School Lunch Pizza

School Lunch Pizza brings back cafeteria-day nostalgia with crispy crust, zesty sauce, and melty cheese—made fresher and tastier at home!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword lunch recipes, pizza recipes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Servings slices

Calories 642kcal

Author Kathleen

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the tomato paste (1 can), water (1 1/2 cups), olive oil (1/3 cup), Worcestershire sauce (1/2 teaspoon), garlic (2 cloves), salt (1/2 teaspoon), pepper (1/2 teaspoon), Italian seasoning (1 1/2 teaspoons), onion powder (1/2 teaspoon), and sugar (1/2 teaspoon) until smooth.
Place over medium-low heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir occasionally and let simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, or until slightly thickened and flavors are well blended.
Remove the saucepan from the heat, then stir in balsamic vinegar (1 teaspoon).
Cool the sauce to room temperature. For best flavor, cover and refrigerate the sauce overnight to allow the flavors to fully develop.

Preheat at 400ºF (204ºC). Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a half-sheet pan and use a pastry brush to spread it evenly across the surface. Lightly dust the pan with cornmeal (3 tablespoons).
Take the pizza dough (1 pound) and gently press or stretch it into a rectangle that fits the bottom of the pan. If the dough pulls back or feels tight, pause and let it rest for around 5 minutes before stretching again.
Bake the crust for 7–8 minutes, or until the surface looks set (no longer doughy) and starts to develop a light golden color. Remove from oven.

In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage (1/2 pound), ground beef (1/2 pound), salt (1/2 teaspoon), pepper (1/2 teaspoon), and chopped onion (1/4 cup) until browned and crumbly. Drain excess grease.

Spread sauce over the partially baked crust, evenly top with meat mixture, then sprinkle cheese over the top.
Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until cheese (4 cups) is melted and lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes before slicing into squares. Serve hot.

Let the dough rest (optional): For even better flavor and structure, cover your dough and let it rise for 30 minutes before pressing it into the pan. This short rest activates the yeast and gives a subtle boost to texture.
No kneading required: This dough is soft and slightly wet, so there’s no need to knead or punch it down. Just stir it together until combined, then gently press it into the pan with oiled fingertips.
Make the sauce ahead: For the best flavor, simmer the sauce and refrigerate overnight. The finishing splash of vinegar keeps it tangy and bright.
Use whole milk mozzarella: Whole milk, low-moisture mozzarella melts creamier and browns more evenly than part-skim—worth the extra touch for that perfect cheesy top.
Par-bake the crust: Give the dough a quick bake before adding toppings. This sets the surface so it doesn’t turn soggy once the sauce and meat go on, while still leaving the center tender.
Cool before slicing: Let the pizza rest for a few minutes after baking. This helps the cheese set and gives you cleaner, neater squares.