The Chef-Approved Way To Elevate Frozen Food From Bland To Fresh

While frozen foods definitely deliver big on convenience, they don't always offer the same great taste as fresh items. However, it's easier than you might think to improve these foods by incorporating herbs, seasonings, sauces, citrus juices, and other ingredients, according to Insider. Chef Aarón Sánchez, best known as a judge on the reality TV cooking competition "Chopped," recommends combining less flavorful processed foods with fresh, wholesome ingredients. Doing so allows you to enjoy a convenient cooking experience while also creating a meal sure to please your palate.

There's actually a scientific reason why frozen foods aren't as flavorful as you might like. Freezing preserves food for longer, but it also leads to the expansion of water molecules within items. As these molecules expand, their cellular walls break down, which negatively impacts both flavor and texture. While proper storage and thawing techniques can prevent drastic changes to the quality of frozen food, only the addition of tasty ingredients will boost flavors to the level of freshly prepared items.

As explained by the Cleveland Clinic, quick freezing veggies locks in essential nutrients but home chefs must add fats, acids, or spices to infuse veggies with essential flavor. One method involves spritzing selections like asparagus and lima beans with either lemon juice or vinegar, which creates a bright and tangy flavor profile. By the same token, adding olive oil to a preparation can enhance mouthfeel and boost umami, which is often described as having a savory flavor.

Frozen French fries are another common side dish selection that can be enhanced with ingredients you already have in your kitchen. Per Insider, garlic is a great accompaniment to fries, and you can incorporate this ingredient in two ways. Take the cooked fries and place them in a bowl, then toss them liberally with garlic salt. If you have fresh garlic on-hand at home, you can create your own coating by mincing some cloves and incorporating them with olive oil, which should be applied to fries prior to cooking. Along with side dishes, fresh ingredients can also be used to enhance your favorite frozen pizza.

Bon Appetit quizzed a few professional chefs on their preferred method of boosting the flavor of frozen pizza. According to chef Eric Patterson, boldly flavored ingredients are his choice for this quick and easy meal. This includes heirloom tomatoes, which can be sweet or smoky depending on the variety you choose. Patterson is also a fan of grilled figs on pizza, which are known for their sweet, slightly fruity flavor.

If you're looking to turn up the heat, chefs Hannah and Marian Cheng have some great tips for you. In addition to their recommendation of fresh garlic and basil, they're also fans of adding fresh jalapenos to frozen pies. While chili flakes are a pretty standard pizza accompaniment, these sister chefs suggest mixing flakes with some olive oil and sprinkling the mixture over the finished pizza. And finally, chef Brian Lea loves adding jarred mushrooms marinated in garlic and oil as a finishing touch to his store-bought pizzas.