Recipe 02: Easy Homemade Pepperoni Pizza

I love pizza.

But I love it even more when I can make it at home using simple ingredients that I already have in my kitchen.

There is something satisfying about pulling a freshly baked pizza out of the oven, knowing it costs much less than ordering takeaway and tastes exactly the way I like it.

People often think making pizza at home means spending hours preparing dough from scratch.

It doesn’t have to.

If you enjoy making bread, you can certainly make your own pizza dough. In fact, I’ve shared my favourite bread recipe, which also works beautifully as a pizza base.

But on busy days—or on days when I simply don’t feel like spending hours in the kitchen—I happily use a ready-made pizza base.

For me, homemade isn’t about making every single ingredient from scratch.

It’s about preparing a meal at home with ingredients I enjoy.

Why I Like This Method

This is probably one of the easiest homemade pizzas you’ll ever make.

It takes only a few minutes to prepare, creates very little washing up, and is easy to customise with whatever you already have in the refrigerator.

It is also much more budget-friendly than ordering pizza every week.

Of course, prices have changed since I first wrote this recipe, but the idea remains the same:

A homemade pizza is usually far more affordable than takeaway.

What You’ll Need

• 1 ready-made pizza base

• 2 tablespoons pizza sauce

• Shredded mozzarella cheese

• Shredded cheddar cheese

• Pepperoni or salami

• Any additional toppings you enjoy

Some of my favourites include:

• onions

• bell peppers

• black olives

• mushrooms

• chicken

• tuna

• sausages

The best pizza is the one you make exactly the way you like it.

Let’s Build the Pizza

Preheat your oven to 220°C (428°F).

Line a baking tray with baking paper for easier cleaning.

Place the pizza base on the tray.

Spread the pizza sauce evenly, leaving a small border around the edge.

Sprinkle a generous layer of mozzarella cheese over the sauce.

Add your pepperoni or other favourite toppings.

Finish with grated cheddar cheese.

I like adding the cheddar last because it develops a beautiful golden colour while the mozzarella stays soft and stretchy.

Bake for 5–10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and lightly golden.

Keep an eye on the pizza base to make sure it doesn’t become too dark.

A Budget-Friendly Favourite

One of the things I love most about making pizza at home is that I can prepare several pizzas from one shopping trip.

A packet of cheese, a jar of pizza sauce and a pack of pepperoni can easily make multiple pizzas, making each one surprisingly economical.

Even better, you can keep extra pizza bases in the freezer and simply move one to the refrigerator the night before you plan to use it.

Whenever I’m craving pizza, I know dinner is only a few minutes away.

Sometimes, the simplest meals become our favourite ones—not because they’re fancy, but because they’re easy, comforting, and made exactly the way we like them.

Be Inspired. Be Creative. Cook with Heart.
And enjoy every bite!