Easy School Pizza Recipe: Perfect Lunch Nostalgia in Minutes

School pizza transports memories of bustling cafeterias and midday excitement.

Childhood comfort blooms through this classic recipe simple ingredients and familiar flavors.

Warm, cheesy layers capture the essence of cafeteria classics without complicated techniques.

Hearty ground beef and zesty tomato sauce create a robust foundation for this beloved dish.

Soft, pillowy crust provides the perfect base for a delightful culinary journey.

Melted cheese adds a creamy dimension that changes ordinary ingredients into something magical.

Nostalgia comes alive with each delectable square of this timeless meal.

The Nostalgia Behind That Cafeteria-Style Slice

• Whip Up Homemade Comfort: Recreate the nostalgic school cafeteria pizza right in your kitchen, delivering warm memories with every delicious bite.
• Master Simple Cooking Techniques: Easy step-by-step process allows even novice cooks to create a restaurant-quality pizza without complicated skills or professional equipment.
• Customize Your Flavor Adventure: Flexible recipe lets you adjust seasonings, experiment with different cheese blends, or swap ground beef for alternative protein sources to match your taste preferences and dietary needs.
• Quick Weeknight Meal Solution: From prep to plate in under an hour, this pizza provides a satisfying dinner option that's faster than delivery and packed with more love and personalization.

What You’ll Need for a Throwback Pizza Night

• Flour: Foundation of the pizza crust, creates structure and texture.
• Powdered Milk: Adds subtle richness and helps with browning.
• Sugar: Helps yeast activate and provides slight sweetness.
• Yeast: Essential for dough rising and creating airy texture.
• Salt: Enhances overall flavor of the crust.
• Water: Binds dry ingredients to form dough.
• Vegetable Oil: Adds moisture and helps create soft crust.

• Tomato Paste: Thick base for pizza sauce with concentrated tomato flavor.
• Water: Thins out tomato paste for proper sauce consistency.
• Olive Oil: Adds smooth flavor and richness to sauce.
• Garlic Powder: Provides robust garlic flavor.
• Oregano: Classic pizza herb that adds aromatic depth.
• Basil: Brings fresh herbal notes to sauce.
• Rosemary: Adds earthy, pine-like flavor complexity.
• Salt and Pepper: Season and balance sauce flavors.

• Ground Beef: Protein-rich main topping with hearty flavor.
• Mozzarella Cheese: Melts beautifully, creates classic pizza stretch.
• Salt and Pepper: Season ground beef for enhanced taste.

How to Build That Classic Square with Crispy Corners

Step 1: Prepare the Oven

Crank up your oven to a toasty 475°F (245°C) and get ready for pizza magic.

Step 2: Set Up Your Baking Pan

Grab a 9×13-inch baking pan and give it a quick spray of non-stick magic. Slide in a piece of parchment paper to create the perfect pizza base.

Step 3: Mix Dry Ingredients

• Flour
• Powdered milk
• Sugar
• Yeast
• Salt

Stir everything until they become best friends.

Step 4: Create the Dough

Warm up water and vegetable oil. Pour this liquid gold into your dry ingredient mixture and stir quickly to form a beautiful dough.

Step 5: Spread the Dough

Transfer the dough to your prepared pan. Gently press and stretch it across the entire bottom. If the dough feels stubborn, let it rest for a few minutes to relax.

Step 6: Pre-Bake the Crust

Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes until the crust starts to firm up slightly.

Step 7: Cook the Ground Beef

Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat. Drain any extra fat and season with salt and pepper.

Step 8: Craft the Sauce

• Tomato paste
• Water
• Olive oil
• Garlic powder
• Salt
• Pepper
• Oregano
• Basil
• Rosemary

Let it simmer gently for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 9: Layer the Pizza

Remove the pre-baked crust from the oven. Spread sauce generously across the surface. Add a layer of cooked ground beef and sprinkle a blanket of shredded mozzarella cheese, covering every inch.

Step 10: Final Bake

Return the pizza to the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. Watch for the cheese to melt into golden, bubbly perfection.

Step 11: Rest and Serve

Let your pizza rest for 5 minutes. Slice into squares and get ready to enjoy your homemade school pizza adventure!

Pro Tips for School-Pizza Perfection

• Activate Dough Power: Let your dough rest for 10-15 minutes if it's resistant to stretching, which helps gluten relax and makes spreading easier.
• Master Moisture Control: Drain ground beef thoroughly to prevent soggy pizza crust and ensure a crispy base that holds toppings perfectly.
• Sauce Simmering Secret: Allow sauce to reduce slowly, concentrating flavors and creating a rich, robust taste that elevates the entire pizza experience.
• Cheese Melting Magic: Shred mozzarella fresh for maximum meltability and even coverage, creating those irresistible golden-brown bubbles.
• Temperature Timing Trick: Watch your pizza closely during the final baking stage to achieve that ideal golden-brown crust without burning the cheese.

Reheat Without Ruin: Keeping Crusts Just Right

• Refrigeration Method: Transfer leftover pizza slices into an airtight container or wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Store within two hours of cooking and keep refrigerated for up to 3-4 days. Seal containers completely to prevent moisture loss and protect pizza from absorbing other food odors.
• Reheating Oven Method: Preheat oven to 375°F and place pizza slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Warm for 8-10 minutes until cheese becomes melted and crust regains its crispy texture. Avoid microwaving to maintain original pizza quality and prevent soggy results.
• Freezing Option: Wrap individual pizza slices separately in aluminum foil, then place in freezer-safe bags. Freeze for up to one month.

Drinks and Snacks That Take It Back to Recess

• Pair with Zesty Lemonade: Bright, tangy homemade lemonade cuts through the rich, meaty pizza flavors, offering a refreshing contrast that cleanses the palate with each sip.
• Complement with Crisp Green Salad: A light, mixed greens salad with a simple vinaigrette brings freshness and balances the heaviness of the cheesy, beef-loaded pizza, adding nutritional value.
• Match with Cool Cucumber Slaw: A crunchy, cold cucumber slaw with a hint of dill provides a cool, crisp texture that contrasts beautifully with the warm, melted cheese and savory beef pizza, creating a delightful eating experience.

Variations That Keep the Spirit, But Up the Flavor

• Veggie Power Pizza: Swap ground beef with a colorful mix of sautéed bell peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms for a nutrient-packed vegetarian version that bursts with garden-fresh flavors.
• Spicy Southwestern Style: Replace traditional sauce with salsa, add jalapeños, swap mozzarella for pepper jack cheese, and sprinkle cilantro on top for a zesty southwestern kick.
• Mediterranean Inspired: Use crumbled feta instead of mozzarella, add sliced olives, diced tomatoes, and a drizzle of olive oil to transform the pizza into a Mediterranean-inspired masterpiece with robust Mediterranean flavors.
• Protein-Packed Chicken Edition: Substitute ground beef with seasoned shredded chicken breast, use a lighter white sauce, and top with additional herbs like thyme and parsley for a lean protein alternative that keeps the meal exciting.

School Pizza Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.6 from 26 reviews

• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Nostalgic school pizza brings classic cafeteria memories right to your kitchen with simple ingredients and easy preparation. Crispy crust, melted cheese, and familiar flavors will transport you back to lunchtime favorites from childhood.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• 2 ⅔ cups (637 ml) all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups (355 ml) warm water
• 8 oz (226 g) mozzarella cheese, shredded
• ½ lb (227 g) ground beef

Dough Ingredients:

• 2 ¼ teaspoons (7 g) quick-rise yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup (90 g) powdered milk
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Sauce Ingredients:

• 6 oz (170 g) tomato paste
• 1 cup (237 ml) water
• ⅓ cup (79 ml) olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ tablespoon dried oregano
• ½ tablespoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
• ½ teaspoon salt (for ground beef)
• ½ teaspoon pepper (for ground beef)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 475°F (245°C), ensuring an optimal temperature for crispy pizza crust.
2. Prepare a 9×13-inch (23×33 centimeters) baking pan by coating with non-stick cooking spray and layering the bottom with parchment paper.
3. Combine flour, powdered milk, granulated sugar, active dry yeast, and salt in a large mixing bowl, whisking thoroughly to distribute ingredients evenly.
4. Gently warm water and vegetable oil, then pour into dry ingredient mixture, stirring rapidly to form a cohesive pizza dough.
5. Transfer dough into prepared pan, carefully pressing and stretching to create an even base; allow dough to relax momentarily if stretching becomes challenging.
6. Partially bake the crust for 8-10 minutes until it begins to firm and slightly golden, then remove from oven.
7. Brown ground beef in a skillet over medium heat, completely cooking through; drain excess fat and season with salt and black pepper.
8. Create pizza sauce by simmering tomato paste with water, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, dried oregano, dried basil, and crushed rosemary on low-medium heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring periodically to develop rich flavors.
9. Spread prepared sauce generously across partially baked crust, ensuring complete coverage.
10. Distribute cooked ground beef evenly over sauce, then sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese across entire pizza surface, reaching all edges.
11. Return pizza to oven, baking an additional 8-10 minutes until cheese melts completely and develops golden brown bubbles.
12. Remove from oven and allow pizza to rest for 5 minutes before cutting into square servings.

Notes

• Crafting this nostalgic school pizza brings back warm memories of lunchtime excitement.
• Prepare all ingredients beforehand to streamline the cooking process and reduce kitchen stress.
• Homemade sauce delivers richer flavors compared to store-bought alternatives, making every bite more delicious.
• Stretching dough might feel tricky initially, but patient pressing creates a perfect crispy base.
• Precise cheese coverage ensures melty, golden-brown goodness in every single slice.
• Letting the pizza rest allows ingredients to settle, preventing molten cheese burns and improving overall texture.

• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Snacks
• Method: Baking, Sautéing, Simmering
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 436 kcal
• Sugar: 2 g
• Sodium: 616 mg
• Fat: 20 g
• Saturated Fat: 6 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 48 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 18 g
• Cholesterol: 40 mg