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With just 5 ingredients, the Grandma Pizza is absolute perfection. It has a nice thin crispy crust, gooey mozzarella cheese, and drizzle of tangy tomato sauce to top it off. It’s perfect for family pizza night—and since it’s ready in 20 minutes, it’s great for making pizza on weeknights!
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This pizza has everything going for it: it’s simple, quick, and incredibly tasty. Not to mention, it’s a little unconventional. Grandma pizza, sometimes referred to as grandma pie, does things differently. Get your dough ready and settled into the pan—whether it be our one-hour pizza dough recipe or store-bought. Then, you sprinkle the cheese over it before adding the sauce! (Wild, I know.) If you’ve never had grandma pizza, this probably sounds ridiculous. But once you taste it, you’ll see exactly why it stands out.
If you love to make pizza, we’ve got more easy pizza recipes. This air fryer pizza recipe is a ton of fun when getting kids involved or when making personal-sized pizzas. And you can’t go wrong with a pretty and rustic cast iron pizza. And for the adventurous, there’s always dill pickle pizza.
What Is Traditional Grandma Pizza?
Grandma pizza is a thin crust pizza settled into a square or rectangular pan rather than a round pan or a pizza stone. What really sets it apart from other pizzas, however, is the method of preparation. Rather than spreading the sauce over the dough and then adding the cheese, you sprinkle the cheese onto the dough first, and that is followed up by a drizzle of sauce. Usually a fresh marinara-style sauce, like our homemade pizza sauce.
Why You’ll Love It
- It’s quick & easy—There’s nothing to fuss over with this recipe, and once you’re dough is made, you’re just 20 minutes away from grandma pie heaven.
- It’s delicious—If you love a thinner pizza crust, you will love golden-brown crust you get with this recipe.
Grandma Pizza Ingredients
- Pizza dough—I always use my homemade dough recipe because it’s so simple and takes just an hour to rise! You could also grab fresh dough from a local market.
- Mozzarella cheese—Any good quality mozzarella is great. If using a fresh Buffalo mozzarella, grate it beforehand. You could also opt for a pizza blend with mozzarella, provolone, asiago, etc.
- Tomato sauce—Simple is the name of the game with the sauce. We swear by our basic homemade sauce made with crushed tomatoes. But jarred is totally fine if it’s easier for you!
- Fresh oregano—This is optional, but I love added chopped fresh oregano before baking. It adds a nice Italian herbal flare, or something to that degree.
Recipe Variations & Modifications
- Cheese—You could use provolone instead of mozzarella. Additionally, you could add a sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan over your pizza for a little extra cheesy oumph.
- Herbs—Torn fresh basil goes great on this style of pizza. You can add it before you put it in the oven, or afterward for a real pop of freshness.
- Pizza toppings—The more you add to a grandma pizza, the further you get from the true thing. But you can definitely throw on some pepperoni, spinach, sausage, onion, pesto—whatever you need to make it your best pizza!
How to Make Grandma Pizza
- Preheat the oven to 450º F.
- Lightly oil the pizza pan and work your dough into it to form your base and crust.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the center of the dough, leaving room for the crust.
- With a ladle, drizzle the tomato sauce over the cheese in streaks or zig zags; don’t cover the entire pizza.
- Evenly sprinkle chopped fresh oregano over the top.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the crust is golden and crisp, and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Let the pizza sit for about five minutes before cutting into it. When ready, cut into square pieces and serve. For a kick, sprinkle some chili flakes on top.
Recipe Tips
- To flavor your crust, brush a bit of olive oil over the edges of your dough and season with a bit of garlic salt and Italian herbs before putting it into the oven.
- A dark pan or baking sheet works best for Grandma pizza because it creates a nicer golden crisp on your crust which is exactly what you’re looking for when it comes to thin crust pizzas.
- You can sprinkle cornmeal or flour over the bottom of your pizza pan to prevent sticking.
How to Serve Grandma Pie
I love serving pizza with what I think is the best side salad for pizza. It’s inspired by the salads available at most pizzeria joints with the olives, banana peppers, and bell peppers. You know the one! Adding to that, these air fryer Buffalo wings are perfectly crispy and oh-so-delish. And if you like to dip your crust, my homemade Caesar dressing is just the thing.
Storage, Freezing, & Reheating
- Before storing, let the pizza cool. You can then wrap it tightly with foil and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To freeze, once the pizza has cooled, wrap each individual slice tightly with plastic wrap followed by tinfoil. Place the slices in gallon-sized freezer bags or freezer-friendly airtight containers and pop them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat the pizza, you can warm it in the microwave in 25-second increments until heated through. You could also reheat it in an air fryer or microwave oven if you prefer it crispy. Times will vary depending on brand and model.
Frequently Asked Questions
The name comes from the nostalgia of the unfussy home-style pizzas Italian-American grandmothers made in their kitchens using whatever they had on hand. These pies were usually baked in a rectangular sheet pan, which is a reflection of the cooking style that was passed down through generations.
Sicilian pizza has a very thick crust, whereas the crust on a grandma pizza is thin—but not quite as thin as New York Pizza.
Depending on the oven and the temperature set, grandma pizza can take anywhere from 10-15 minutes to cook through. This recipe takes about 10-12 minutes to cook in an oven heated at 450º F.
More Delicious Pizza Recipes to Try…
If you try this grandma pizza, please pop back in and leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Grandma Pie Pizza
Equipment
- Square or rectangular pizza pan
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Homemade pizza dough, Try our homemade dough!
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup tomato sauce, Try our homemade pizza sauce!
- 2 TBSP chopped fresh oregano
- Chili flakes for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450º F.
- Lightly oil the pizza pan and work your dough into it to form your base and crust.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the center of the dough, leaving room for the crust. With a ladle, drizzle the tomato sauce over the cheese in streaks or zig zags; don't cover the entire pizza.
- Evenly sprinkle chopped fresh oregano over the top.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the crust is golden and crisp, and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Let the pizza sit for about five minutes before cutting into it. When ready, cut into square pieces and serve. For a kick, sprinkle some chili flakes on top.
Notes
Nutrition
This fabulous Grandma Pie Pizza is Perfect for a quick dinner or weekend lunch. Would be great for game day too.
Absolutely!
I was so confused with putting the cheese before the sauce. I kept thinking I was reading things wrong. After a little research I realize nope, I’m the dummy. Anyway, this is so so so so good!!! Happy I found this recipe!
Hahaha. First time I heard about this pizza I was like, WHY THOUGH. Then I ate it. And then I knew.