75 Homemade Pizza Recipes That Ended Our Love Affair With Takeout (2024)

75 Homemade Pizza Recipes That Ended Our Love Affair With Takeout (1)

Do yourself a big favor: Call the pizza guy and tell him to go on home—you've more than got this covered with these crazy good homemade pizza recipes. No matter if you're in the mood for a deep-dish pizza or a Chicago-style crispy thin crust pizza, we've got a little something for everyone. We've even included some pizza-inspired appetizers, casseroles, and pasta dishes for when you really can't get enough of all things pizza.

First things first, let's make some homemade pizza dough. Your homemade pizzas are only as good as the dough, and we've cracked the code to achieve a perfectly crunchy yet chewy pizza crust. Next step is picking the right sauce: You can either go the white pizza route (so no sauce) or classic marinara, and it's often way too hard for us to pick our favorite. Our favorites in our rotation? Margherita, a crowd-pleaser, is always in our back pocket, and we're especially smitten with our ultra-decadent carbonara-inspired pizza these days. We've even nixed the cheese (and have yet to really miss it) on our loaded vegan pizza! We know, we're as shocked as you are.

If you're not feeling up to mixing your own dough, fear not! We added pizza flavor to all of our favorite dinners, like these pizza burgers, pizza casserole, pepperoni pizza spring rolls, and even a, wait for it, pizza pot pie. And because you can never have too much pizza in your life, finish your meal with one of these dessert pizzas (naturally).

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

1

Chicago-Style Thin-Crust Pizza

75 Homemade Pizza Recipes That Ended Our Love Affair With Takeout (3)

That’s right, the Windy City, celebrated for creating colossal deep-dish pizza, has a lesser known thin crust pizza subculture. The cornmeal (added beneath the dough in the skillet) is indispensable for its signature texture, and you’ll likely find the pizzas cut into squares, not triangles. The sauce and cheese go right up to the edges of the dough, so the perimeter gets nice and crispy.

Get the Chicago-Style Thin-Crust Pizza recipe.

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

2

Homemade Pizza

75 Homemade Pizza Recipes That Ended Our Love Affair With Takeout (5)

Nothing beats a fresh-out-of-the-oven pizza, and once you see how easy it is to make for yourself, you'll never order delivery again. Switch up the toppings and add your favorites to make it your own. Pepperoni, mushrooms, bell peppers, pineapple? You can have it all! We can't get enough of bacon pickle pizza, personally.

Get the Homemade Pizza recipe.

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

3

White Pizza

75 Homemade Pizza Recipes That Ended Our Love Affair With Takeout (7)

Don't let the deep hues of caramelized mozzarella fool you—this is indeed a white pizza pie with absolutely no sauce. White pizzas can be boring without the acidity of tomatoes, but we've made a pie that takes advantage of the flavors from three different cheeses.

Get the White Pizza recipe.

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

4

Carbonara Pizza

75 Homemade Pizza Recipes That Ended Our Love Affair With Takeout (9)

If you can't get enough of Rome's famous spaghetti carbonara, then we have a sneaking suspicion you'll love this extra-cheesy pizza version. Keep it simple with a side of peppery arugula dressed with olive oil and lemon juice to cut the richness of the pie!

Get the Carbonara Pizza recipe.

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

5

French Pizza Bread

Craving homemade pizza, but don’t want to deal with finicky pizza dough? We get it, that stuff can be tricky. Skip it altogether, and grab the nearest loaf of French bread instead. The loaf makes for a delicious pizza “crust” that will get crispy on the outside while staying nice and soft on the inside. It’s truly the best of both worlds.

Get the French Bread Pizza recipe.

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

6

Pan Pizza

75 Homemade Pizza Recipes That Ended Our Love Affair With Takeout (13)

This pan pizza recipe will give you a super-versatile dough that you can make into a fantastically pillowy cast-iron skillet pie, or stretch out by hand into a classic New York-style slice to bake on a sheet tray. For those no-frills days when you're not in the mood for sauce and cheese, you can treat this dough just like you would a traditional focaccia and bake it plain with lots of oil, flaky sea salt, herbs, or whatever else you want to throw on top for a jazzed-up piece of crunchy-soft bread.

Get the Pan Pizza recipe.

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

7

Air Fryer Pizza Rolls

75 Homemade Pizza Recipes That Ended Our Love Affair With Takeout (15)

Good news for pizza roll lovers everywhere. The fastest way to make them is also the best way to make! Your air fryer cooks them up in just 8 minutes while making them the crispiest they've ever been. They will still be piping hot so be careful on that first bite, just like always! It leaves us wondering how Bagel Bites and Hot Pockets will do.

Get the Air Fryer Pizza Rolls recipe.

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

8

Deep Dish Pizza

75 Homemade Pizza Recipes That Ended Our Love Affair With Takeout (17)

Homemade pizza night calls for something extra special, and this deep-dish pizza is just the thing! Dress it up any way you want and add a layer of your favorite topping under the sauce! If you love a more traditional pizza, then try out our best pizza recipe.

Get the Deep Dish Pizza recipe.

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

9

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

75 Homemade Pizza Recipes That Ended Our Love Affair With Takeout (19)

Possibly our favorite use of cauliflower as a culinary master of disguise is in pizza crust. It might sound crazy, but it can be a delicious and healthy alternative to the classic. In this easy, gluten-free pizza recipe, you're basically making cauliflower rice as base the base for your crust.

Get the Cauliflower Pizza Crust recipe.

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

10

Pizza Casserole

From the realms of cheesy pizza and bubbling baked pasta comes a new family favorite: pizza casserole. Loaded with sausage, veggies, and plenty of cheese, this easy weeknight dinner has all of the cheesy, tomato-filled goodness of our favorite take-out pizza, neatly packaged in a 13"-by-9" pan.

Get the Pizza Casserole recipe.

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

11

Air Fryer Pizza

75 Homemade Pizza Recipes That Ended Our Love Affair With Takeout (23)

Making great homemade pizza can be hard, or so we thought. Turns out, we just hadn't tried making it in an air fryer yet! This super-simple recipe yields some of the best pizza to ever come out of our kitchen. The air fryer excels in cooking crust—ours was airy in the center and crunchy on the outside, just like in a true pizza oven.

Get the Air Fryer Pizza recipe.

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

12

Vegan Pizza

75 Homemade Pizza Recipes That Ended Our Love Affair With Takeout (25)

This hearty vegan pizza (topped with BBQ cauliflower and a homemade vegan ranch) will convert any carnivore into a fan.

Get the Vegan Pizza recipe.

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

13

Pizza Dough Khachapuri

75 Homemade Pizza Recipes That Ended Our Love Affair With Takeout (27)

Khachapuri is a traditional Georgian bread—the dish gets topped with an egg yolk after coming out of the oven and mixed into the melty center. The bread is torn from the side and dipped into the cheesy center as you eat, making it the perfect self-contained appetizer. Though very untraditional, we made ours easier by using pre-made pizza dough (we're in LOVE).

Get the Pizza Dough Khachapuri recipe.

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

14

Pizza Bagels

75 Homemade Pizza Recipes That Ended Our Love Affair With Takeout (29)

Pizza bagels are one of our favorite nostalgic dinners, and they can go in so many different ways. Envision what you would want your pizza to have on it, then make that come to life on a bagel. If you’re looking for some inspiration, check out our flatbread pizza, Buffalo chicken pizza, Tex-Mex pizza, or ham, egg, and cheese breakfast pizza.

Get the Pizza Bagels recipe.

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

15

BBQ Chicken Pizza

75 Homemade Pizza Recipes That Ended Our Love Affair With Takeout (31)

If you've ever been to California Pizza Kitchen, then chances are you know the joys of a good BBQ Chicken pizza. Our recipe uses tangy gouda, creamy mozzarella, and a hefty dose of red onions and cilantro for freshness. We happen to think it gives good ol' CPK a run for their money.

Get the BBQ Chicken Pizza recipe.

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

16

Grilled Pizza

75 Homemade Pizza Recipes That Ended Our Love Affair With Takeout (33)

Summer is meant to be enjoyed outdoors and away from the oven. If you've never tried grilling pizza, now is the time to start. It's far easier than you can imagine, and there's no pizza stone required! For this simple grilled pizza recipe, we're placing the dough directly on the grill. The crust turns out perfectly charred, crispy on the outside, and chewy on the inside, with plenty of melty cheese on top.

Get the Grilled Pizza recipe.

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

17

Pickle Pizza

75 Homemade Pizza Recipes That Ended Our Love Affair With Takeout (35)

This unlikely pairing is actually a match made in heaven. Pickles, bacon, and pizza lived happily ever after (especially when you dip a slice into some ranch).

Get the Pickle Pizza recipe.

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

18

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

75 Homemade Pizza Recipes That Ended Our Love Affair With Takeout (37)

Got some leftover roasted chicken? This pizza is the PERFECT way to use it! If you don't, shredding rotisserie chicken is a great alternative. If neither of those options is available, it's easy to boil some chicken breasts and shred them for topping.

Get the Buffalo Chicken Pizza recipe.

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

19

Mexican Pizza

75 Homemade Pizza Recipes That Ended Our Love Affair With Takeout (39)

This Taco Bell copycat isn't actually Mexican, nor is it a pizza. It's actually more of a Tex-Mex quesadilla, and we love it for a lightning fast dinner. The ease of flour tortillas straight from the bag can't be beat, but if you want to be true to the Taco Bell recipe, shallow-fry them in vegetable oil!

Get the Mexican Pizza recipe.

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

20

Pepperoni Pizza Spring Rolls

75 Homemade Pizza Recipes That Ended Our Love Affair With Takeout (41)

The Adventureland Egg Roll Wagon has a quasi-cult following, and these babies are a big reason why. Crispy, saucy, and cheesy—these rolls have everything you could ever want in one bite.

Get the Pepperoni Pizza Spring Rolls recipe.

75 Homemade Pizza Recipes That Ended Our Love Affair With Takeout (2024)

FAQs

How do you make pizza crust crispy on the bottom? ›

A baking stone, or pizza stone, is a large piece of thick, ceramic tile that sits on the rack of your oven. By preheating the stone along with the oven to a high temperature—think in the 450°F to 500°F range—it picks up and retains a ton of heat that provides exceptional browning for your bottom crust.

What is the best temperature to cook a homemade pizza? ›

Generally, the hotter the oven, the better the pizza will be. The best oven temperature for pizza is between 450 and 500 degrees F (250 to 260 degrees C). Pizza ovens cook at temperatures between 800 and 900 degrees F. You can't get that hot in your home oven, but the higher you can go, the better.

What is the best flour for crispy pizza crust? ›

The best flour for making Neapolitan Pizza Dough is 00 Pizza Flour. This type of pizza dough is thin and crispy with a slightly chewy texture. 00 Pizza Flour is an Italian-milled, finely ground wheat flour. It is perfect for Neapolitan Pizza Dough because it produces a light and airy crust with a slightly chewy centre.

What is the seasoning on the bottom of pizza crust? ›

Cornmeal: Cornmeal isn't in the dough, but it's used to dust the pizza pan. Cornmeal gives the pizza crust a little extra flavor and crisp. Most delivery pizzas you enjoy have cornmeal on the bottom crust!

What makes homemade pizza taste better? ›

Cornmeal and olive oil make all the difference

Inspired by the pizza crust often found in delivery pizzas, the publication points to cornmeal as the key to a quality texture and suggests basting the dough with an oil-based spread to enhance the color and flavor.

What are 3 unusual pizza toppings? ›

Exploring Unconventional Pizza Toppings
  • Beetroot pesto with goat cheese. ...
  • Caramelised onions, apples and goat cheese. ...
  • Breakfast pizza. ...
  • ‍Bacon, sausage, jalapeno and sriracha sauce. ...
  • Rhubarb, basil and apple honey BBQ sauce. ...
  • Grilled honey chicken with sriracha sauce. ...
  • Calamari. ...
  • Red peanut curry.
Aug 8, 2023

Do you bake pizza dough before adding toppings? ›

Pre-Bake Dough, if cooking pizza in the oven.

If you're baking the pizza in the oven, whether on a pizza stone or not, I always pre-bake the dough for 4-5 minutes before adding toppings, to make sure the pizza dough cooks crisp on the outside and soft and airy in the middle.

Do you put cheese on pizza before toppings? ›

Cheese always goes belowthe toppings

You've got your dough as the foundation. Then your sauce. The cheese is the next solid layer. Then your toppings (after all, they're called top-pings and not bottom-ings), and then finally your garnishes like basil, pepper, fresh mozzarella, etc, after the pizza is cooked.

How long do you keep a homemade pizza in the oven? ›

Bake pizza in the 475°F oven, one at a time, until the crust is browned and the cheese is golden, about 10 to 15 minutes. If you want, toward the end of the cooking time you can sprinkle on a little more cheese. Did you love the recipe?

Can you bake pizza on a cookie sheet? ›

Sheet pan pizza is also sometimes called “Grandma Pie” for its homey, imperfect appearance. Baked in its namesake sheet pan, the crust doesn't get wafer-crisp, but instead gets a tender crispiness from olive oil in the baking sheet. The crust is usually thick and chewy and loaded with tomato sauce and toppings.

Can I use a cast iron skillet instead of a pizza stone? ›

Cast Iron Pan

Our skillet pizza cooks up in a cast iron pan on the stovetop, but you can also use a cast iron pan in the oven to produce a crispy pizza crust too. Like the baking sheet, a large cast iron skillet preheated upside down can pretty much exactly replicate a pizza stone in the oven.

Can you put pizza dough directly on pizza stone? ›

Using a Pizza Stone

Allow at least 30 minutes for the stone to heat before you cook the pizza. Let the dough come to room temperature before baking. If cold dough is placed directly on a hot stone, the abrupt change in temperature may also cause the stone to crack.

What are the best things to put on pizza? ›

  • Some good toppings for cheap but still tasty pizza include:
  • Fresh herbs like basil, oregano, and thyme.
  • Sliced onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, and olives.
  • Pepperoni, sausage, and other cured meats.
  • Pineapple, jalapeño, and other fresh fruits and vegetables.
  • Garlic, anchovies, and capers.
Feb 24, 2023

What are the 10 most popular pizza topping? ›

America's Top 10 Pizza Toppings: A Delicious Ranking!
  • Pepperoni. It's no surprise that America's favorite pizza topping is pepperoni. ...
  • Mushrooms. ...
  • Onions. ...
  • Sausage. ...
  • Bacon. ...
  • Extra Cheese. ...
  • Green Peppers. ...
  • Black Olives.
Jun 7, 2023

What are the best pizza topping combinations? ›

8 Pizza Topping Combinations You Should Try
  • Margherita. ...
  • Pepperoni and Olive. ...
  • Chicken and BBQ. ...
  • Prosciutto and Arugula. ...
  • Sausage and Cheese. ...
  • Onions and Mushrooms. ...
  • Pineapple and Bacon. ...
  • Pesto and Chicken.
Feb 1, 2024

What are the best cheese toppings for homemade pizza? ›

Best cheese for pizza
  • Mozzarella. Perhaps the most well-known and popular pizza topping of all-time, Mozzarella is cherished for its near perfect consistency and straightforward flavour. ...
  • Cheddar/Matured Cheddar. ...
  • Aged Havarti. ...
  • Gorgonzola. ...
  • Provolone. ...
  • Goat cheese. ...
  • Pecorino-Romano. ...
  • The ultimate cheese pizza.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Patricia Veum II

Last Updated:

Views: 5418

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (64 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Patricia Veum II

Birthday: 1994-12-16

Address: 2064 Little Summit, Goldieton, MS 97651-0862

Phone: +6873952696715

Job: Principal Officer

Hobby: Rafting, Cabaret, Candle making, Jigsaw puzzles, Inline skating, Magic, Graffiti

Introduction: My name is Patricia Veum II, I am a vast, combative, smiling, famous, inexpensive, zealous, sparkling person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.