Pizza can be good AND good for you. These homemade pizza recipes prove it.
There’s a reason everyone loves pizza. Crisp, doughy crust.… Tangy sauce.… Melty cheese.... It’s 100% a comfort food.
It’s also 100% possible to make a better-for-you pizza with mindful, organic ingredients — one that doesn’t feel like a second-place alternative to your favorite pizza delivery joint.
Seriously!
When you’re working with flavorful, potent ingredients, you don’t need mounds of extra cheese to make your mouth water. And with Simply Organic spices and herbs in your kitchen, you know that good pizza is just a shake away.
Round Up the Crew
Homemade pizza is a dish that lets everyone in the house pitch in, whether it’s stretching the dough, shredding the cheese or arranging the toppings in a fun pattern.
Family pizza night can be an excellent way to get young chefs to think creatively and try new ingredients. (Fact: vegetables are a lot less intimidating sprinkled with cheese.) And it’s a tasty excuse to spend more time together.
Homemade Pizza, Made Easy
Homemade pizza is delicious and easy to make — and a lot of times, faster than delivery. Some of the prep work can be done in advance, so when it’s go-time, all you need to do is some light assembly.
A few tips to make pizza prep go a little faster:
- Make your pizza dough ahead of time and store it in the freezer for up to three months.
- Raid your pantry for ready-to-go pizza toppings like canned olives, chickpeas (an awesome substitute for chicken) or caramelized onion jam to save yourself some chopping.
- Use last night’s leftovers for pizza toppings. Put those extra sautéed veggies, roasted chicken or meatballs to use in the most delicious way possible!
If you’re starting from scratch and it’s already 5:00 — don’t panic. You’ll still have time to get dinner on the table before your stomach starts to growl.
One Crust, Endless Options
A good crust is the difference between a soggy piece of pizza that can’t hold its weight, and a crisp slice that folds like a dream. It’s the foundation for your homemade pizza, and the part you really want to get right.
To make a healthier pizza, pay close attention to the ingredients in your crust. Most pizza dough is made with refined white flour, packed with artificial preservatives, and off-limits for anyone on a gluten-free diet.
Thankfully, you have better options.
Leave it to the folks at Bob’s Red Mill to create a homemade gluten-free pizza dough mix that checks all the boxes: great texture, taste and versatility. Are you a deep-dish kind of person? Thin-crust-or-bust? Somewhere in between? Bob’s naturally gluten-free pizza dough covers them all.
So…what can you make with it? Here are three of our favorite homemade pizza recipes:
The Traditional
From pesto to BBQ sauce to alfredo sauce — the sky’s the limit for your pizza base. But classics are classics for a reason. And when it comes to a pizza sauce that’s better for you, it’s best to keep it simple — and homemade.
We love this traditional, easy-to-make pizza sauce recipe. It uses organic pureed tomatoes, creating a luxurious texture and flavor. It’s also punched up with organic spices and herbs to keep things interesting. To give the sauce its signature pizza flavor, we add a healthy pinch of Simply Organic Oregano and Simply Organic Basil.
The Pizza Spice
Fittingly known as “the pizza spice,” oregano adds robust earthy flavor and a warm herbal aroma to pizza sauce — but don’t forget to sprinkle it on top of your finished pizza as well! When choosing oregano, opt for leaves with bright color and strong aromatics. Simply Organic Oregano is a great choice for pizza sauce since it has a high oil content, giving it more potent flavor. We’ve worked with our oregano growers for more than 10 years to ensure a consistent product that reliably delivers top-notch flavor and color.
Beautiful Basil
Tomato. Basil. Mozzarella — it’s an elegant, timeless pizza combo that we never get tired of. Simply Organic Basil features whole organic Egyptian basil leaves for a gorgeous aroma, taste and appearance. A little woody, a little sweet and super herbaceous, basil works wonders in your pizza sauce and as a garnish.
Top It Off
Pretty much anything goes when it comes to topping this red sauce pizza, but we suggest keeping it as fresh as possible. Let the seasons be your guide:
- Winter: Brussels sprouts, red onion, chicken and crushed red pepper
- Spring: Asparagus, scallions, crumbled bacon or vegan ‘bacon’ bits, lemon zest
- Summer: Fresh tomatoes, local corn, green peppers and basil
- Fall: Mushrooms, yellow onion and arugula
White Garlic Pizza
We love alfredo sauce on pizza — it’s a great occasional indulgence — but honestly, we prefer this much lighter garlic white sauce that let’s your pizza toppings shine. It’s super simple to make, thanks to our secret shortcut: garlic powder.
A So-Close-To-Fresh Shortcut
Simply Organic Garlic Powder is a great shortcut when you’re short on time and don’t feel like peeling, smashing and chopping garlic. It’s also an ideal substitute for when you don’t have raw garlic on hand, but you still want that pungent “oomph.” Our A-grade garlic is sourced to yield a finished product that’s as close to fresh as it gets.
Top It Off
The best white sauce pizzas balance rich flavors with brightness and acidity — making a sprinkle of crushed red pepper an absolute must! You also can’t go wrong with these popular white pizza ingredients:
- Artichoke hearts
- Grilled chicken
- Spinach
- Onions of all kinds (scallions, red, green, caramelized yellow)
- Mushrooms
- Bacon (or turkey bacon for a healthier alternative)
Homemade Taco Pizza
If you’ve never tried taco pizza — a Midwestern favorite — you’re in for a treat. This pizza is all about interesting flavor and texture combinations. And it’s downright delicious.
In place of traditional pizza sauce, taco pizza uses refried beans as the base. From there, you add your ground meat (beef, chicken or Plant Boss Meatless Crumbles) and cheese, bake in the oven, then top with fresh lettuce, tomatoes and crispy tortilla strips.
To help you perfectly season your protein of choice, Simply Organic Simmer Sauce jumps to the rescue.
Flavor on the Double
Simply Organic Southwest Taco Simmer Sauce takes the guesswork out of spicing your ground meat, so you always end up with a balanced, flavorful product. A staple for busy households, simmer sauces help you mindfully season protein and veggies for a variety of applications — from tacos to stir-fries, curries and more. And if hot-spicy is not your family’s thing, use Simply Organic Mild Taco Simmer Sauce.
Your Pizza, Your Way
The right ingredients make it easy to bake a pizza you can feel good serving to your family (or going in for seconds). And with Simply Organic at your side, you’re never far from real, organic food that brings people together.
What’s next on your pizza night menu? Get creative with your sauce and toppings, and show us how YOU make a better-for-you pizza. Find us on Instagram and tag @simplyorganicfoods to show off your culinary creation!
