Pizza-Inspired Dishes You Can Make At Home
Pizza delivery is a quick-and-easy solution to the "What's for dinner?" puzzle that many face every evening. You can also make pizza-like dishes if you're just looking for that pizza flavor. If you're looking for something pizza-inspired to serve for dinner tonight, you may be surprised by how many recipes you can turn out that showcase all of your favorite things from your local pizza place. Here are a few unique dishes to spotlight those popular pizza flavors.
Pizza Pasta Bake
When you choose a hearty pasta product like penne or rotini, you can make a pizza-flavored pasta dish that's sure to bring everyone to the table. Cook the pasta until it's al dente, or still a little bit dense to bite. Layer the pasta with sliced green pepper rings, sliced onions, pepperoni and ground sausage. Add a pasta sauce that's made with mushrooms, and then mix in some mozzarella cheese. Bake the whole thing for half an hour at a moderate temperature, like 350 degrees Fahrenheit. You can cover the dish if you want to keep the cheese melted but not golden, or leave it uncovered to get that nutty, toasted finish on top of the cheese.
Pizza Meatloaf
Your family will never look at meatloaf the same way again after you make something like this. Shred a cup of mozzarella for every 2 pounds of ground meat that you use. Opt for a mixture of ground beef and pork for more flavor, especially since many pizzas are topped with both pork sausage and ground beef. Dice some peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Sautee these veggies with a little bit of olive oil until they're slightly softened. Add them to the meat along with a half-cup of breadcrumbs and one egg per two pounds of meat. Mix in some sliced black olives and diced pepperoni as well.
Put the meat mixture into a loaf pan, then pour enough pasta sauce over it to cover it. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the top and cover it. Bake it for an hour at 350 degrees, or until it's cooked through to 160 degrees in the center. If you want the cheese to crisp up a bit on top, uncover it for the last 20 minutes.
These dishes are a great way to satisfy that pizza flavor craving on those days when you can't call for pizza delivery. When paired with a favorite pizza delivery restaurant, you'll have the best of both worlds. Whether you're looking for actual pizza or just a dish that resembles it, you'll be able to get just what you want.
Share
