Sheet Pan Pizza Is Our New Weeknight Dinner Fave

I have this memory from when I was about seven years old of pure unbridled joy. I was so excited that my aunt was coming over for dinner, and then… my mom announced we were having pizza for dinner. My favorite aunt and my favorite food?! It just didn’t get better than that. I know that’s a silly memory, but it’s an accurate reflection of the true joy I found – and still find – in pizza.

I grew up on Pizza Hut and Papa John’s, but as my palate’s matured, I’ve really come to appreciate that there’s an art to crafting a beautiful pie. Give me all your pizza Napoletana, pizza a la Romana, and your best NY style slices. I’ll happily take ’em all.

But these days, I usually opt for making my pizza from scratch. And I’ve found that the least complicated way to make it is on a sheet pan!

The edges get golden and slightly crispy, while the center stays soft and doughy. Pro tip: turn on the broiler as the pizza finishes cooking so that your cheese starts to bubble. Scroll on for my current favorite sheet pan pizza recipes, and just try not to drool all over your keyboard.

Most pizza dough recipes call for letting the dough rest overnight, but who’s got time for that? If you’re too busy to prep your dough in advance, opt for a quality pre-made dough. The dough from Whole Foods is incredibly flavorful and guaranteed to turn out right every time, so that’s the one I use. Either way, bring your dough to room temperature so that it’s more malleable.

I go back and forth about making the sauce from scratch or just buying a jar made with quality ingredients. You can’t go wrong either way, but making sauce from scratch is easy, so I’ve included a recipe below. If you decide to make your own, I recommend doing so in the morning or early afternoon. Let it simmer on the stove until you’re ready to use; the longer it simmers, the more flavorful it will be!

Using shredded, low-moisture mozzarella cheese will result in a really traditional tasting pizza. Sprinkling shredded parmesan as a final garnish gives it the extra oomph that will blow your mind.

Wow. My stomach is growling just looking at this – and I just ate breakfast.

The pizza is pretty quick to cook in the oven. When it’s done, I drizzle olive oil on the crust to make it that much better.

The parchment paper is a game-changer. Have you ever tried to get a pizza out a sheet pan? It’s hard. That’s not to say it’s impossible if you don’t have parchment paper on hand, but know that it’s much easier to move the pizza after baking if it’s not directly touching the pan. Plus, it leaves your sheet pan clean. Who doesn’t love less cleanup?

This sheet pan pizza recipe is super simple and completely delicious, making it a perfect weeknight dinner. Enjoy!