Making pizza at home can be a fun and rewarding experience. With just a few simple ingredients and tools, you can create a delicious pizza using a store bought crust as the base. While making the dough from scratch yields the best results, a store bought crust can be a convenient shortcut for a quick weeknight meal or party. The key is choosing a good quality crust and loading it up with your favorite sauces, cheeses, and toppings. This guide will walk you through the entire process step-by-step, from selecting the right crust to baking the perfect pizza. With a little practice, you’ll be able make restaurant-quality pizza at home in no time!
Things You’ll Need
Before you start assembling your pizza, you’ll need to gather a few essential ingredients and tools:
- Store bought pizza crust – You can find these fresh or frozen in most grocery stores. Look for ones without a lot of added preservatives.
- Pizza or marinara sauce – Use your favorite jarred sauce or make your own.
- Shredded mozzarella cheese – Whole milk or part-skim will both work well.
- Extra toppings like pepperoni, mushrooms, peppers, etc (optional)
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Aluminum foil
- Pizza cutter or chef’s knife
- Peel or inverted baking sheet (for transferring pizza)
Having all your ingredients and tools ready ahead of time will make the assembly process much smoother.
Prepare the Crust
Pre-heating your oven and preparing the crust are the first steps in making pizza with a store bought base.
Preheat your oven to 450°F. Place a rimmed baking sheet on the middle oven rack while the oven preheats. The hot pan will help crisp up the bottom of the crust.
If using a frozen crust, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. You can also thaw it more quickly by leaving the packaged crust out at room temperature for 1-2 hours before using.
Unwrap the crust and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Use a rolling pin to gently roll and stretch the crust into your desired shape and size. Aim for an even thickness throughout.
Transfer the shaped crust to a piece of parchment paper cut to fit your baking sheet. The parchment will prevent sticking.
Add the Sauce and Cheese
Now it’s time to load up that crust with delicious flavor! Adding the sauce and cheese is the fun part.
Spread your sauce of choice evenly over the crust, leaving about 1/2 inch border around the edges. Use a spoon or ladle and work quickly to prevent over-saturating the crust.
Next, sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce. Use as much or as little cheese as you prefer. The cheese will melt and bubble as it bakes.
Add Toppings
The great thing about pizza is you can customize it with your favorite toppings. Here are some tasty options to consider:
- Pepperoni slices
- Diced peppers and onions
- Sliced mushrooms
- Chopped olives
- Crumbled Italian sausage
- Sliced ham
- Chopped chicken
- Bacon pieces
Sprinkle the toppings evenly over the cheese. Be careful not to overload the pizza or the crust won’t be able to hold everything.
Bake the Pizza
Now for the fun part – baking! Here is how to perfectly bake your pizza:
Slide the parchment paper with the assembled pizza onto the preheated baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbling.
If the top of the pizza is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with aluminum foil after about 5 minutes and continue baking until the cheese is melted.
Use a pizza peel or inverted baking sheet to carefully remove the pizza from the oven when finished baking. Slide it onto a cutting board or platter.
Let It Cool and Slice
Be patient – let the pizza cool for 5 minutes before slicing to allow the cheese to firm up. Use a pizza cutter or sharp chef’s knife to cut the pizza into slices.
Then grab a piece while it’s nice and hot! The pizza will taste absolutely delicious straight from the oven.
Cleanup
Once your pizza is baked and enjoyed, just a few quick steps for easy cleanup:
- Discard the parchment paper
- Wipe any spilled sauce from the baking sheet
- Rinse any leftover ingredients from prep bowls and tools
- Run tools (rolling pin, peel, etc) through the dishwasher
And that’s it! Follow this simple process and you’ll have a delicious, crispy pizza with your favorite toppings using a convenient store bought crust.
Tips and Variations
Here are some additional tips and tweaks for making phenomenal pizza with a store bought crust:
- Partial bake the crust – For a crisper crust, partially bake the crust before adding toppings for 7-10 minutes.
- Flavor the crust – Brush with olive oil and add garlic powder, Italian seasoning or Parmesan cheese.
- Char the crust – Use a pizza stone or inverted sheet pan to crisp and char the bottom.
- Change the shape – Make bite-sized pizza pockets, rolls or flatbread instead.
- Mix up the sauce – Alfredo, pesto, BBQ sauce or olive oil work too.
- Top it with veggies – Eggplant, spinach, broccoli, zucchini and more!
Feel free to get creative and make the pizza your own. The basic method remains the same.
Common Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about making pizza with a store bought crust:
What kind of crust works best?
A thin, Italian-style crust works great and crisps up nicely. Hand-stretched or fresh-rolled crusts are ideal. Avoid crusts that are too thick.
How do I prevent a soggy crust?
Don’t oversauce. Use a light hand with sauce and drain off excess liquid from ingredients like tomatoes or mushrooms. Partial baking the crust before topping also helps.
What temperature is best for baking pizza?
Crank the oven as hot as it will go, between 450-550°F. The high heat crisps the crust quickly before the toppings overcook.
Should I precook the toppings?
Precooking moist toppings like mushrooms and eggplant is a good idea so they don’t make the crust soggy. Other toppings can go on raw.
How long does the pizza need to bake?
Typically 10-15 minutes in a hot oven between 450-550°F. Watch the edges of the crust for browning. Melted, bubbling cheese is another sign it’s done.
How do I reheat leftover pizza?
Reheat pizza slices in a 400 degree F oven for 5-10 minutes until hot and crispy. Microwaving makes the crust soggy.
Troubleshooting
Having trouble getting perfect results? Here are some common issues and how to fix them:
The crust won’t crisp up
Use a pizza stone, preheat your sheet pan, and bake at a high temp (500+°F). Brush crust with olive oil before baking.
The bottom is burnt but cheese isn’t melted
Use lower temp (450°F) and bake pizza on the middle rack. Tent with foil if browning too fast.
Pizza has big air bubbles in the crust
Gently press out air while stretching the dough. Allow yeast crusts to rise slowly to prevent bubbles.
Toppings are falling off
Leave a 1/2″ border when adding sauce and toppings. Brush crust edges with oil or egg wash to create a barrier.
Pizza is doughy or raw tasting
Bake at a higher temperature and use less toppings so crust can fully cook. Pre-bake crust before adding toppings.
Crust tastes bland
Brush crust with oil and seasonings before baking. Garlic, onion, herbs, Parmesan, etc. Amp up the flavors!
Storing and Reheating Leftover Pizza
Leftover pizza can make a great meal the next day, as long as it is stored and reheated properly to preserve texture and flavor.
Storing Pizza
- Let pizza cool completely before storing
- Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil. Seal in an airtight container.
- Refrigerate for up to 4 days; freeze for 4-6 months
- Dying out pizza can lead to soggy crust – store in original form
- Avoid storing in paper bags or cardboard boxes
Reheating Pizza
- Oven is better than microwave; maintains crispy crust
- Reheat slices or whole pizzas in a 375°F oven for 10 minutes
- Place on wire rack or baking sheet – no pan directly touching
- Eat immediately once reheated
- Don’t reheat more than once
Conclusion
With the right techniques, it’s easy to make pizza every bit as delicious as your local pizzeria using a store bought crust. Prepare and bake the crust at high heat, don’t overload the toppings, and use quality ingredients. Feel free to get creative and customize with your favorite sauces, cheeses and toppings. Your homemade pizza will be a huge hit!
And remember, imperfections give your pizza homemade charm. Don’t stress if it isn’t perfectly round or some cheese slides off. Your friends and family will love it.
