Pizza-How to Save Money By Making Your Own
You may be surprised how cheap it is to make homemade pizza. I wrote a post several years ago showing how to make my pizza dough in a jar. All you need to do is add the wet ingredients. Easy, and saves so much time and money. Pizza Dough In A Jar
I’m still anxious to teach people to cook from scratch, so today it’s all about making pizza from scratch. Let’s talk cost to make it as well. I can only give estimates because we all buy different products and pay different amounts for electricity or gas to bake the pizza. My labor is FREE, just giving you the heads up. Plus, I do not have to drive into town to pick up a pizza or tip the driver when it’s delivered. So here we go, my friends.
Cost Of Pizza Crust
I only buy bread flour and I buy 25-50 pounds at a time. If I only use 4 cups of flour, I’m estimating the cost to be $.20 cents. Cheap, right? I buy my SAF Instant yeast in larger packages and store what I don’t use in the freezer. I’m guessing maybe $.05 cents. Salt is approximately $.02 cents. Water is FREE. Sugar is about $.05 and olive oil I buy in half-gallon containers, the cost would be about $.25. The total cost for the pizza crust: is $.57 for 2 small pizzas or one large 14-inch pizza. Total $.57 cents.
Cost Of Pizza Sauce
I check out all the case lot sales so my tomato paste costs a mere $.50 cents. The tomato sauce or diced tomatoes are $.75 cents. The total cost for the pizza sauce: $1.25 for 2 small pizzas or one large 14-inch pizza. Total $1.25.
Cost For Cheese
For mozzarella cheese, I shred the 8-ounce block myself to save money and it costs $1.75 for two small pizzas or one 14-inch pizza. Total $1.75.
I buy the pepperoni when it’s on sale for 2 for $3.00 and each package will cover two small pizzas or one large 14-inch pizza. The cost is $1.50. I freeze the packages and bring one out when I make pizza. Total $1.50.
Cost For Vegetables
I like onions and peppers and I get them for less than $.50 total for 2 small pizzas or one 14-inch pizza. I slice and chop them myself. Total cost $.50 cents.
Electricity
I have to guess that it may cost $.50 cents because I have to have the oven preheated up to 375 degrees. And I will bake it for 25 minutes total cost $.50 cents.
Total Cost:
Two small pizzas or one large 14-inch pizza totals $6.07. This is cheaper than Little Caesar’s Pizza or Domino’s. Here’s the deal, we can now add more meat or more cheese and I call that a cheap meal at home. That’s $3.04 per small pizza. Score!
Pizza Crust Recipe
Now, you do not have to put the ingredients in a jar, but I do and it’s ready when I want to mix it up for that last-minute dinner. You can make one large 14-inch pizza or two smaller ones. It depends on how thick you like your crust too! My mouth is watering right now!
- 3 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons SAF instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1-1/4 cups warm water
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This recipe fills one QUART jar and makes one large pizza.
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When you want to make pizza add the dry ingredients in the quart mason jar to a bowl and add the water and oil.
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Mix by hand and knead until smooth and roll out on a floured countertop.
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Roll out the dough into a circle and place it on your greased pans.
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My pizza pan is 14 inches in diameter. You could also make two smaller pizzas. Be sure and grease your pizza pans.
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Spread the pizza sauce on top of the dough, sprinkle veggies, Mozzarella Cheese, and top with Pepperoni if desired.
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Bake on a greased large pizza pan at (375°F) = (190°C) degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Pizza Sauce
Mark and I do not like a lot of spices, call us plain folks, but you can add fresh chopped garlic and some of your favorite spices to this sauce recipe.
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce or diced tomatoes (drained)
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- dash of sugar (optional)
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Combine the ingredients in a small mixing bowl. All you need is a good whisk to mix it thoroughly. Next, you spread the pizza sauce on the pizza dough. Bake the pizza as instructed in the pizza dough instructions.
Pizza Dough
I don’t know about you, but I LOVE the feel of bread dough, or in this case, pizza dough. You may have flour all over your apron, if you wear one, I don’t. I should but that’s how I roll, no pun intended. You’ll want to flour your countertop and the rolling pin.
You can make it in a circle or place it on a cookie sheet. I always watch for the cheese to bubble on top and lift the crust to see if it’s brown enough. You can sprinkle cornmeal on the pan, but I don’t. I do grease the pan though.
Here’s the deal, you can make single-size pizzas and everyone rolls their own out. I used to do that for birthday parties, kids love it!! Then the kids or adults put the exact ingredients they want on their own pan.
Spreading the Pizza Sauce
You can spread it thin or thick, it’s that easy. One thing I like to do is spread the sauce on the dough, then sprinkle a layer of cheese on before you add your favorite toppings. After the toppings, I sprinkle another layer of cheese on top. Is your mouth watering yet?
Final Word
I hope you print out these pizza recipes and make them soon with the ingredients you have in your home. Life is good if we can cook from scratch and save time and money. The bonus is that we know what is in our food. Thanks for being prepared for the unexpected. May God bless this world. Linda
I am excited to try this, but I don’t see the point of making in it a qt jar unless you are giving it to someone
I am guessing that you can make a bigger batch and just measure out 3 cups? or will that work? thanks
H Jennis, the only problem with making a bigger batch is hopefully the dry ingredients get mixed thoroughly. I started making them in quart jars because I can give them as gifts to friends and family for one thing. But the main reason is so I know that one quart is one large pizza or two small pizzas. I hope this helps. Linda
While not completely homemade, you can get a pretty nice thin crust in the refrigerator case at Dollar Tree, for yes, $1.00. Add your toppings and you have a pretty good pizza in about 10 minutes. We use a pizza stone that helps it cook more evenly and a bit crisper
Hi Ohio Prepper, oh my gosh, I love a pizza stone! Great comment on how to save money and time. Linda
A thought/idea:
Remember the boxed pizza kits of years ago? I actually saw them on Walmart’s online store, so they still exist! The cheese was dried parmesan in a little canister if I recall correctly. And the dough was more of a biscuit type dough.
Well, we sometimes make what I call Pantry Pizza: dough (I have both a biscuit type recipe and a yeast recipe, we prefer the yeast), sauce, and dried parmesan for the cheese (it took about 3/4 cup for the 12″ one we made). My dough has part whole wheat flour in. Why? because I wanted a way to make pizza if there was no cheese around.
(We keep dried parmesan in the fridge to store it much much longer).
Hi Janet, oh my gosh, do I remember those boxed pizza kits. This is a brilliant idea on why we need to stock Parmesan cheese in those green cans. I’m adding it to my grocery list right now. This is one of those times I say “why didn’t I think of that?” I love it!!!! Linda
Linda, your reply inspired a thought: I recently got a sealer. The Parmesan could be measured, sealed, stored in fridge or freezer??
Hi Janet, I was thinking of the same thing. I will be storing mine in the freezer. Some in the fridge and most in the freezer. Love it!! Linda