Easy School Pizza Recipe

Easy School Pizza Recipe

This EASY SCHOOL PIZZA recipe takes me right back to the carefree cafeteria days of childhood. As I sent my youngest off to her senior year of high school this fall, I got nostalgic thinking about my own school lunch memories.

I grew up eating hot pizza in the basement cafeteria of my Northeast Portland elementary school. Of the 1500+ meals I ate there from kindergarten through 8th grade, school pizza was definitely my favorite. While it may not have been gourmet, that cheap, no-frills cafeteria pizza just hits the spot. Now as a mom, I wanted to recreate that nostalgic school pizza flavor in my own kitchen.

This easy recipe yields a classic crispy, cheesy pizza with tangy sauce – just like the lunchroom pizza of my childhood. With just a few minutes of active prep time, I can enjoy a tasty slice of nostalgia anytime.

https://ymmlyrecipes.com/cava-garlic-sauce-recipe/

How To Make This Easy School Pizza

Get ready for a serious hit of grade school nostalgia! This easy recipe recreates the classic flavor of school cafeteria pizza with minimal effort. Just gather a few simple ingredients and follow my straightforward method for the ultimate pizza throwback.

Ingredients

For the Crust:

  • 2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1⁄4 cup powdered milk
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar
  • 1 1⁄2 teaspoons quick rise yeast
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup warm water (105-110°F)
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

For the Filling:

  • 8 ounces lean ground beef
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper

For the Sauce:

  • 1⁄4 cup tomato paste
  • 1⁄4 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
  • 1⁄8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1⁄8 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary

For Topping:

  • 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1 – Make the Crust

Preheat oven to 475°F. Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Then, in a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered milk, sugar, yeast, and salt.

Heat the water to 105-110°F, then add oil. Pour into dry ingredients and stir to form a sticky dough. Spread dough evenly in the pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned.

Step 2 – Cook the Ground Beef

In a skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain excess fat. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 3 – Whip Up the Sauce

In a saucepan, stir together tomato paste, water, oil, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and rosemary. Heat until simmering.

Step 4 – Assemble and Bake

Spread sauce over par-baked crust. Top with ground beef and mozzarella. Now Bake 8-10 minutes until cheese melts. Let sit 5 minutes before slicing.

Step 5 – Serve

Serve this old-school pizza with tater tots and chocolate milk for maximum cafeteria authenticity. One bite will send you right back to childhood! Let me know your favorite school lunch memories.

Perfect School Pizza

Tips for a Perfect School Pizza

  1. Use fresh, high-quality ingredients. Fresh tomatoes, real mozzarella cheese, and fresh vegetables will enhance the flavors.
  2. Make sure to preheat the oven properly, at around 475°F, to get a crispy crust.
  3. Use a pizza stone or baking sheet to evenly distribute heat.
  4. Avoid overloading the pizza with too many toppings, which can make the crust soggy.
  5. Spread sauce evenly over the crust using the back of a spoon. Too much sauce can also make the crust soft.
  6. Let the pizza rest 1-2 minutes before slicing into it so the cheese sets up.
  7. Get creative with shapes using cookie cutters or make mini personal pizzas for a fun lunchbox surprise.
  8. Consider trying unique sauces like barbecue, pesto or white garlic sauce to make the pizza more tasty.

Following these simple tips will help you make a delicious school pizza that both you and your kids will love. The key is fresh ingredients, proper technique, and inviting kids into the pizza-making process.

Substitutions And Variations

Substitutions:

  • Crust: Substitute half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat or multigrain flour.
  • Crust: Instead of powdered milk, use 2 tablespoons of yogurt or sour cream.
  • Sauce: Use 6 oz canned tomato sauce instead of tomato paste and water.

Variations:

  • Use turkey or chicken sausage instead of ground beef.
  • Add your favorite veggies like mushrooms, peppers, onions, olives.
  • Make an Alfredo pizza with cream cheese, milk, garlic powder, salt and pepper instead of tomato sauce.
  • Add pineapple and Canadian bacon for a Hawaiian pizza.
  • Use taco-seasoned ground beef, black beans, corn, and cilantro for a Mexican-style pizza.

Easy School Pizza

Difficulty:IntermediatePrep time: 20 minutesCook time: 26 minutesRest time: 40 minutesTotal time: 50 minutesServings:6 servingsCalories:430 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

Easy school pizza with a homemade crust, ground beef topping, and traditional tomato sauce makes a nostalgic weeknight meal.

Ingredients For the Crust

  • For the Filling:

  • For the Sauce:

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 475°F. Spray a half sheet pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. The cooking spray helps the parchment paper stick.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered milk, sugar, yeast and salt.
  3. Add the vegetable oil to the warm water. Pour the oil and water mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until a sticky batter forms. Don’t worry about lumps, just make sure there are no dry spots.
  4. Spread the dough evenly into the prepared pan using your fingertips. If the dough is difficult to work with, let it rest for 5 minutes before trying again.
  5. Bake just the crust for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
  6. In a skillet, cook the ground beef over medium-high heat, breaking it up into crumbles as it cooks. Cook until no longer pink. Drain excess fat and season with salt and pepper.
  7. Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the par-baked crust. Sprinkle with cooked ground beef crumbles and top with grated mozzarella cheese.
  8. Bake for 8-10 minutes more, until the cheese is melted and just beginning to brown.
  9. Remove pizza from oven and let stand 5 minutes before cutting into slices to serve.
Keywords:Easy School Pizza Recipe

Conclusion

This Easy School Pizza is a deliciously nostalgic treat that brings back fond cafeteria memories. With a homemade crust, classic tomato sauce, and fun toppings, you can recreate the perfect pizza from childhood. Try this recipe and make this comforting pizza your own!

AboutEmma

Hey there! I'm Emma, the nostalgic home cook behind YummyRecipes.com. When I'm not busy cooking up childhood classics in my Portland kitchen, you can find this 80s-music loving thrift shopper spending time with my family and hunting for vintage treasures.

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