Your Frozen Pizza Will Taste Better With One Zesty Ingredient

While frozen pizza probably isn't what most people think of as a gourmet meal, there is a time and place for this back-of-the-freezer staple. Coming in plenty of options these days (from gluten-free to cauliflower crust, vegetarian to meat lovers, and more), these easy meals can be a great resource in a pinch. Though they may be a classic late-night option for college students, frozen pizza has come a long way from the freezer-burnt, cardboard-esque slices you may remember — especially when adapted to individual tastes with fancy (or even not so fancy) ingredients.

Maybe homemade pizza dough isn't on the to-do list today, but there are plenty of quick and easy techniques to take your boring frozen pizza to a whole new level. Starting with how you prepare it, many pizza brands (like Home Run Inn) suggest baking their product directly on the oven rack. It's at this point we are going to suggest you begin to divert from what the box instructions say, as there are a few ways to add more flavor and fun to the partially pre-made meal using one simple, zesty ingredient.

Former pizza chef Gretchen Holm recommended adding lemon zest or drizzling some fresh lemon juice lightly over a hot pizza to Insider, saying the citrus adds a level of freshness that is hard to come by in the freezer section. The lemon's zing provides an unexpected bright note to what could have been an unsurprising and basic dish.

If the tangy taste of lemon juice or zest is too much for you, you can try using lemon-infused olive oil instead. In addition to imparting some of that desired brightness Holm is after, the Institute of Culinary Education shares that brushing a little olive oil on pizza crust before baking can help achieve that crispy, perfect golden-brown color.

If you're really craving freshness, you can up the ante on this frozen pizza hack by tossing arugula with lemon and olive oil and using that simple salad to top the finished pie (via The Takeout). Not only is it full of flavor, but the addition of the lemony greens can make an otherwise mediocre slice fresh, fun, and colorful.

If a lemon-enhanced frozen pizza is inspiring creativity in the kitchen, then don't stop there! When you're a little less pressed for time (hey, you probably aren't choosing frozen pizza because you're looking for a culinary project) white clam pizza served with lemon wedges is a great spin on the tip to try from scratch.