This English muffin pizza recipe is a fun and easy way to make personal pizzas using store-bought English muffins. With crispy edges, melty cheese and zippy pepperoni slices, these pizzas are perfect as a quick lunch or after-school snack.
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English muffin pizza is the ultimate kid-friendly recipe. I should know: When we were kids, my brother and I used to make (and devour) quite a few of them as our after-school snacks. Of course, that doesn’t mean they’re just for children! Anytime you’re craving pizza or need an easy comfort food meal, English muffin pizzas are probably the answer.
The recipe’s name should give it away, but English muffins are the secret ingredient here. When toasted, the muffin’s nooks and crannies become crisp and golden, creating little pockets to fill with pizza sauce. This makeshift pizza crust is the perfect vehicle for pizza toppings, whether simple pepperoni and cheese for the kiddos or more creative options for adult palates.
Ingredients for English Muffin Pizza
- English muffins: You can use regular, whole wheat, gluten-free or homemade English muffins. To split the muffin, insert a fork’s tines into the side and work it around until you can pry the halves apart. Once split, lightly toast the halves. This pre-toasting step prevents the bread from getting soggy when you add sauce and toppings.
- Pizza sauce: Store-bought pizza sauce and canned marinara sauce can be used interchangeably here. These pizzas are also great for using leftover homemade pizza sauce. Using 1 tablespoon of sauce per pizza seems to be the sweet spot—any more and your pizzas will be heavy and soggy.
- Pepperoni: Feel free to use your favorite type of pepperoni, whether traditional, spicy or a lightened-up turkey version. Four slices of full-size pepperoni per muffin half should be the perfect amount to add savory, meaty flavor. You could also use mini pepperoni for extra-cute visual appeal.
- Cheese: Shredded mozzarella is the most traditional choice for pizza recipes. You’ll find several options at the store, but whole milk mozzarella cheese is best because it melts well and has a great flavor. I usually recommend shredding it at home, but pre-shredded cheese works if you need to keep this recipe quick and kid-friendly.
- Oregano: Topping each pizza with a pinch of dried oregano flakes makes them taste more like pizza. You could also substitute Italian seasoning or a combination of dried oregano, basil and rosemary.
Directions
Step 1: Assemble the pizzas
Jonathan Melendez for Taste of Home
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the split and toasted English muffins on a foil-lined baking sheet. Top each with pizza sauce, followed by pepperoni slices and shredded mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle the pizzas with oregano, if desired.
Editor’s Tip: Toasting the English muffins prevents your pizza crust from getting soggy. Lightly toast the split English muffins in a regular toaster, toaster oven or preheated oven for a few minutes,