Did you know that most folks eat pizza at least once a month? And per person in the U.S., we eat about 45 slices a year. According to Pizza.com that adds up to 350 slices per second!
These tasty pie ideas will give you plenty of reasons to eat even more pizza — not to mention something to do while stuck indoors.
Here’s a tip: Instead of making the pizza dough yourself, buy it pre-made from your favorite neighborhood pizzeria. Some even use food delivery services to deliver it right to you.
Macaroni and cheese pizza
Combine two comfort foods in one with this macaroni and cheese pizza from the Food Network. First, start out with creamy mac and cheese pasta — and then use it to top pre-cooked pizza crust. Meld the flavors together with a final trip to the oven. Pizza perfection!
Black bean nacho pizza
Infuse your pizza with south of the border flavor with this Mexican-style pie from Eating Well. Black beans, green onions, tomatoes and roasted red peppers top the dough before getting a helping of Monterey Jack cheese. If your family loves nachos, they’ll love this! (And since it’s packed with veggies, it’s also good for them.)
Mini deep-dish pizzas
Let your kids get creative with this fun recipe for mini deep-dish pizzas from Martha Stewart. Instead of a pizza pan, you use a muffin tin to hold the dough. Here’s how it works: You cut apart pre-made pizza dough into smaller pieces, roll it out and then have your kids press the dough into each circle. Fill each pint-sized pie with your favorite ingredients; then you’re ready to bake.
Greek pita pizza
Swap out the dough for pitas with this fast Greek pita pizza recipe from Taste of Home. The Mediterranean-inspired pie is topped with chopped olives, tomatoes, spinach and Greek spices. Oh, and don’t miss crumbling plenty of feta on top before you bake. This easy pizza meal comes together in minutes and will have your family asking for more.
Margherita pizza
For a classic Italian take on pizza, there’s nothing better than the simple, flavorful mix of fresh mozzarella cheese, basil, tomatoes and olive oil. Legend has it that this recipe was created to honor an Italian queen back in 1889, which is why it includes all of the colors of their flag: green, red and white. You can make your own Margherita pizza by following this simple recipe from Epicurious.
Looking for more pizza ideas? Check out our roundup of dessert pizzas for a fun, sweet twist on this classic dish.
This post was originally published in 2012 and is updated regularly.