Why You Should Bake Frozen Pizza Directly On The Oven Rack

A frozen pizza is a nice, easy treat when you want a hot meal but don't feel like cooking. When you make frozen pizza, your first instinct may be to cook it on a pan or some kind of baking sheet, as you would with a freshly made pie. But, as it turns out, that's not actually the best way to manage frozen pizza. If you want to get the most out of your dinner and upgrade your frozen pizza's crust, bake it directly on the oven rack.

Unlike in a pan or baking sheet, the rack is not solid, which means that hot air can better circulate underneath the pizza. When it's lying on a solid surface, moisture can get trapped underneath the pizza, making the crust softer and soggier — hardly what you're hoping for in a pizza. When heat and air can circulate, there's much less trapped moisture, so the pizza comes out crispier and cooks more evenly.

Of course, baking directly on the rack isn't perfect and isn't going to work for every rack, every oven, or every pizza. There's always the possibility that toppings, particularly loose ones like cheese, will fall off as the pizza cooks and softens, especially if you thaw the pizza before it goes in the oven. However, with a bit of attention to detail and a few key tips for success, you don't necessarily have to grab a pan the next time you're prepping frozen pizza.

Cooking a frozen pizza directly on your oven rack is largely the same as cooking it any other way, though there are a couple of things to keep in mind to ensure it comes out as good as you're hoping. Firstly, always follow the instructions on the packaging and — no offense, but it has to be said — remove all plastic and cardboard packaging before cooking. Even the best-ranked frozen pizza brands won't taste good with a side of melted plastic and burned cardboard.

Second, always clean the oven rack thoroughly before preheating and setting your frozen pizza on it. Even if you typically use baking pans or sheets, oven racks can still accumulate grease and debris from other meals. Baked-in funk is far from a good addition to your pizza. In addition, grease and drippings can fall while the pizza cooks, so consider placing a pan or sheet on a lower rack to catch any errant bits and make cleanup easier.

Take care when removing your frozen pizza from the oven, since you don't have a baking pan or sheet to grab onto. Use oven mitts and a kitchen tool like a spatula to transfer the pie somewhere it can cool. As for that cooling surface, another rack that also allows air to circulate underneath is best, as it prevents moisture from getting trapped beneath while the pizza cools, keeping the crust perfectly crispy.