The Customizable Pizza — Meatless Monday
Antonis Achilleos
Endlessly versatile and suitable to kids' and grownups' tastes alike, pizzas are ideal meals for vegetarian eaters, as they can be made the same way with or without meat, and a lack of protein won't sacrifice flavor or substance. If your weeknight routine has you ordering delivery pies on account of their ease and timesaving beauty, try embracing a fresher alternative that's every bit as simple and quick to prepare: homemade pizza.
Con Poulos, 2010, Con Poulos Photography
The secret to effortlessly making pizza at home is relying on prepared dough. Although you can make from scratch and then freeze Food Network Magazine's Basic Pizza Dough if you have the time, picking up already made dough from the supermarket or local delivery spot is just fine, especially if you crave the signature crust from your neighborhood pizzeria. Keeping ready-to-go dough in the freezer for fuss-free meals will save valuable time in the kitchen on hectic nights.
For toppings, think about whom you'll be feeding and what kinds of ingredients they enjoy. Rachael Rays Garlic and Herb Three-Cheese Pizza may be a winning dinner if you're cooking for kids or picky eaters, thanks to its tried-and-true flavor, while Food Network Magazine's White Pizza With Broccolini (pictured at top) is a dressed-up favorite. This recipe comes together thanks to a double-packing process: first to precook the crust and later to melt a mixture of four Italian cheeses and gently cook roasted broccolini and fresh herbs. Before serving, drizzle the pizza with olive oil to marry the flavors and add a final fruity note.
2012 Food Network
Not just for savory suppers, pizza can also be an easy dessert to finish out a meal if made with sweet cheeses and chocolate or berry toppings. Alex Guarnaschelli's Fruit Pizza is a top-rated recipe that's ready to eat in only 25 minutes, thanks to pre-baked crusts. She looks to creamy orange-ricotta cheese to act as the sauce and rounds out the pie with red wine-simmered blackberries and a dusting of confectioners' sugar.
Meatless Monday, an international movement, encourages people everywhere to cut meat one day a week for personal and planetary health. Browse more meat-free recipes.