Homemade School Pizza
on Nov 12, 2023
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This rectangle school pizza takes me back to the nostalgic memories of my childhood! Remember the cafeteria ladies served up rectangular slices of cheesy, doughy pizza for lunch on pizza days? Now, you can recreate this old school pizza at home in less than 30 minutes, or customize it with your favorite toppings!
For me, this rectangle school pizza is a heartwarming way to remember my childhood. Nothing feels quite as good as recreating one of my favorite childhood meals as an adult. The first time I made it, I found my husband standing at the table, devouring it as a late afternoon snack. I guess this cafeteria lunch pizza brings a nostalgic feel to most of us!
What is an Old-Fashioned School Pizza?
In many schools, massive pizzas are prepared on sheet pans, then cut into rectangular slices and fed to many hungry children at lunchtime.
The plain cheese variety is most popular, but protein and vegetable toppings are sometimes added. This pizza has a thin, crispy crust and is quite often made with mozzarella cheese. Here are some traditional varieties:
- Cheese pizza: The basic option
- Sausage pizza: My favorite
- Pepperoni and cheese
- Hawaiian pizza
School pizza ingredients
This school pizza is made with just a few simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Pizza dough: I made my own with this SUPER easy pizza dough recipe. It requires only 6 ingredients: yeast, flour, sugar, salt, warm water, and olive oil. It yields the most soft and fluffy pizza crust. You can substitute a store-bought pizza dough too.
- Ground sausage: I like ground sausage more than using ground beef. As the sausage has been nicely seasoned, it adds a perfect savory flavor to the pizza.
- Tomato sauce: It gives that classic rich and tangy base for the pizza. Store-bought tomato sauce is good enough!
- Onions: Don’t skip sliced onions as it adds a nice subtle sweetness and texture contrast to your pizza.
- Fresh mozzarella cheese: It’s the perfect counterpart to the tangy tomato sauce with its creamy texture and mild taste. Shred it before topping the pizza.
Size of the Sheet Pan
Of course, you’ll need a large sheet pan! Because it will give you that classic look of a true school pizza!
I used a half sheet pan (18 x 13 inch) for this recipe. It gives me a perfect thickness, just like the ones I had when I was a kid. You can choose a slightly bigger or smaller sheet pan, and your crust will be thinner or thicker accordingly.
Tip: Make sure to line it with parchment paper to prevent your pizza from sticking to the sheet pan.
Making school pizza is incredibly EASY and FUN!
The first step in this school pizza recipe is to bring your pizza dough to room temperature (assuming you already have one, otherwise, see how to make an easy pizza dough.)
Next, cook the ground beef in a non-stick skillet. Break them into small pieces and cook the meat.
Then stretch the dough and add toppings. This is a really fun part and I love doing it with my kids! Instead of stretching it to a normal round shape, you’ll make it into a rectangular shape!
- Place the dough onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Stretch the dough to a rectangular crust by gently flattening the dough ball.
- Use a fork to poke holes across the surface of the dough. Brush with olive oil. Spread tomato sauce evenly, leaving about ¼-inch border on all sides.
- Add Mozzarella cheese, distributing it evenly over the surface.
- Add cooked ground sausage and onions on top of the cheese.
And bake! Bake at 450°F for 12-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted, and the crust is golden brown.
Cut it into RECTANGULAR slices and serve! That’s it!
To go the extra mile…
- For a more crispy crust, roll the dough out thin: Use a larger sheet pan and stretch the pizza until it’s very thin. For a fluffier, doughy crust, you can roll it out smaller and keep the dough a bit thicker.
- Freeze the pizza for a quick meal later: This pizza can be easily frozen and reheated for a quick and tasty meal. Wrap the pizza in plastic wrap for freezing and reheat it in the oven when you’re ready to eat.
If you’ve made extra pizza dough, try these delicious pizza recipes:
Watch How to Make Pizza Dough at Home
Watch School Pizza Recipe Video
Best School Pizza Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound pizza dough
- 1 pound ground sausage, (other toppings such as cooked ground beef, pepperoni, ham, and bell pepper)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup tomato sauce, (or pizza sauce)
- 2 cups Mozzarella, shredded
- 1/2 onion
Instructions
Prepare pizza dough
- Bring pizza dough to room temperature. You can use homemade or store-bought pizza dough for this recipe.
- (If you are making your pizza dough from scratch, check out my simple pizza dough recipe)
Cook the Sausage
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausages, breaking them into small pieces using a wooden spoon. Cook for about 7-8 minutes or until no pink remains.
Bake the Pizza
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Prepare a half sheet pan (18 x 13 inch) lined with parchment paper.
- Place the dough onto the parchment paper. Stretch the dough by gently flattening the dough ball. (You can spread it out thinner if you prefer a crispy crust.)
- Use a fork to poke holes across the surface of the dough.
- Brush the dough with olive oil. Spread tomato sauce evenly, leaving about ¼-inch border on all sides.
- Add Mozzarella cheese, distributing it evenly over the surface.
- Add cooked ground sausage on top of the cheese. Spread onion slices on top.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted, and the crust is golden brown.
- Remove the pizza from the oven, and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into rectangular slices and serve immediately.
Notes
- You can make the pizza dough ahead of time. Let it rise first, and then wrap with plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe bag. Thaw in the refrigerator and then bring it to room temperature before using.
- How to store leftovers: If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It’ll last for 2-3 days. To reheat, heat your oven to 375°F, and bake your pizza for 5-8 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate only and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods used.
This pizza was delicious! I made it for my ladies life group at church and every piece of it was ate! The Pastor’s wife said it was amazing!
A large baking pan? Size?
Can bread flour be used in this recipe?
The last school house recipe I tried called for powdered milk in the crust, I assume for additional protein, but my grown children said it was the pizza they remembered. I think the recipe has changed at schools with each generation. My grade school pizza likely had the pourable crust. All Pizza is delicious to me. Bread, meat, cheese, with a tangy sauce is hard to beat!