Our Best Pizza Recipes Are Better Than Takeout (2024)

Forget delivery! These homemade pizza recipes are so much better than you can buy—and they're just right for a family dinner or a get-together with friends. Choose a traditional pizzeria-style recipe or go bold with a cauliflower crust, Vietnamese-inspired toppings, or spicy Mexican pizza flavors.

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Fresh Tomato Pizza with Oregano and Mozzarella

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Look to your garden or farmers market for ingredients for this homemade pizza recipe. The fresher the arugula, oregano, and cherry tomatoes are, the better each bite will taste! Thin slices of prosciutto and melty mozzarella cheese give this bright pizza just the touch of heartiness it needs.

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Gluten-Free Homemade Pizza

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Pizza is for everyone, as this recipe proves. Use a gluten-free flour blend to form a thin and crispy crust, then pile on all of your favorite toppings. This cheese pizza recipe adds red onion, green bell peppers, and mushrooms, but when it comes to pizza toppings, there are no wrong answers.

Buy It: Tramontina Style Pizza Pan ($25, Target)

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Roasted Vegetable-Chicken Sausage Pizza

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If you want tons of toppings, this homemade pizza recipe has got 'em all. Mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, asparagus, and Italian chicken sausage all crowd onto each slice, and that's just the start. Once your pizza comes out of the oven, you can kick it up another notch by adding a few more last-minute flavor enhancers like fresh herbs and olives.

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Steak, Egg, and Goat Cheese Pizza

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Is this pizza breakfast, lunch, or dinner? No matter what time of day you choose to eat it, the combination of roast beef, kale, eggs, bell peppers, and goat cheese sitting on top of whole grain crust always satisfies. It's the best pizza recipe to make when you want something utterly delicious and unlike anything your local takeout restaurant serves up.

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Loaded Cheeseburger Skillet Pizza

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If you're torn between making burgers or pizza for dinner, have both. This cast-iron pizza recipe cooks up quick and blends your favorite pizza toppings and burger condiments. Just one bite will have you convinced that pickles, ketchup, and mustard are a perfect pizza match.

Buy It: Lodge Cast Iron Skillet ($25, Walmart)

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Quatro Stagioni

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Put an end to topping debates once and for all. Split your pie into four sections so everyone can enjoy their favorite pizza for dinner. This homemade pizza recipe uses combinations like roasted red pepper with basil and artichokes with Parmesan, but it's easily customizable with any toppings.

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Four-Cheese White Pizza

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Cheese lovers, add this white pizza recipe to your menu right now. No marinara sauce, just a tantalizing combination of mozzarella, provolone, Asiago, and ricotta cheeses. Just before serving, add a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts to help enhance the rich flavors.

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Pizza Primavera

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Gather all your fresh spring vegetables. Whole wheat flatbreads are just strong enough to hold up all the toppings on this veggie pizza recipe. With asparagus, bell peppers, red onions, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes, each slice is a garden smorgasbord.

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Chorizo and Black Bean Pizza Pie

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Say hello to the easiest deep dish pizza you've ever made. Instead of pulling out the pizza stone, reach for your slow cooker and line it with pizza dough. Then fill with chorizo sausage, black beans, and cheese for an ultra-easy taco pizza recipe.

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Cauliflower-Crusted Pizza

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Add an extra dose of veggies to pizza night by replacing traditional dough with a healthier cauliflower crust. Make this pizza recipe from scratch by pulsing the cauliflower in a food processor, squeezing out the water, and forming it into a crust with bread crumbs and cheese. Once it has a head start on baking, add your favorite toppings just like any other pizza.

Buy It: KitchenAid Food Chopper ($60, Target)

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Apple Pizza with Bacon

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As soon as fall rolls around and fresh apples are in season, serve this easy homemade pizza recipe for dinner. It starts with frozen dough, which cuts down on a lot of prep, then gets a decadent topping of sliced Gala apples, bacon, and blue cheese. It's a sweet and savory twist on pizza everyone will love.

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Baked Potato Pizza

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Pizza and baked potatoes are both better when they're loaded with toppings, so why not combine the two? This homemade pizza recipe borrows from the best of both. That means Yukon potato slices, bacon, and three cheeses top this ultra-yummy dish.

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Sausage-Mushroom Breakfast Pizza

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There's no wrong time to eat pizza, especially when you're making a homemade breakfast pizza. Get a quick start in the morning by topping frozen dough with sausage, mushrooms, eggs, and cheese. If that's not enough to wake you up, add a drizzle of salsa for an extra kick.

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Grandma-Style Pizza with Capocollo and Fennel

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Grab your baking pan and make the best homemade pizza recipe for sharing with family. Everyone will love the simple mozzarella, capocollo, and fennel toppings, and it makes enough to share. Give everyone the option to customize their slice with a few last-minute toppers like fresh herbs and crushed red pepper.

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Veggie Banh Mi Pizza

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This veggie pizza recipe is inspired by traditional Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches with a bit of a twist. Instead of serving up quick-pickled carrots and onions and fresh cucumbers on bread, swap in homemade pizza dough. A blend of hoisin sauce, honey, sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice vinegar is just the one-of-a-kind sauce this special pizza deserves.

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Roasted Garlic-Goat Cheese Pizza

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Ever roasted a head of garlic? It gets ultra-soft and takes on a milder, sweeter flavor that's perfect for pairing with goat cheese and basil vinaigrette. Once you try it, you might never go back to plain marinara and cheese.

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Beef and Blue Pizza

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Creamy blue cheese, peppery roast beef, red onion, and bell pepper top this dazzling pizza—and it's all ready in less than 20 minutes thanks to the purchased pizza crust. That means this easy pizza recipe is definitely quicker than delivery.

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Mini-Meatball Pizza

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Homemade meatballs, sauce, and dough make this pepper-topped pizza better than anything you'll find at a pizza joint. Make this pizza recipe at home with provolone cheese for a slight change-up from classic mozzarella.

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Tomato Pizza Rolls

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Switch it up on pizza night and try these pizza rolls filled with prosciutto, Parmesan, and tomatoes. Somewhere between a simple cheese pizza recipe and a calzone, individual rolls are a fun way to serve a dinnertime favorite. No time for homemade dough? Just use store-bought for an easy substitute.

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Mushroom-Garlic Pizza

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Savory herb oil and caramelized garlic pair with two types of mushrooms and a hearty dose of Gruyère cheese for a sophisticated take on meatless pizza that's worth the extra effort. Meat lovers could add bacon or ham to this veggie pizza recipe, but it's super delish without any meat at all.

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Spring Breakfast Pizza with Spiced Hollandaise

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This homemade pizza recipe is one of the best ways to start a casual weekend brunch. Everyone will want to try a slice, especially when they see it's topped with hard-cooked eggs, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, and homemade creamy hollandaise.

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Chicken Pizza with a Kick

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Move over, marinara. Fiery picante sauce adds a kick to this hearty pizza piled high with chicken, bell pepper, onion, and sharp cheddar cheese. The only tricky part of this easy pizza recipe is waiting for it to finish baking to snag a slice.

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Pizza Margherita

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Topped with zesty tomato sauce, pungent basil, and fresh mozzarella cheese, this crispy-crust pizza recipe originated in Naples, Italy. It's one of the best recipes there is for a reason, and everyone should try making it at home at least once (it's also super easy).

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Buffalo Chicken Pizzas

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Southwest-flavor chicken strips, creamy blue cheese dressing, bottled hot pepper sauce, and crisp celery give these pizzas all the irresistible flavor of your favorite wings. Serve this BBQ chicken pizza recipe for dinner or make it as an appetizer for a game day party.

Our Best Pizza Recipes Are Better Than Takeout (2024)

FAQs

Is homemade pizza better than takeout? ›

Homemade pizza is an easy, delicious and healthy meal to make! Although buying a takeaway pizza may seem like an easier option at the time, by making it at home you will be saving yourself from lots of kilojoules, added sugars, unhealthy fats, preservatives and salt!

Why does takeout pizza taste better? ›

The No. 1 reason restaurant pizza is better than homemade is that they have ovens that can reach 900°F, or even hotter, which makes for perfectly crisp and chewy crusts, with those lovely charred spots, says Kierin Baldwin, chef-instructor of Pastry & Baking Arts at the Institute of Culinary Education.

Is homemade pizza better for you than store bought? ›

Freshly made pizzas often contain healthier ingredients than the more processed ones sold in convenience stores and fast-food restaurants. Most pizzerias make their dough from scratch using simple ingredients like olive oil and wheat flour.

What is the secret to good homemade pizza? ›

Olive Oil: In addition to boosting flavor, olive oil makes for an elastic dough that's easy to shape. As the pizza bakes, the fat in the dough bubbles and blisters in the hot oven, forming a speckled and lightly crisp and chewy crust.

Does homemade pizza dough taste better? ›

Both the homemade and the Whole Foods have a satisfying flavor and a good char, but the crisp, chewy texture of the homemade really stands out." The Kid: Homemade or Whole Foods; "These taste better and more like bread, and I like how they're chewier too."

Why are homemade pizzas better? ›

Containing two-thirds the calories of a takeout meal and half the saturated fat, pizzas cooked in a wood burning oven make your whole body feel as happy as your stomach. In the end, a homemade pizza is healthier, cheaper, tastier, and more interesting than delivery.

Why is Costco pizza so delicious? ›

It's the cheese! Costco's pizza recipe calls for 1½ pounds of cheese — a combination of mozzarella, parmesan, and provolone. That incredibly thick layer of cheese guarantees its delicious pizza will have you so eager for a pie that you'll want to use the Costco hack that lets you skip the long food court line.

Why does takeout taste better than homemade? ›

The method of cooking is much more authentic. The steps in which food should be made may not be known to a home cook but a chef makes it perfectly creating a difference between the taste of food cooked at home and restaurant. One ingredient or cooking tool may change the taste or texture of the food.

Why does NYC pizza taste better? ›

New York–style pizza gets its distinguishing crust from the high-gluten bread flour with which it is made. Minerals present in New York City's tap water supply are also credited with giving the dough in metro area pies its characteristic texture and flavor.

Is it OK to eat homemade pizza everyday? ›

Pizza is high in saturated fats due to cheese and processed meat toppings, which can increase your cholesterol levels as well as risk for heart disease. Eating three-four slices of pizza or more, on a regular basis, can have detrimental health consequences.

Is homemade pizza junk food? ›

Really, it just comes down to the ingredients you choose. A pizza made with whole wheat crust, lean meats, and lots of vegetables will be nutrient-dense and relatively low in calories. However, you'll have a less healthy lunch if you stuff your pie with processed meats and full-fat cheeses.

What is the healthiest pizza to eat? ›

Opt for a thin-crust pizza instead of a deep-dish. Skip the stuffed pizza crusts and dipping sauces. Enjoy your slice of pizza with a side salad or cooked vegetables. Top your pizza with lean protein, like chicken strips, instead of processed meat, like pepperoni.

What kind of cheese is best 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.

What is the key to good pizza? ›

The top chefs all agree that the best pizzas are all about the crust, so salt in the dough should never be sacrificed at the altar of salty toppings. “Building a pizza is like building anything else – you have to make compromises and consider the whole when choosing the parts.

Is homemade pizza still unhealthy? ›

Pizza is less likely to be bad for you if it's homemade because you can control the ingredients put into it. You can make a crust and sauce that has less added sugar and sodium. You can also better control the toppings and opt to add healthier options like vegetables or grilled chicken.

What is the healthiest way to eat pizza? ›

Opt for a thin-crust pizza instead of a deep-dish. Skip the stuffed pizza crusts and dipping sauces. Enjoy your slice of pizza with a side salad or cooked vegetables. Top your pizza with lean protein, like chicken strips, instead of processed meat, like pepperoni.

Is homemade pizza highly processed? ›

“When someone makes pizza from scratch, they will make their own pizza dough. [Although the flour used is refined, they are making the base themselves rather than using one that is highly processed]. 'In making the base, they leave the dough to rest and ferment.

Do you save money making your own pizza? ›

The cost of making a homemade pizza can vary widely from a couple of dollars all the way up to $8.00 per pizza or more, depending on the type and amount of ingredients used. Interestingly, preparing your own dough and sauce at home can result in significant savings compared to purchasing them from a store.

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