usually have a smell aside from the spices used in them. That is why a funny or bad smell should not get in the sauce.
Note: Weird changes in color are also a clear sign that the pizza sauce is bad and it is time to throw it away.
3. Check For Broken Seals
Store-bought pizza sauce in jars is sealed and if the seal is broken before opening it, that is a clear sign that the pizza sauce has gone bad.
Tasting the pizza sauce is not the healthiest way to test it so inspecting the jar before smelling or tasting the pizza sauce is important.
If the jar has a broken seal, dents, swollen can, bubbling foam, and the expiration date has gone past, then the pizza sauce is no longer safe to use.
Replacing the pizza sauce with a fresh batch of homemade pizza sauce might be a better option and then learning how to store it properly for the next time you cook pizzas at home.
How To Store Pizza Sauce
For the pizza sauce to stay fresh for a longer time, freezing is the best option.
1. Freezing Pizza Sauce
If the recipe tells you to cook the pizza sauce and you are done with it, it is important to allow the pizza sauce to cool down before placing it in the fridge or the freezer.
Keep the lid of the pot so no dust or insect can enter the pizza sauce. Once the pizza sauce is cooled down, pour the sauce into an ice tray and then allow them to freeze.
This takes about 3 hours so having some extra ice trays for the rest of the sauce will help. Repeat the process until all the pizza sauce is frozen in the ice trays.
Place the ice cubes made out of the pizza sauce and then place them in a freezer bag or an airtight container before placing them back in the freezer.
I usually prefer a freezer bag or a zip-lock bag as jars can burst in the freezer. The night before I cook my pizza, I just leave a bag in the fridge overnight to thaw it properly.
It is also recommended that the pizza sauce container is labeled with the date when it was frozen and made.
2. How Long Does Pizza Sauce Last In The Freezer
Pizza sauce can last up to 3 months in the freezer while maintaining the freshness of the ingredients. It can be stored for up to 6 months, if the container is really sealed properly.
I usually allow the pizza sauce to be stored in the freezer for 1 month before using it so that I can still taste the fresh herbs that I have put in the pizza sauce.
After 3 months in the freezer, the pizza sauce is still good to use. The taste might differ very slightly but there is nothing to be worried about.
Related Questions
How Long Is Prego Pizza Sauce Good After Opening?
Prego pizza sauce, along with the Prego Alfredo and other sauces will last for 3 days in the fridge after opening. Prego recommends storing the pizza sauce at 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
How Long Does Ragu Pizza Sauce Last After Opening?
Ragu pizza sauce lasts for 3 to 5 days in the fridge after opening. The pasta sauce that is cheese-based will only last for 3 days.
How Long Does Rao’s Pizza Sauce Last After Opening?
Rao’s pizza sauce, once opened, can last in the fridge for 10 to 12 days. It takes longer than most brands because of the use of shelf-stable jars.
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