It’s 7 p.m. on a random weeknight, and you’re scratching your head while staring into the fridge, wondering what to eat for dinner. Cooking a full-fledged meal from scratch seems too laborious. Leftovers are nowhere to be seen. And ordering takeout, unfortunately, costs a fortune. You find yourself opening up the freezer, only to unearth an unopened box of frozen pizza. Perfect. Dinner is served.
There are plenty of reasons to love frozen pizza. It’s quick. It’s tasty, whether you prefer DiGiorno, Totino’s, or Red Baron. And it’s cost-effective, making it a popular choice of food amongst shoppers on the r/budgetfood subreddit. Stock up on a few boxes during your next grocery run and you’ve got yourself a few days’ worth of easy, no-sweat, at-home dinners.
Despite its charm, frozen pizza can oftentimes be, well, a little too simple. If you’re looking for variety when it comes to toppings, seasonings and cheeses, a plain slab of store-bought pizza may not be able to deliver. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with indulging in a no-frills cheese pizza. But if you’re craving something more — perhaps something that mimics the flavors of fancy restaurants with unique embellishments — here are a few simple ways to zhuzh up even the simplest of frozen pizzas.
The best part about all of these ingredients is that they won’t break your bank. Whether you’re looking to spruce up weeknight dinners or wow a crowd of guests, be sure to give these embellishments a try.
Slather on all the sauces
Who says pizza can only have one sauce? Fancy-fy your frozen pizzas with all your favorite condiments, regardless of how wacky the combo may be. Craving a tomato-based sauce alongside barbecue sauce? Slather them on! Craving a white sauce with fig jam? Slather and dollop them on! Craving buffalo sauce with some hot honey? You guessed it, slather them on! You are the artist and the pizza is your canvas. Paint, layer and decorate it to your heart’s desire. There are truly no rules, which makes it all the more fun.
Inspired by my favorite slice in New York City, I love making a tri-dye pizza complete with stripes of vodka sauce, margherita sauce and basil pesto. I like to start with a frozen cheese pizza and spoon dollops of each sauce over the pie before baking. You can also fill individual piping bags with your favorite sauces and get really crafty. If you’re up for a challenge, try making your own sauces.
Seasonings are your best friend
Indeed, seasonings help transform an ordinary cheese or pepperoni pizza into something with more pizzazz. Sprinkle some dried herbs and garlic onto your pizza before baking. You can also use an Italian seasoning blend, which incorporates dried basil, dried oregano, dried rosemary, dried thyme leaves, dried parsley, garlic powder and red pepper flakes. Don’t sleep on fresh herbs, either. They are great to add once the pizza is finished cooking. Freshly grated pecorino romano is another stellar choice to amp up the saltiness and nutiness of your fresh pie.
Crack open the tinned fish
Tinned fish has been having a moment, which is why it deserves to be on your pizza. It’s especially great if you’re looking to up your omega-3 intake and diversify your source of protein.
Anchovies are a classic option. Drain the oil before adding the anchovies on top of your pizza and baking. To help cut down the fishy smell, top the fish with your choice of acid, like fresh lemon juice or rice vinegar. Keep in mind that anchovies are incredibly salty and packed with umami, so less is more.
Sardines are another option, perfect for a more Mediterranean-inspired pizza. My favorites are Mina’s Moroccan style sardines in tomato sauce and sardines in extra virgin olive oil with lemon.
Sweeten things up
Sweet and savory is a match made in heaven. My favorite sweet toppings are drizzles (like balsamic glaze, honey and hot honey), fruit jams (fig and apricot jam pair exceptionally well with Canadian ham, mushrooms and brie on a white pizza) and caramelized onions.
On Reddit, folks recommend making a classic Hawaiian pizza with pineapples and bacon, along with combining goat’s cheese, honey, fresh figs and braesola in a pie. Other pizzas that piqued my interest include a half-white-and-half-red sauce pizza topped with candied bacon, ham, sweet onions, fennel and basil, and a blue cheese-focused pizza topped with pears, rosemary, shallots and onions.
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