Homemade Pizza

Looking for a cheap & easy recipe for pizza? You’ve found it! This simple recipe makes 3 homemade pizzas for the cost of just 1 from a pizzeria. So, what are you waiting for? Try it tonight!

One of my favorite childhood memories is Friday night dinners at my Gram & Pop’s house.

My Gram made the best homemade pizza and we all looked forward to eating it as often as possible.

She even made extra and sold them to the neighbors on Friday and Saturday nights.

Her homemade pizza was truly a legacy among her family and her neighbors.

Even though I know her “secret” ingredient, it’s impossible to replicate it.

She used home canned tomatoes to make her pizza sauce and try as I might…I can’t get those tomatoes to taste the same as hers did.

However, I’ve tried for years to perfect my own pizza recipe and I think after all this time, I’ve managed to come up with a pretty good substitute for Gram’s homemade pizza.

It’s certainly a  favorite around here and we try to have it for dinner at least a couple of times a month.

Plus, with the cost of take out pizza, why bother?

Make 3 homemade pizzas (with toppings!), for the cost of 1 from a pizzeria, using my simple recipe.

Homemade Pizza

Pizza Dough Ingredients:

• 2½ cups warm water
• ¼ cup sugar
• 3 teaspoons instant yeast
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 6 cups unbleached flour
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

Directions for Making Pizza Dough:

Combine warm water, sugar and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Allow the yeast mixture to sit and foam for about 10 minutes.

Pour canola oil into to the yeast mixture and mix on low speed to combine.

Add flour and kosher salt. Continue mixing on low speed until a thick, slightly sticky dough has formed.

Cover and set in a warm place. Allow the dough to rise for 20 to 30 minutes.

Pizza Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 {28 ounce} can crushed tomatoes
• 1 {12 ounce} can tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons dry Italian salad dressing mix
• 2 tablespoons garlic, chopped

Directions for Making Sauce:

Combine all ingredients in a medium pot.

Heat on medium-low temperature until boiling.

Turn temperature to low and continue cooking for 10 to 15 minutes.

Time to Make Your Homemade Pizza

Here’s What You’ll Need:

• Pizza Dough (from above)
• Pizza Sauce (from above)
• 16 ounces Mozzarella Cheese/Pizza Cheese blend
• Toppings of your choice (see below for ideas!)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Punch down the dough and separate into 3 balls.

Place each dough ball onto the center of a greased 16″ pizza pan (or separate further, if necessary, to fit smaller pans).

Use your fingers to press the dough into a circle as large as your pan. Begin pressing in the center of the dough ball and continue moving outward toward the edge of the pan.

Drizzle sauce onto each pizza crust.

Sprinkle the top of each pizza with mozzarella cheese or your favorite pizza cheese blend.

Add your favorite toppings.

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Topping Ideas

Cheeseburger

Top your pizza crust with ketchup (mustard if you like it), ground beef and American Cheese and bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit, for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling. Remove your cheeseburger pizza from the oven and top with dill pickles, lettuce and chopped tomatoes.

Taco

Spread salsa over the crust, add ground beef and chopped jalapeño peppers. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes. Top with lettuce, tomato, guacamole and/or sour cream.

Redneck

Prepare pizza crust with regular sauce. Add 4 to 6 tablespoons chopped garlic and 1 cup chopped bacon. Top with mozzarella and Monterey jack cheeses. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes.

Margherita

Top pizza crust with sliced tomatoes. Add basil leaves and drizzle with olive oil. Cover tomato slices and basil leaves with thick sliced Mozzarella cheese. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes.

BLTC (Bacon, lettuce, tomato, cheese)

Cover pizza crust with sliced tomatoes. Add strips of bacon. Top with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and add shredded lettuce. Drizzle with ranch salad dressing before serving.

Meatball

Prepare pizza crust with regular sauce as usual. Cover sauce with halved meatballs. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top and bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes.

Meat lovers

Spread pizza sauce over the crust. Top with ground beef, sliced ham, sausage and pepperoni. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the meat. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes.

Hawaiian

Top pizza crust with regular pizza crust. Add sliced ham and pineapple chunks. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes.

Chicken Alfredo

Spread Alfredo sauce over the pizza crust. Add shredded chicken and Parmesan cheese. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes.

BBQ Chicken

Cover pizza crust with barbecue sauce. Add chopped chicken. Sprinkle with blue cheese. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes. Drizzle with ranch salad dressing.

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Place each pizza into the oven, 1 at a time.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Remove pizza from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Slice and serve hot.