Pizza party ideas
Want to throw a pizza party but unsure where to start? We have the tips and tricks to help, from bases, alternative dietary requirements, toppings and cooking.
If you want to throw a pizza party, there’s only one place to start – great pizza. But don't worry, because we’ve got you covered. From making the perfect base to the ideal sauce and toppings, we’ve even sorted you if you don’t have an oven. And, if you have an alternative diet, you can still get involved – we’ve got vegan, gluten-free and keto options available.
For inspiration on flavour combinations, look at our pizza recipes or read on for all the tips and tricks you need for a fabulous pizza bash.
If you’re interested in cooking your pizza outdoors, take a look at our reviews of the best pizza ovens for cooking outdoors. Also, check out our best pizza cutters to avoid rumpled dough, wrinkled cheese and dragged pepperoni, plus the best pizza stones and best pizza oven accessories. If you've got a pizza oven you're looking to make the most out of, check out our suggestions for what else you can make in a pizza oven, from sweet treats to sides of salmon, roast chicken and melting camembert.
The base
The base is the fundamental foundation for a great pizza. Check out our faultless pizza recipe, loaded with five-star reviews. The trick is to give your dough enough time to prove and be patient when kneading it (simple if you’re using a mixer with a dough hook, but slightly trickier manually because you don’t want to over- or under-do it). Make sure you spread your base thinly, and it should be perfectly crisp after cooking for just 5-10 minutes. This base is also vegan-friendly.
Alternative pizzas
Keto
Whether you’re abiding by a healthy keto diet or you are gluten-intolerant, you should still be able to enjoy this versatile Italian dish. Our keto pizza is made using cauliflower rice, coconut flour and flaxseed. We suggest topping with parmesan, tomatoes, rocket and olives for a flavourful meal – but you can replace it with whatever toppings you’re craving. The recipe also calls for dairy-free cheese or spreadable cream meaning, if you were to remove the parmesan, this would also be a lactose-free recipe.
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Gluten-free
For a gluten-free alternative, our gluten-free pizza dough does not require any yeast and therefore needs no proving time. This means the recipe is ready to roll out and top with your favourite ingredients in only 20 minutes.
Toppings
We think the best way to organise a pizza party would be to have your dough ready for your guests, prepared for them to top with their favourite sauce, cheese, meat and veg. Our pizza sauce is beautifully rich with the Italian flavours of oregano and basil. The sauce recipe covers 4-6 large pizza bases and keeps well in the fridge for up to a week, so you can pre-prepare this before your guests arrive. Then we suggest putting your different toppings in bowls so your guests can use as little or as much as they would like. Our five easy pizza toppings are a great place to start for inspiration.
Pizza oven
Why not invest in a pizza oven if you want to upgrade your pizza party to the next level? We have tried and tested products perfect for both inside and outside. The Ooni Koda 12 pizza oven is a compact gas-fired tabletop pizza oven that can produce pizzas in only 60 seconds. Its tiny size makes it ideal for balcony cooking. If cost isn’t an issue and you’d like a pizza oven that produces professional results, try the Delivita The Chilli Red pizza oven. Just like a restaurant wood fire pizza oven, only more compact. If you don’t have the outdoor space or prefer to do your cooking indoors, Sage the Smart Oven is a great choice. Plug it in, and it can reach 400 degrees celsius. Discover more of our top picks in our guide to the best pizza ovens.
No oven
Frying pan
Whether you want to cut costs by keeping the oven off or just enjoy cooking outdoors, we have gathered a selection of pizza recipes to enjoy that do not require the traditional oven bake. One method that still ensures a delicious crispy-bottomed pizza is our frying pan pizza with aubergine, ricotta & mint. It’s easy, vegetarian and it counts as two of your five-a-day. Another flavour alternative is our frying pan pizza bianco with mushroom and egg. This uses a light cream cheese as the base sauce instead of traditional tomato.
Barbecue
Alternatively, try cooking your pizza on the barbecue. Top with exciting seasonal produce such as our lemon, fennel & prawn pizza or blue cheese & pancetta pizza with grilled peaches to make the most of the summer while it lasts. Check out our best gas BBQ picks and best charcoal barbecues on test.
Tips for keeping pizza warm
Indoor party
In the unlikely event that all the pizza hasn’t been devoured immediately, one tip for keeping the leftover slices warm is to pop them back in a frying pan. Heat the pizza for around 2 minutes, then put a lid on the frying pan to make sure that your cheese melts and your sauce doesn’t evaporate. Another method would be to use your microwave. Fill a bowl two-thirds of the way full with water and put your pizza on a plate on top of the bowl. The water will heat the pizza without drying out the base. Ensure your microwave is on half power, and you only heat the pizza in one-minute intervals.
Outdoor party
If you’ve chosen to barbecue your pizzas and enjoy the beautiful outdoors, then one way to keep them hot would be to cover them with a blanket to insulate them. Another method that may sound strange (but it works) would be to put them in a cooling bag. At the bottom of your cooling bag, place some newspaper and two bricks wrapped in foil that you have heated in the oven for 20 minutes at 150 degrees. Put the pizzas on the bricks, and the cooling bag will contain all the heat.
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