People around the world enjoy pizza in different forms. When it comes to making variations, pizza sauce is something that plays a significant role.
Having a sauce prepared significantly eases your efforts in making your delicious pizza. In case you are curious about how long does homemade pizza sauce last, this blog is just for you.
So, how long does homemade pizza sauce last?
Let us clear the confusion about this make-or-break ingredient of a pizza. The short answer to this question is about 5-7 days in the fridge. But this duration depends on the temperature at which you are storing it. In case you have stored it outside the freezer i.e. in between 0-5 degrees, 5-7 days is the threshold.
The same sauce may last up to 3 months depending on its ingredients and if put inside the freezer. Though we managed to give you a short answer but we are not done with the entire blog yet. You must know some fundamentals about the quality of your sauce to make the best use of it.
How will you identify if your pizza sauce has gone bad?
No matter what kind of pizza sauce you have made, there are some signs that will help you know whether it is usable. Let us have a look at these.
Using a sauce while it is fresh is really important. The use of inappropriate sauce will not only ruin the taste but also make you sick.
Check the smell and color first
Try to notice the funny smell just when you open the jar. If the smell is not like before, it is most probable that your pizza sauce has gone bad. Another thing worth noticing here is the color. You can recall the color of the sauce when you prepared it.
In case the color seems different than that, it is time to get rid of the sauce immediately. Some people suggest testing a little bit but you should refrain from that if you find something sketchy with the color or smell. Testing is appropriate only when the smell and color look nice but still, you have doubts about the quality of the sauce.
Look for molds
The formation of mold either on the jar or somewhere in the sauce indicates that the sauce is not usable at all. Mold can form in several colors like green, white, black, etc.
Never think of using even the tiniest amount once you have seen mold in the sauce.
Pay attention to where and how you have stored it
Pizza sauce is something you have to store between 0 to 5⁰C. Suppose you forgot to put it in the fridge and it is in some open jar for more than an hour, you have now spoiled the sauce.
Some solutions to increase the life of your pizza sauce
We have talked enough about how long does homemade pizza sauce last in the previous paragraphs. But that is not all you need to know about your homemade pizza sauce. Some tips are there to enhance its life.
Use proper containers
Storing the pizza sauce in an airtight container is very important otherwise it will degrade quickly. So, finding the right container comes even before transferring the container to the fridge.
One more thing needed here is the build of the jar. Keeping the pizza sauce in a glass container will add a few more days to the life of your sauce.
Always keep it in the refrigerator
As we have already mentioned that the pizza sauce lasts only a few hours outside the refrigerator. That is why you must always keep it in the fridge right after its use. You have to either put the sauce in the freezer or anywhere in the fridge excluding the door.
Due to the frequent opening/closing of the door, the temperature of the container placed here changes too often. Changing temperature decreases the life of your homemade pizza sauce.
Keep an eye on cross-contamination
Cross-contamination happens when you don’t use clean spoons while taking out the sauce. This is something that people ignore and then start wondering about what went bad with their sauce. People often forget to clean the caps of their containers.
Accumulated materials on the cap will expose the sauce to unwanted elements and can also play a role in cross-contamination. Ensure you keep the lid clean before you transfer your sauce in there.
The right way to store your pizza sauce
The first thing you need to do here is cool down the pizza sauce to room temperature. Then transfer it into a glass container that is airtight. Now put the container either into the freezer or somewhere at the back of the shelf except the door(s).
Expert tip
The quantity of pizza sauce decides the way you have to store it. You can transfer it to the freezer if you only if you plan to use it for a long time. Otherwise, there are several ways to make use of it. Be it pasta or other such things, you can use pizza sauce almost every time when you have to use tomato sauce.
It all depends on your knowledge about the taste of the sauce and what you are preparing. There are plenty of ways to use your leftover pizza sauce in the following days. But during that period too, you have to follow the instructions for freezing, storing, etc.
Final thoughts
With this, the blog about how long does homemade pizza sauce last comes to an end. . Following the instructions mentioned above will surely help you preserve your sauce for longer than usual.
But you should never take chance with spoiled things because that may cause a potential health issue. Always make sure you check the sauce before using it anywhere.
