This is the epitome of why I love cooking at home. I enjoy a pizza out as much as the next person, but the sticker shock of what a pizza costs often has me running out the door. Pizza is one of the most inflated restaurant items, so when I am craving it I simply make it at home and enjoy a Homemade Pizza Party!
I am sharing the recipe as part of a series explaining how I only grocery shop 20-24 times a year. I push myself to plan for about 14 meals at a time and then grocery shop for each of them all at once! It takes an entire day to shop, organize, separate and freeze proteins, and unwrap and wash all fruits and vegetables, but it is 100% worth it to only shop 1-2 times a month.
Here I will share mainly some inspiration for how I plan and execute pizza night at home, and pointing you in the direction of my favorite crust recipe. So let's dive into what types of pizza are my favorites to make and get the recipe for the most delicious and decadent crust!
The BEST crust EVER!
At the beginning of 2020, I was mesmerized by the pizza recipe that was shared by King Arthur Baking and their declaration that this would be the year of the pizza! The recipe they were highlighting was one that they declared a Detroit style crust that is a deep dish with a crispy cheesy crust. I made it the first time EXACTLY as the recipe dictated, but I have since used the dough recipe as a base for endless configurations.
I have really fallen in love with this recipe and pizza has become quite the weekly affair. I have two cast-iron pans I cook this recipe in, one is 16-inch that I make a double batch of dough for, and a 12-inch that I make a single batch for. THE BIGGEST SECRET, use a scale and measure the ingredients out in grams!
The scale is your friend here. Only once did I try too quickly to just toss it together to get it done, and the results were nowhere near what I had experienced before. THIS SCALE is the one I use and perfect for any home kitchen!
Now lets talk pizza variations!
I grew up in a family that favored the "meat and potatoes" when it came to dinner so a meat lovers pizza is always a request when I cook for my family. I am a big fan of a white pizza with chicken and bacon and sometimes a few banana peppers and a squeeze of ranch dressing. How ever you like it, lets run through a few combos to give you some inspo!
Classic Margherita
A perfect pizza dough and a few fresh ingredients is all you need to make this classic pie.
- Tomato Sauce
- Fresh Mozzarella
- Sliced Tomatoes
- Fresh Basil Leaves
Meat Lovers
This one leaves you open to a bit of interpretation, but at a minimum, I always include pepperoni and sausage with loads of cheese!
- Pepperoni
- Sausage, Pork, Beef, Italian, or all of the above!
- Ham
- Bacon
Chicken, Bacon, Ranch
This might be my personal favorite. Use a white sauce or simply a drizzle of olive oil then finish with a drizzle of ranch. I sometimes like to add the pickled banana peppers for some extra zing!
- Cooked Chicken Breast slices
- Bacon Bits
- Pickled Banana Peppers
- Ranch Dressings
Pepperoni and Mushroom
My sister ALWAYS requests this one. She loves it, my secret is to layer in this order...sauce, pepperoni, cheese, mushrooms, pepperoni, cheese! The double pepperoni makes all the difference!
- Pepperoni
- Crimini Mushrooms
- Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese
Pesto Chicken Pizza
I love the earthy, herby flavor of pesto and pizza crust. Super simple flavors, but so delicious!
- Pesto
- Cooked Chicken Breast slices
- Tomato Slices
- Salt, Pepper, and Oregano before cheese on top
- Mozzarella and Parmesan
Of course, the possibilities are endless these are just a few of my favorite flavor combos. Just use that dough recipe, you can top it any way you like!
For the thin crusts, I used THIS RECIPE!
The $$$ Breakdown!
As you might tell, I made all 5 of these pizzas for a friday night Homemade Pizza Party. This cost breakdown is for 5, yes you read that right 5 pizzas! Like I mentioned at the top, I am always blown away at how much pizza costs to eat out. Cooking at home is ALWAYS cost effective and I can get it exactly as I like it!
- $0.54 - AP Flour
- $0.56 - Olive Oil
- $2.79 - Shredded Mozzarella
- $2.99 - Fresh Mozzarella
- $1.99 - Parmesan
- $1.75 - Tomato Sauce
- $1.66 - Pepperoni
- $0.99 - Mushrooms
- $0.99 - Pesto
- $0.79 - Fresh Tomatoes
- $2.13 - Chicken Breast
- $1.00 - Bacon
- $0.50 - Banana Peppers
- Total Cost for 5 pizzas: $18.68
I hope you give making pizza at home a try. It really is simple and you only limit is your imagination. Enjoy!
Did you make this recipe? Let me know by leaving a review or comment! And be sure to sign up for my newsletter, and follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!
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