Description

This Homemade School Cafeteria Pizza recipe recreates the classic thick, rectangular pizza often served in school cafeterias. Featuring a crispy crust with a tender inside, topped with a trusty layer of pizza sauce, melty mozzarella cheese, and your choice of favorite toppings, this recipe is perfect for family dinners or a fun homemade pizza night.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Dough and Base

2 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP cornmeal
1 recipe of homemade pizza dough or 1 lb of refrigerated pizza dough from your local grocery’s deli department

Toppings

1/2 – 1 cup pizza sauce, to taste
2–3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Additional toppings of choice, if desired: pepperoni, cooked sausage or ground beef, diced peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, olives, ham, pineapple, fresh basil, etc.
Optional: garlic powder, dried oregano

Instructions

Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C). Add the olive oil to a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan and use a brush to spread it evenly over the bottom. Then sprinkle the cornmeal over the oiled surface to create a subtly crunchy crust.
Shape the dough: Press your prepared pizza dough into the pan, stretching it carefully to fit the entire surface area as evenly as possible. This creates the classic rectangular school pizza shape.
Add sauce: Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the entire surface of the dough, going all the way to the edges. Adjust the amount based on your preference for a saucier or lighter pizza.
Layer cheese and toppings: Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese generously over the sauce, extending it to the edges. For this size pizza, about 3 cups is ideal, but reduce to 2 cups if adding more toppings. Add any additional toppings you like. Optionally, sprinkle garlic powder and dried oregano on top for extra flavor.
Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Cool and slice: Remove the pizza from the oven and allow it to cool slightly for easier slicing. Cut into rectangular pieces using a standard pizza cutter or a bench scraper for clean, straight edges.

Notes

You can customize this pizza with your favorite toppings, making it perfect for picky eaters or to use up leftover ingredients.
Using refrigerated dough from the grocery deli is a convenient shortcut if you don’t want to make dough from scratch.
Baking at a high temperature ensures a crispy bottom crust and bubbly cheese on top.
Allowing the pizza to cool slightly before cutting helps prevent cheese from sliding around.
Cornmeal on the pan prevents sticking and adds a pleasant texture to the crust.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: school cafeteria pizza, homemade pizza, rectangular pizza, easy pizza recipe, pizza with mozzarella, classic pizza