How long does homemade pizza sauce last in the fridge

Do you know how long does pizza sauce last in the fridge? Pizza Sauce will last 5-7 days in the fridge and up to 3 months if you freeze it.

It’s not always as simple as that though. And I’ll tell you why below.

The sauce is normally an afterthought when it comes to making pizza. It is however one of the most important parts. Lets face it, you cannot have a pizza without sauce. (Am I right?)

There is nothing worse than making a pizza and the sauce has gone bad. The sauce can make or break a pizza. It can be the distinguishing flavour that makes people want to come back for more.

The sauce also acts as a base flavour. The tomato sauce will enhance the flavours of the toppings.

It’s therefore important that you know the signs to look out for when deciding to use a sauce or toss it.

I’ve done some research and I’m going to share my findings with you today in this article.

First I’ll show you how long pizza sauce lasts in the fridge, how to store your sauce. Then I’ll point out some additional tips for extending the life of your sauce. Finally how to check if the pizza sauce has gone bad.

So lets get into it…

Contents

How to Store Pizza Sauce? 

There are two ways to store pizza sauce. The first is by putting it in an air tight container and putting it in the fridge. (Im going to explain how long does pizza sauce last in the fridge in a moment.)

The other way is by storing it in the freezer. You should never store it on your counter top, it’ll go bad pretty quickly.

How long does pizza sauce last in the fridge

So, how long does pizza sauce last in the fridge? Around 5-7 days. This does however depend on a couple of things.

The temperature of the fridge plays a big part in how long the sauce will last for. It should be kept at between 35 and 40°F. At this temperature it should last up to 7 days.

It does also depend on the type of sauce…

Tomato based sauces will last longer, usually the 5-7 days. However, if the sauce is cheese-based then it wont last as long. In fact it will only last up to 3 days in the fridge.

This is because its dairy based and these do expire much quicker.

How Does A Fridge Preserve Pizza Sauce?

When it comes to tomato sauce, there are a few factors to consider.

Because of the growth of germs, pizza sauce will spoil over time.

One factor that slows down movement and allows bacteria to hibernate is cold.

When the sauce is stored in the fridge, it slows down the rate at which bacteria grows.

However you can still expect to see some changes after 3-5 days.

Once again though, this depends on a number of factors including where it was stored and if previously opened. The colder it is kept the longer it will last. Freezing it is an even better option.

Does Pizza Sauce Go Bad In The Fridge?

Yes even pizza sauce kept in the fridge will go bad. It wont keep it fresh forever, it can only help to prolong the shelf life of your sauce.

Putting the sauce in the fridge or freezer simply slows down the grow of bacteria and mold. It doesnt stop it from growing and making the sauce go bad.

Can you freeze pizza sauce

Yes, you can freeze pizza sauce. In fact, it’s one of the best ways to store it. You can keep it in your freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use it, just let it thaw out and then heat it up.

There are three ways that you can defrost pizza sauce;

1. Allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge. This would be the most recommended method.
2. Put it in a bowl and allow it to thaw. This method is not recommended because you’re more likely to make the sauce go bad this way.
3. Microwave the sauce and then allow it to thaw. This method is the quickest, but you will need to make sure that when microwaving it, it’s not too hot.

At What Temperature Does Pizza Sauce Go Bad?

Getting the temperature right is key. After all you don’t want the sauce to make you or your guests sick.

Bacteria and mold flourish in warm temperatures. Its important to keep the sauce below 40℉

It only takes a couple of hours for pizza sauce to go bad at temperatures above 40℉. If its really warm like 90℉, it will take less than an hour.

How To Check If Pizza Sauce Has Gone Bad?

So now you know how long pizza sauce lasts in the fridge, do you know how to check if it’s good or bad? Let’s go through that now…

Signs of Mold 

This is one of the easiest and probably a pretty obvious way of checking. Have a look at your sauce and if you notice any mold, then you may want to throw it away.

Mold will usually be green, however it could also be black or white.

You’ll often see this on or inside the lid.

Even though the cold in the fridge does slow down the growth of mold, it can still grow onto your sauce.

If theres any sign of mold, throw all of the sauce away.

There is a good chance that mold has grown in the sauce where you cannot see.

Funny Smell or Taste 

You should always do the smell test, as your nose is one of the best ways to detect if something has gone bad.

If its gone bad then there will be a strange odor to it.

If you know you’ve had the pizza sauce for sometime but it smells okay, you may want to do a taste test.

It will be off if it tastes sour, tangy or even bitter.

If it just doesnt taste right, I wouldnt risk it and just throw it away.

As a last check, it’s worth using your eyes. If the colour has changed and looks dull or unsual, this could show that the sauce has gone bad.

Broken Seals 

Whether your using homemade pizza sauce or store bought. If the air tight seal has been broken, i’d be tempted to throw it away.

You don’t know how long this has been broken for, so air could be getting into the sauce and developing bacteria and mold.

Don’t risk it, it only takes 5 minutes to make a fresh Pizza sauce.

It’s Been Left Out for Hours

Bit of an obvious one….

If the sauce has been left out for an hour or two and its been a warm day, check for the above signs of mold in the sauce.

As already mentioned it should be kept below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything higher than this does risk causing the sauce to go bad.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve ever wondered how long does pizza sauce last in the fridge, you should now know its up to 7 days. Depending of course on the type of pizza!

The fridge is a great place to store your pizza sauce. As long as the temperature stays between 35 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

You can also freeze the sauce if you have too much on hand – just remember that 3 months in the freezer will give you best results!

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