To continue this week’s (not intentional but oh-so-embraceable) theme of tasty childhood foods you may have forgotten you adore: English Muffin Pizza!
Whole wheat English muffins are split, spread with the pizza sauce of your choice (tomato? pesto? alfredo? It’s all fair game here), then smothered in cheese and any of your favorite pizza toppings, English Muffin Pizza is an easy, healthy, and highly personalizable dinner.
Whether you are in need of sure-to-please meals for picky eaters, fast and healthy dinners for back-to-school nights, or are a grown up looking to cook yourself something a) presentable and b) exceptionally low-maintenance, you have a reason to make an English Muffin Pizza.
Or, maybe you just have very fond memories of the jingle from the Pizza Bagels commercials and want to take a moment to relive your childhood (umm…me!). These English Muffin Pizzas hit the spot there too.
Also, pizza. Pizza night = happy night. It’s mathematical law. (I also recommend making this Burrata Pizza for an upcoming pizza night.)
Let’s make these English Muffin Pizzas for toddlers, for the busy parents who cook for them, for my fellow children of the ‘90s (did anyone else grow up with these??), and for all who crave an extra grin when they take a bite of their dinner tonight. English Muffin Pizza will make you smile.
About English Muffin Pizza
For those of you who didn’t spend as much time in the freezer section of the grocery store in the ‘90s as I did, English Muffin Pizza is inspired by the infamous pizza bagels that I used to beg my mom to put into her shopping cart for us (apologies if that song is in your head now). Today’s English Muffin Pizza is a modern, wholesome spin on that widely adored snack.
From a history standpoint, English muffins are a spin themselves! They began as a riff of on an English crumpet and have been marketed in America in some form since the late 1850s (they were called toaster crumpets then).
Pizza bagels didn’t come on the scene for about 100 more years, and there are actually dueling claims as to who invented them. The earliest claimed version was a pizza cooked on a halved bagel that was baked without a hole…which is kind of like an English muffin. Could this be the earliest iteration of the English Muffin Pizza?
Wherever it started, English Muffin Pizza satisfies the need for easy, snackable, kid-friendly, gratifyingly cheesy goodness!
Ingredients 1x2x3x
- 4 whole wheat English muffins split
- ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup prepared pizza sauce tomato, pesto, or alfredo; whichever your family likes! (We use tomato)
- Tiny Pinch kosher salt
- Pinch ground black pepper
- 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese or cheddar cheese, provolone, or any cheese you like
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Toppings of choice such as mini pepperonis (or regular pepperonis, quartered), or sautéed veggies, such as spinach or mushrooms
- Thinly sliced fresh basil optional for serving
Instructions SHOW IMAGES
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Arrange the English muffin halves cut side up onto a baking sheet. Lightly drizzle with olive oil. Place in the oven and toast until barely golden, about 4 minutes.
- Spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons pizza sauce over each one, using the back of a spoon to spread it evenly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with mozzarella cheese and Italian seasoning. Add any desired toppings.
- Bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the muffins are browned on the edges. Top with fresh basil. Enjoy hot.
Notes
- TO REFRIGERATE: In a single layer, place your English Muffin Pizzas in an airtight container topping side up for up to one week.
- TO FREEZE/MAKE AHEAD: Toast you English muffin halves as directed and top as desired. Lay the English Muffin Pizzas topping side up on a baking sheet and place in the freezer for at least two hours. Once completely frozen, place each pizza in a freezer-safe container, separating layers of English Muffin Pizzas with parchment paper.
- REHEAT FROM FROZEN: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Lay your frozen English Muffin Pizzas on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until heated through.