Throwing a pizza party can be as easy or as playful as you want it to be, which makes it a great activity for kids AND adults. Especially adults. We are fun! We are inventive! We want to flex our creativity, too!
If you want no fuss, go ahead and order 10 pies and gorge among yourselves. We support you. But if you’re looking to get a little more crazy, this article is for you. We are outlining how to throw the very-best-ever pizza party with your pals that somehow feels both sophisticated and silly.
Welcome to the party.
How to Throw a Pizza Party 101
Before we begin, let’s lay out some steps so we know exactly what we’re getting into. To throw the very-best-ever pizza party, you’re going to need all of the essential ingredients for pizza. We’re talking dough, sauce, toppings and an oven or grill to cook these bad boys.
We’re also big fans of a theme, so perhaps you can incorporate one to level up this party. Maybe you want to be Parisian and have party favors and toppings that follow suit, or maybe a grilled pizza luau is more your speed? Scary movie pizza party? Pizza-themed pizza party? Think about it and get your hosting things in order.
The Dough
Now, we could suggest you make the dough and allow others to do the same, but that’s time consuming and very involved. If Lisa wants to make sourdough with her own starter and Paul wants to make a rectangular pie, we’re going to have problems beyond oven timing.
Our vote is to go to your local pizza joint and buy fresh dough directly from the source. They will sell you raw dough 10/10 times if you ask nicely. You can even hit a New York-style spot and a Neapolitan one to offer variety. Be warned, though, that Neapolitan dough is wet, so leave this vehicle to the pizza pros who won’t stretch it too thin.
The Sauce
Offering guests the choice of different sauces allows them to explore even more styles of pizza. We suggest always offering a red or white option, but there is no limit to how far you can take this. Marinara sauce, BBQ, buffalo sauce, bechamel and pesto are just a few of our favorites. There is no shame in the store-bought game; make as many or as few as these as you want!
DIY Pizza Party Toppings
Pizza toppings are the most crucial, and most FUN, part of pizza making, so this is where your party can really shine. Put a big spread of toppings together and let guests mix-and-match to their heart’s content. These are some of our favorites, but remember to follow your imagination.
Cheese.
Every pizza needs the piece de resistance, cheese. Well, not every pizza; we’ve had some killer tomato pies, but you’ll definitely want to give your guests some fun, cheesy options to choose from.
- Fresh mozzarella
- Smoked mozzarella
- Fresh buffalo mozzarella
- Grated aged mozzarella
- Grated parmesan or romano
- Grated provolone or cheddar
- Gorgonzola
- Blue cheese
- Caciocavallo
- Fresh ricotta dollops
- Fresh chèvre
- Smoke gouda
- Feta
Meat.
Meat lovers, meat likers, rejoice. A side of meat is just what you need to get the party started, from cured meats to sweet-sauced treats.
- Pepperoni
- Salami
- Spicy soppressata
- Sausage
- Chorizo
- Ham
- Bacon
- BBQ chicken
- Buffalo chicken
- Anchovies
Vegetables.
Vegetables can make or break a pizza, so be sure to choose toppings that don’t hold a ton of water and will weigh down your slices. Think pre-cooked, blanched and ultra thinly-sliced ingredients.
- Thinly sliced white onions
- Thinly sliced mushrooms
- Sliced peppers
- Roasted peppers
- Banana peppers
- Jalapeno peppers
- Artichoke hearts
- Cherry tomatoes, whole or split
- Eggplant slices, fried or steamed
- Zucchini slices, fried or steamed
- Black olives
- Castelvetrano olives
- Spinach
- Kale
- Pine nuts
Herbs and Spices.
Delightfully fresh herbs and rich spices can complement your pizza perfectly, whether applied before or after the oven. Give your guests both bold and subtle flavor options to dash and drizzle.
- Fresh or dried basil
- Fresh or dried oregano
- Fresh or dried sage
- Pesto
- Red pepper flakes
- Honey
- Hot honey
- Chili oil
- Coriander seed
- Fennel seed
Toppings After Baking.
Post-bake toppings are a great way to add a little freshness to your pizza straight out of the oven. These are items that you’ll want to hold their texture, like fresh greens.
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Grated parmesan
- Grated romano
- Fresh ricotta
- Thinly sliced prosciutto
- Thinly sliced serrano ham
- Fresh herbs like basil, oregano, sage, chives
- Fresh greens like arugula
- Lemon juice
- Honey
The Finale
Once those pizzas’ come out of the oven, serve them up nice and hot. Naturally, when you have many pizzas to cook, there will be a little bit of a queue, so encourage guests to try each other’s pizzas while they wait for their masterpiece! When you’re done with savory, be sure to save some room for sweet. You can cook a few dessert pies fairly quickly with toppings like gorgonzola, honey and walnuts, or Nutella and chocolate.
Conclusion
And that’s all, folks! Please be sure to invite us to your next shindig.
