How To Freeze Stromboli Without Sacrificing Texture

Aside from the savory meat, gooey cheese, rich sauce, and golden exterior, the best part about stromboli is that there are usually leftovers to enjoy another day. The lengthy, log-shaped turnover produces hearty slices, so you'll always have an extra piece or two to stow away. Keeping it in the freezer is one of the best ways to store stromboli, but you'll need to do it in a way that maintains its texture.

Stromboli tends to freeze pretty well, but the quality of the dish when thawed depends on how it's stored. Allow the stromboli to cool down completely before slicing it up into one-sized portions. This way, thawing and reheating the turnovers will be faster, and the interior can get thoroughly heated. Exposure to cold freezer air will degrade the stromboli's texture, so make sure each slice is properly covered up. Tightly wrap each slice with both plastic wrap and aluminum foil before placing it in the freezer. This double layer is especially good for dairy-heavy dishes like cheesesteak stromboli since cheese doesn't always freeze well.

Cooked stromboli should last in the freezer for up to three months, but once it's thawed, freezing it again hardens the dough's texture. Heating it while still frozen could make it soggy, so let it thaw for about an hour before cooking. Preheat your oven or air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and reheat the stromboli for around 10 minutes, flipping the slices halfway through.

If you want to prepare stromboli for another day but don't want to do everything at once, you can always whip it up and then freeze it straight away rather than sticking it in the oven. Making the dough from scratch and rolling it out before adding the fillings tends to be the longest part of cooking stromboli. Doing it ahead of time allows you to split up the work while still enjoying a fresh-tasting stromboli. Even if you make it with store-bought pizza dough, like this homemade pepperoni stromboli calls for, you can still prep it before freezing.

You may still need to par-cook some ingredients, like with the mushrooms in this mushroom and walnut stromboli. Otherwise, the water content will cause the turnover to get soggy while it is cooked. After assembling the stromboli, cut slits into the top of the dough. Since you'll be freezing it, there's no need to brush it with the egg wash — this can be done right before baking. Wrap the stromboli with plastic wrap and aluminum foil before sticking it in the freezer, where it can last for up to three months.

Let the stromboli thaw in the fridge overnight or for up to 24 hours. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and brush the dough with egg wash. Cook the stromboli for 25 minutes or until the inside is heated and the exterior is golden brown.