3 Gourmet Pizza Recipes With Freeze-Dried Toppings

Pizza is routinely cited as one of America's most popular foods — commonly-cited industry figures put U.S. consumption in the billions of pies a year, with kids ages 3 to 11 frequently naming it their favorite food, and pepperoni as the runaway favorite topping. Freeze-drying toppings ahead of time makes it easy to go beyond the usual order and build something more interesting without extra prep work the night of.

Strawberry, Bacon, and Chicken

Freeze-dry sliced strawberries, cubed cooked chicken, and crumbled bacon ahead of time. When ready to use, rehydrate with warm water and pat dry. Top your crust with the berries, chicken, bacon, sliced onion, cilantro, and blue cheese, then finish with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar before serving.

Butternut Squash and Sage

Slice butternut squash into pepperoni-sized rounds and freeze-dry. Rehydrate by spritzing with warm water. Top the crust with the squash, fresh sage, ricotta cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil, then bake at 350°F until the crust browns.

Cantaloupe and Ricotta

Slice ripe cantaloupe and freeze-dry. Rehydrate by spritzing with warm water or immersing briefly (about a minute). Top with olive oil, the rehydrated cantaloupe, ricotta cheese, and arugula or cilantro.

Unusual Topping Ideas, If You Want to Go Further

Beyond these three combinations, some pizza lovers have gone even further off the beaten path with toppings like peas, mashed potatoes, or even chocolate — proof that freeze-dried ingredients open up almost any topping idea you want to try.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can freeze-dried fruit be used as a pizza topping?
Yes — strawberries and cantaloupe both work well freeze-dried, then rehydrated with warm water before topping the pizza.

How do you rehydrate freeze-dried pizza toppings?
Most rehydrate with a quick spritz of warm water; fruit can also be briefly immersed. Pat toppings dry before adding them to the pizza so the crust doesn't get soggy.

What's an unusual but good pizza topping combination?
Strawberry, bacon, and chicken with blue cheese and balsamic is a good starting point if you want something sweeter and more savory than a standard topping lineup.

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