Papa Murphy's Pizza: To Pan Or Not?

Whether you're a fan of Papa Murphy's pan pizza or their original crust variety, the answer is yes—you do put Papa Murphy's pizza on a pan! For the pan pizza, simply preheat your oven to 425°F, remove the plastic wrap, and leave the pizza in the pan. Keep it level at all times and bake on the center oven rack for 12 to 18 minutes, rotating halfway through for even browning. If you're baking the original crust pizza, follow the same instructions but place the pizza on a tray instead. In both cases, let the pizza sit for 5 minutes before cutting and enjoying. Bon appétit!

Should you keep the pizza on the paper tray it comes on?

Papa Murphy's pizzas come on a paper tray, and there is some debate about whether or not to keep the pizza on this tray when baking. The official Papa Murphy's website instructs customers to keep the pizza on the tray when baking. However, some customers have expressed confusion and concern about this instruction, questioning whether the paper tray will burn or affect the crispiness of the crust.

Official Instructions

According to the Papa Murphy's website, the first step in baking their pizzas is to preheat the oven to 425°F. The next step is to "remove plastic wrap and leave pizza in pan" or "leave original crust pizza on tray". This instruction is specifically for their "Fresh Pan Pizza" and "Original Crust Pizza" respectively. The website does not specify the material of the tray, but customers have referred to it as paper or cardboard.

Customer Concerns and Recommendations

Some customers have found the instruction to keep the pizza on the tray counterintuitive, worrying that the paper tray will burn in the oven. Others have questioned whether leaving the pizza on the tray will prevent the crust from getting crispy. Based on their own experiences, some customers have offered conflicting recommendations. One suggestion is to slide the pizza off the paper tray and directly onto the oven rack for the last few minutes of baking to achieve a crispier crust. However, others have warned against removing the pizza from the tray, citing the risk of a soft dough base.

Based on the official instructions from Papa Murphy's, it is recommended to keep the pizza on the paper tray during baking. While some customers have expressed concerns about burning or crust texture, others have successfully followed the instructions without issue. Removing the pizza from the tray for a brief period towards the end of baking may be an option for those seeking a crispier crust, but caution should be exercised to avoid overcooking or burning the pizza.

How long do you bake a Papa Murphy's pizza for?

Papa Murphy's offers a variety of pizzas, including pan, original crust, and thin crust. Here are the baking instructions for each type:

Pan Pizza:

According to Papa Murphy's website, to bake a fresh pan pizza, preheat your oven to 425°F. Remove the plastic wrap and leave the pizza in the pan. Keep the pan level at all times. Bake the pizza on the center oven rack for approximately 12 to 18 minutes, depending on your oven. Rotate the pizza on the oven rack to ensure even browning, and remove it from the oven when the crust is golden brown.

Original Crust Pizza:

For an original crust pizza, preheat your oven to 425°F and remove the plastic wrap. Leave the pizza on the tray and place it on the center oven rack. Bake for approximately 12 to 18 minutes, depending on your oven. Remove the pizza from the oven when the crust is golden brown.

Thin Crust Pizza:

To bake a thin crust pizza from Papa Murphy's, preheat your oven to 425°F and remove the plastic wrap. Place the pizza on a tray and put it on the lower oven rack, at least 5 inches from the bottom. Bake for approximately 12 to 18 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

General Tips:

Regardless of the type of pizza, there are a few general tips to keep in mind. First, always bake your Papa Murphy's pizza within 60 minutes of purchase or refrigerate it. If refrigerated, remove the pizza from the fridge 60 minutes prior to baking to allow the crust to rise. Additionally, always bake pizzas within 24 hours of purchase.

During the baking process, keep an eye out for bubbles. If any appear, carefully pop them with a fork, as bubbles can cause toppings to slide. If your oven heats unevenly, rotate the pizza 180 degrees every 5 to 7 minutes to ensure even cooking.

Finally, let the pizza sit for 5 minutes before cutting into it. Enjoy your fresh and delicious Papa Murphy's pizza!

What temperature should the oven be to bake a Papa Murphy's pizza?

To bake a Papa Murphy's pizza, you should preheat your oven to a temperature of between 350°F and 425°F, depending on the type of pizza you have.

For a stuffed pizza, preheat your oven to 350°F. For an original crust pizza, or a fresh pan pizza, preheat your oven to 425°F.

Once your oven is preheated, remove the plastic wrap and place the pizza on a tray in the middle of the oven. Bake for 12 to 18 minutes for an original crust or fresh pan pizza, and for 32 to 40 minutes for a stuffed pizza. The pizza is ready when the crust is golden brown.

If your pizza is browning unevenly, rotate it 180 degrees every 5 to 7 minutes. If bubbles form, pop them with a fork, being careful not to puncture the pan for a fresh pan pizza. Let the pizza sit for 5 minutes before cutting and enjoying.

How long before baking should you remove a Papa Murphy's pizza from the refrigerator?

For the best results, it is recommended that you remove a Papa Murphy's pizza from the refrigerator 60 minutes before baking. This is to ensure that the crust has time to rise. You should always bake the pizza within 24 hours of purchase.

Once you are ready to bake your pizza, preheat your oven to the recommended temperature. For a stuffed pizza, this is 350°F, and for an original crust or fresh pan pizza, this is 425°F. Remove the plastic wrap and leave the pizza in the pan or on the tray, depending on the type of pizza you have.

Place the pizza on the center oven rack and bake for 12 to 18 minutes for an original crust or fresh pan pizza, or 32 to 40 minutes for a stuffed pizza. The exact baking time will vary depending on your oven, and the pizza is done when the crust is golden brown.

If you notice any bubbles appearing during baking, pop them with a fork, being careful not to puncture the pan if you are baking a pan pizza. If your oven heats unevenly, rotate the pizza 180 degrees every 5 to 7 minutes to ensure even cooking.

After removing the pizza from the oven, let it sit for 5 minutes before cutting and serving. Enjoy your freshly baked Papa Murphy's pizza!

How long after purchase is it safe to bake and eat a Papa Murphy's pizza?

If you plan on baking your Papa Murphy's pizza within 60 minutes of purchasing it, you don't need to refrigerate it. However, if you don't plan on baking it within that time frame, you should refrigerate it and then remove it 60 minutes before baking to allow the crust to rise.

Regardless of whether you refrigerate your pizza or not, you should always bake it within 24 hours of purchase.

Frequently asked questions