Sometimes, making your own pizza is just cheaper—and better—than buying one.
Sure, some places sell pizza for super low prices, but the quality isn’t always great, and you don’t get to pick exactly what you want.
The trick to saving money isn’t just making one cheap pizza; it’s stocking up on ingredients that let you make lots of pizzas. For example, you can spend $10 on a few premade pizza crusts, or use that same $10 to buy flour, yeast, and other basics to make 50 crusts!
Here are some of the best cheap and easy pizza recipes to get you started.
The dough is the same for all of them, and here’s what you’ll need:
- 450 g of flour
- 280 ml of water
- 70 ml of oil
- 1/2 cube of yeast
- 1.5 teaspoons of salt
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
Preparation:
In warm water, add the sugar, crumble the yeast, and stir until everything dissolves. Then, add the flour and oil and knead the dough. Let the dough rise while you prepare the toppings.
Vegan Pizza with Ajvar
Once the dough is ready, prepare the ingredients for the topping.
You’ll need:
- 2 tablespoons of ketchup
- 2 tablespoons of ajvar
- 100 g of olives
- 100 g of mushrooms
- 1/2 onion
- 3 large pickles
- 1 small fresh pepper
- 50 g of sweet corn
- 2 large cans of tuna chunks
- 300 g of plant-based cheese
- 1 packet of oregano
Preparation:
Drain the oil from the tuna and mix it with finely chopped onion. Slice the mushrooms into thin pieces, chop the pepper and pickles into cubes, and cut the olives into rings. Combine the ajvar and ketchup, mixing well until smooth.
Grease the baking tray generously with oil, then roll out the dough to fit the size of the tray.
Spread the dough with the ajvar and ketchup mixture. Next, layer the tuna with onion, followed by the chopped mushrooms, pickles, pepper, olives, and sweet corn. Sprinkle oregano on top, then coarsely grate the plant-based cheese and spread it over the toppings.
Baking:
Bake the pizza in a preheated oven at 200°C. Once the edges of the dough turn slightly golden, the pizza is done. Remove from the oven and serve.
Classic Margherita
Ingredients:
- Pizza dough
- Tomato sauce (or tomato puree with salt and a pinch of sugar)
- Mozzarella (or a budget-friendly cheese like cheddar)
- Fresh basil (or dried basil/oregano)
Preparation:
Spread the sauce over the dough, add cheese, sprinkle with basil, and bake. Simple and tasty!
Vegan Pizza with Tomato
Once the dough is prepared according to the recipe, gather the ingredients for the topping.
You’ll need:
- 1 cup of mushrooms
- 1 ripe tomato
- 2-3 green peppers
- 1 onion
- 1 tablespoon of rosemary
- A pinch of mint
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 cup of ketchup
- A bit of chili pepper (optional)
- A little oil
Preparation:
Roll out the dough into a circular shape and brush it with oil. Spread a layer of ketchup on top, then arrange sliced tomato, onion rings, and green pepper slices. Add minced garlic, chopped herbs, and thinly sliced mushrooms. Optionally, you can add soy cheese. Drizzle a little oil over everything before baking.
Baking:
Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C.
Veggie Delight
Ingredients:
- Pizza dough
- Ketchup or tomato sauce
- Mixed vegetables (onions, peppers, carrots, corn, etc.)
- Grated cheese (use plant-based if vegan)
- Oregano
Preparation:
Spread the sauce on the dough, top with thinly sliced veggies, sprinkle cheese and oregano, then bake.
Vegan Pizza with Potatoes and Olives
You’ll need:
- 250 g of flour
- 50 g of semolina
- 1-2 teaspoons of salt
- Half a cube of yeast
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 60 g of green pitted olives
- 1 clove of garlic
- 60 ml of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of oregano
- 400-500 g of boiled potatoes
- 150 g of tomato slices
- 100 g of vegan cheese
- Coarse sea salt
Preparation:
In a bowl, mix the flour, semolina, and salt. Make a well in the center, crumble in the yeast, and add the sugar and 1-2 tablespoons of lukewarm water. Cover the bowl and let it sit in a warm place for about 15 minutes to activate the yeast.
Add about 120 ml of lukewarm water and knead the mixture into a smooth dough. Shape it into a ball, cover again, and let it rise for 45 minutes.
Preparation for Potato and Olive Vegan Pizza:
Finely chop the olives. Peel the garlic, crush it, and sauté it in olive oil. Mix in the oregano and remove from heat. Peel the boiled potatoes and slice them lengthwise into thin slices.
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line two baking trays with parchment paper. Divide the dough into two portions and roll each into a circle. Place the circles on the trays and sprinkle a thin layer of vegan cheese on top. Arrange the potato slices, tomato slices, and olives over the cheese. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with the remaining cheese, and bake for about 20 minutes. Once baked, drizzle with the remaining olive oil, sprinkle with coarse sea salt, and garnish with oregano. Serve warm.
Potato Pizza
Ingredients:
- Pizza dough
- Olive oil
- Thinly sliced potatoes
- Garlic (optional)
- Rosemary or thyme
- Salt
Preparation:
Brush the dough with olive oil, layer thin potato slices, sprinkle rosemary and salt, and bake.
Vegan Pizza with Greens
After preparing the dough, gather the ingredients for the topping.
You’ll need:
- 500 g of spinach or another type of leafy greens
- 1 tablespoon of capers
- 3/4 cup of black olives
- 1 clove of garlic
- 3/4 cup of oil
- Pepper
- Salt
Preparation:
Clean and wash the greens, then blanch them in boiling water. Drain well using a colander. Remove the pits from the olives and slice them into rings. Halve the garlic clove and sauté it in oil to infuse the flavor. Remove and discard the garlic. Add the olives, spices, greens, and salt to the oil, mix well, and sauté everything over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
Baking for Vegan Pizza with Greens:
Roll out the pizza dough and spread the prepared greens filling over it. Bake the pizza in a very hot oven for about 30 minutes.
Breakfast Pizza
Ingredients:
- Pizza dough
- Eggs
- Cheese
- Ham or sausage (optional)
- Spinach or onions
Preparation:
Spread a thin layer of sauce (optional), crack eggs onto the dough, add cheese, and bake. Add spinach/onions for extra flavor.
Pizza with Tuna
Once the dough is prepared, gather the ingredients for the topping.
You’ll need:
- 100 g of ketchup
- 100 g of mushrooms
- 1 onion
- 1 can of tuna in oil
- A few black olives
- Capers
- Oregano
Preparation:
Spread ketchup over the pizza dough. Mash the tuna with a fork in its oil to form a uniform mixture. Clean the mushrooms, slice them thinly, and sauté them with the onion in oil until softened.
Layer the mushrooms first onto the dough, followed by the tuna. Sprinkle with capers and oregano. Bake in a preheated oven at 220°C. Once baked, garnish the pizza with olives and onion rings. Serve warm.
Tip: Instead of ketchup, using tomato puree is a better option, though not necessary. The dish will be tastier if you grate plenty of plant-based vegan cheese into the filling and sprinkle more over the hot pizza right after it’s baked.
Garlic Bread Pizza
Ingredients:
- Flatbread or any leftover bread
- Garlic butter (or regular butter with minced garlic and parsley)
- Cheese
- Herbs like oregano or thyme
Preparation:
Spread garlic butter over the bread, sprinkle cheese and herbs, and bake until bubbly.
Cabbage Pizza
Ingredients:
- Shredded cabbage
- Eggs (or a plant-based egg substitute)
- Flour (or chickpea flour for a gluten-free option)
- Salt and pepper
- Tomato sauce and cheese
Preparation:
Mix cabbage, eggs, flour, and seasoning into a thick batter. Spread it into a skillet, cook until firm, then top with sauce and cheese. Finish in the oven or on the stovetop.
Pizza Roll
You’ll need:
- 500 g of phyllo pastry sheets
- 600 g of ketchup
- 600 g of marinated mushrooms
- 300 g of plant-based cheese
- A bit of oil
Preparation:
Divide the pastry sheets into three sets of 5 sheets each, to make 3 rolls. Chop the mushrooms and grate the plant-based cheese. For each roll, you’ll use:
- 200 g of ketchup
- 100 g of cheese
- 200 g of mushrooms
Lay two sheets on top of each other and brush with ketchup. Add a third sheet, brush it with ketchup, and sprinkle grated cheese evenly over it. Place the fourth sheet on top, brush with ketchup, and spread the chopped mushrooms over it. Finally, lay the fifth sheet, roll everything up tightly, and form the roll. Repeat this process to make two more rolls.
Once the rolls are prepared, bake them until golden and serve warm.
Place the rolls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops lightly with oil and bake at 220°C for about 30 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Serve warm and enjoy!
Tortilla Pizza
Ingredients:
- Tortillas or wraps
- Tomato paste or sauce
- Cheese
- Any toppings (peppers, olives, leftover chicken, etc.)
Preparation:
Spread the sauce on the tortilla, add toppings, and bake for a few minutes at high heat.
Lentil Crust Pizza
Ingredients:
- Cooked lentils (or canned, drained)
- A little flour
- Seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder)
- Toppings of your choice
Preparation:
Blend lentils into a thick batter, mix with a little flour, and spread it into a circle. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then add toppings and bake again.