HOW TO MAKE A CHEESE PIZZA

HOW TO MAKE A CHEESE PIZZA 

Make Pizza Night something to write home about with this easy recipe for Homemade Cheese Pizza. Part of the secret is the blend of cheeses that melt so odyssey together.

Cheese Pizza is a classic. Whether you enjoyed it from the box in the freezer section as a kid or had a favorite pizzeria to order from, most of us have a core Cheese Pizza memory.

Mine? Preschool… when the teachers served us a frozen pizza for snack and one of my fellow toddlers questioned the green flecks on top. Parsley, my sweet Milo, it’s fine. 

To this day, I love adding freshly chopped parsley to my cheese pizzas!

Why Make This Cheese Pizza Recipe

Everyone loves Cheese Pizza.This is a great kid friendly meal that you’re gonna want to include in your Weekly Dinner Menu Ideas. Be sure to check out What to Serve with Pizza to make it a full meal.

It’s easy. I’ve had all the homemade pizza fails so that you don’t have to. This Cheese Pizza recipe is virtually foolproof!

It’s cheap. Homemade pizza is actually pretty cheap to make. The cheese is the most expensive ingredient, but stocking up when it’s $3/pound will help mitigate that expense.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make the best homemade cheese pizza:

pizza dough – you can use store bought pizza dough or make your own basic pizza dough with yeast, flour, water, and salt. Make it a bit healthier and try my whole wheat pizza dough recipe. Personally, I have this sourdough pizza crust recipe on repeat every Friday without fail.

pizza sauce – you can use storebought or make your own homemade pizza sauce. In a pinch, you can use canned tomato sauce and a few dashes of Italian seasoning or even fresh basil.

cheese – I love using a combination of shredded mozzarella cheese and monterey jack to make this pizza special. Some folks think that fresh mozzarella takes it over the top, however, if you’re not used to fresh cheese, remember that the texture will be very different. It doesn’t melt in the same way as aged mozzarella.

Remember you can freeze cheese if you won’t use it all.

Variations

The classic Margherita Pizza is made with an olive oil base, sliced tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella topped with fresh basil after baking. While technically a cheese pizza, it’s not quite the same as the American-style cheese pizza. Try our Margherita Flatbread Pizza!

A deep dish or sheet pan pizza is a fun alternative. A Pan Pizza is made with a thicker crust and extra olive oil to make the crust extra crispy.

Instructions 

Preheat – You want to preheat your oven to 475°. Yes, that’s a high temp, but that’s what will get you that golden crispy crust. Alternatively, grilling pizza is a great option.

Lay the crust – Prepare the dough according to recipe directions. Grease your baking pans or better yet, use pizza screens. Carefully, stretch the dough to fit the pan.

Add your sauce – Spread ½ to ? cup of sauce onto each pizza round.

Don’t forget those cheeses! Then go ahead and sprinkle your cheeses on top.

Bake. Bake 10 – 12 minutes or until crust is crisp and cheese is gooey and golden.

Bonus: Top with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

FAQS

What cheese is best for pizza?

At first glance, cheese pizza can seem kind of boring. But, with a mix of cheeses — we like mozzarella and Monterey jack — and a homemade sauce, even the humble cheese pizza can be something special. If you like feel free to add other cheeses, such as parmesan or gouda until you have the cheese combination you love.

Can I reheat this cheese pizza?

I recommend reheating cheese pizza in a preheated 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. You can also reheat it in a dry, covered skillet over medium heat until warm or toss it in the air fryer for five minutes. Whichever method you choose, watch it so that it doesn’t burn.

For best results, don’t reheat pizza in the microwave. It will create a rubbery crust.

Can you freeze pizza?

Absolutely! Freezing pizza is a great practice to avoid waste and enjoy homemade cheese pizza whenever you want. Let the pizza slices come to room temperature. Then wrap each slice in plastic wrap and then again in foil (or place in a plastic bag). Chill in the fridge until very cold and then store in the freezer. You can then reheat the frozen slices from frozen.

Favorite Pizza Recipes

Of course a cheese pizza is really a great blank canvas to turn into all sorts of pizza variations. Here are a few pizza night ideas to get you started: