Pizza. Probably one of the most glorious foods ever invented. There’s honestly nothing better than a warm, cheesy, greasy piece of pizza whether it’s enjoyed while staying in with friends, after a long night out, or reheated for breakfast. With these 15 hacks, you can ensure pizza will be your bae for life.
1. Leftover pizza croutons
Photo by Abby Wang
If you ask me, or any lover of carbs and/or pizza, croutons are the best part of any salad. They add the perfect touch of crunch and flavor without being too annoying. Now what if I told you that your salad’s precious croutons could get even better? Make these pizza croutons using old, leftover pizza to take your salad from okay to face-meltingly awesome.
2. Reheat pizza while keeping the crust crispy
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There’s nothing worse than looking forward to leftover pizza, only to reheat it and have it become a soggy and unsatisfying disappointment. Luckily, there’s a simple way to ensure your leftover pizza comes out hot and crispy, just the way it was when you first laid eyes on it. All you have to do is place a glass of water in with your pizza when you reheat it in the microwave, and voila, toasty crust. Thank God for the genius out there who discovered this hack.
3. Pizza waffles
Photo courtesy of @logankahle on Instagram
This hack is so simple you won’t believe you haven’t thought of it before. Take any leftover pizza slice and simply fold it in half and stick it in a waffle iron. Get it all nice and toasty and oozing with cheese, and bam, you’ve just created the best breakfast and dinner hybrid meal of all time. Now you’ll never have to eat cold leftover pizza for breakfast ever again. You’re welcome.
4. DIY brick oven pizza
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Make your own pizza stone at home for only $3, giving your homemade pizza a marvelous crust. Pizza stones will distribute heat more evenly in your oven, browning the top of your pizza while making the bottom nice and crisp. Sure you can’t turn up your oven to 500°, but it’s the closest you’ll get to brick oven pizza for the lowest price. And it still tastes amazing which is all that really matters.
5. Pizza mozzarella sticks
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Combine a delicious appetizer and main dish in one with this hack. Take any type of pizza slices and roll them up around mozzarella sticks. Bake at 350° for 5-6 minutes, or until cheese is melted, and serve with marinara sauce. Try making your own marinara sauce like the boss you are with this recipe.
6. Pizza box plates
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We’ve all experienced that dreadful moment when the pizza you ordered finally arrives after what seems like an eternity, only to realize that you don’t have any plates. Oops. Not to worry, however, because that pizza box holding your glorious dinner can easily be turned into plates in just a few simple steps. Bonus: you’re saving the environment by not wasting paper plates and using whatcha got. Feel free to give yourself a pat on the back while you enjoy that pizza.
7. Grilled cheese pizza
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Double your carb load for dinner by making your pizza slices into a grilled cheese sandwich. Lay two slices of pizza on top of each other, cheese touching cheese, and grill them just like you would a regular grilled cheese sandwich. Keep the crusts, or cut them off and eat them first. You can even add another layer of cheese between the slices, to help them stick together and because, there’s no such thing as too much cheese, am I right or am I right?
8. Keep delivery pizza hot on the drive home
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Whenever I get pizza to-go, I always speed home as fast as I can to ensure my pizza stays nice and hot (and because I’m probably starving and don’t want to wait to eat it). Luckily, there’s a hack that can save you from possibly getting a speeding ticket, while still keeping your pizza warm. All you have to do is place the pizza box on your passenger seat, buckle it up for safety, and turn on your seat warmer. If you don’t have a seat warmer, well…just keep driving fast and please don’t get a speeding ticket.
9. Pizza fries
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Finally, a recipe that fuses together your three favorite foods, pizza, fries, and cheese. ALL the cheese. Simply cut your pizza into strips, lay them out on a baking sheet, cover them in as much cheese as your heart desires, and bake untill they’re crisp. Dip in marinara sauce for ultimate satisfaction, or try ranch. Don’t knock it ’till you try it.
10. Improve frozen pizza crust
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Frozen pizzas, while easy to make, are sometimes bland or dry or just plain gross. You can improve the crust, however, by rubbing it with olive oil before you stick the pizza in the oven. This will help soften the crust and make it less dry and overly chewy. If you want to go all out, you can even make your own garlic butter using melted butter, crushed garlic, oregano, and some grated parmesan cheese. Whisk all those ingredients together and brush it on the crust, which results in a satisfying garlic bread crust finish to your pie.
11. Leftover pizza quiche
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Another brilliant way to eat leftover pizza for breakfast. Take your favorite quiche recipe and simply add in chopped pieces of any leftover pizza you happen to find in the back of your fridge. Quiche is also a super versatile way to use up veggies or meats that you’ve had sitting around for a while. Make sure you take advantage of the best produce summer has to offer.
12. Heal burnt pizza tongue
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No matter how many times it happens to me, I will always inevitably take a bite of my pizza while it’s still too hot and burn my tongue. I mean how can I possibly wait for it to cool down while it’s sitting there just begging me to delve into it’s cheesy, saucy, crustiness. I can’t resist. Sorry for being human. If you encounter this problem often like me, all you need is to pour some sugar on your tongue, then rub it on the roof of your mouth to get rid of the burning sensation. Then, feel free to continue eating that pizza.
13. Pizza lasagna
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Or you could call it pizza cake, but whichever you choose you’ll end up with layers and layers of pizza slices that are filled with extra cheeses and sauce, making a typical piece of pizza look almost sad in comparison. This also allows you to add extra toppings when layering, without any uncharge at the pizza place. You’ve scored in more ways than one my friend.
14. Prevent delivery pizza toppings from shifting
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Driving home with delivery pizza just causes so many problems. It should be easier than it is, shouldn’t it? Fortunately, steps can be taken to prevent certain bad things from happening to your pizza before you get home. You can easily prevent toppings from shifting and your pizza from folding all over itself by placing a plastic water bottle under the box in the crease of your passenger seat. It keeps everything level, and keeps you happy.
15. Pizza on a stick
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Everything tastes better on a stick right? Plus eating your pizza like a lollipop prevents greasy hands and burning yourself on a fresh, hot slice. Simply stick a skewer into a delivery pizza slice, or if you’re making homemade pizza, wrap the slice around a popsicle stick before you bake it, ensuring it’s folded-side down.
Graphic by Spoon University