65+ Homemade Pizza Recipes That Beat Greasy Takeout Slices | Albany Herald Parade Partner Content

Making pizza from scratch is a great way to control fat and calories—and save money at the same time. Ordering big pies week after week gets costly and making pizza dough at home is as cheap as it is effortless. Even if you’re not exactly sure how to make pizza dough (or are too lazy to attempt it), plenty of pizza crust hacks are included here. Pillsbury crust, pita, garlic bread, naan flatbread and store-bought cauliflower crusts all make an appearance in this list of easy pizza recipes for fuss-free dough alternatives.

No matter which diet or healthy eating lifestyle you’re abiding by, there are plenty of vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian and keto-friendly pizza recipes included here to try as well. You don’t have to miss out on a fantastic pie any longer!

Even if you aren’t watching your calories or carbs, sometimes a lighter pizza is a nice alternative to heavy-loaded ones. Plus it means you can enjoy a second, or third, slice with less guilt!

This list has some of the best pizza inspiration you could ever want, so be sure to pin your favorites and add the ingredients to your grocery list ASAP.

This recipe might take a little extra time, but it’s simple and yields deliciously addictive homemade pizza.

This flatbread-style pizza with pear and goat cheese is delicious! It’s quite easy to make, especially if you buy pre-made dough. Plus, you can get as creative and fancy as you want with the toppings.

Pepperoni is one of the most popular pizza toppings. Adding a drizzle of chile-infused honey makes for a deliciously spicy-sweet-savory pie. To keep your pizza wheel or knife from becoming a sticky mess, slice the pie before drizzling it with honey.

In this recipe from NBC’s The Biggest Loser Chef Devin Alexander uses lavash, a Middle Eastern flatbread that contains fewer carbs than traditional crust. Find it near hummus and pita in the deli section of the grocery store.

Southern New England, New York, and New Jersey host some of the country’s most beloved pizzerias, known for pies with a Neapolitan flavor: thin crust with a puffy collar and oven-charred zest. This white pie recipe is another typical pizza found in the Northeast.

A keto diet requires some creativity when trying to re-create classic comfort foods. Portobello mushrooms are a perfect replacement for dishes in which bread is used, like this pizza. Top with low-carb veggies, full-fat ricotta and grated Parmesan cheese.

This cheesy barbecued chicken pizza makes for a quick and easy weeknight meal.

It’s time to bring together two of your favorite foods: fajitas and pizza. This chicken fajita pizza recipe is the perfect dinner treat for kids and adults alike who are tired of the same-old, same-old.

Be sure to keep mushrooms thinly sliced to avoid a soggy pie.

If you are watching your carbs, no need to miss out on a tasty pizza with this low-carb solution.

When you can’t decide between pizza night and Mexican night!

Kids will love these when Halloween rolls around. You will love that they only take five minutes to make!

Sheets of matzo make the perfect canvas for these individual thin-crust pizzas.

Always a crowd-pleaser, this pizza packs protein and plenty of cheesy goodness.

With only seven ingredients that combine kid-favorite pizza and burger flavors, it’s a family-pleasing pick.

This star-spangled pizza is equal parts fun and delicious, plus it’s super simple to make. If you’re short on time, feel free to use your favorite low-fat string cheese in place of the mozzarella cheese slices. 

This is a home-style version of the classic thin-crust “apizza” created at Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana in New Haven, Connecticut. They use fresh hard-shell littleneck clams, which you can ask your fishmonger to shuck for you, or substitute a soft-shell variety, such as Manila, which are easy to shuck at home.

This quick and easy 15-minute pizza uses a type of flat bread known as naan, available in most supermarkets.

This quick-baked tortilla pizza is topped with two cheeses, asparagus and arugula.

If pizza doesn’t always agree with you, this version might be the answer.

These will remind you of bagel-bite pizzas, but better!

This pie welcomes your vegan and vegetarian guests to the table.

No single feature defines California-style pizza aside from the willingness to break the rules and try something new like caviar on pizza!

This beefy dinner is loaded with Tex-Mex flavor. If you want a punch of heat, add ¼ tsp crushed red pepper to this taco salad pizza!

This is a perfect way to use up the last bit of those leftovers from the night before, so if you have grilled or barbecued chicken, turkey or other meats, use them instead.

Who said game day food has to involve mega calories? Add this to your party table and you just might kick a few of those big calorie competitors to the curb.

This recipe uses lavash, a Middle Eastern flatbread that contains fewer carbs than traditional crust. Find it near hummus and pita in the deli section of the grocery store.

Topped with enchilada sauce, green chiles, southwestern cheeses and fresh vegetables, this pizza will be a home run in your house. Whether cooked on the grill to achieve that incredible charred flavor or baked in the oven, your family is going to love this pizza.

Chorizo provides a spicy kick to this Southwestern-style pizza.

These kid-sized pesto pizzas are cooked to crispy perfection on the grill.

A simple pizza with the flavors of tomato, mozzarella and basil.

Drizzle this pizza with a store-bought dressing, or make your own tangy tzatziki.

This super fast supper delivers standard Cobb flavors—chicken, hard-boiled egg and bacon—on a crunchy crust.

We all have a serious love affair with pizza, ranch dressing, and bacon…why not have all three at once?

Fuel your favorite pint-size superhero with this veggie-packed pie. The nutrient-rich toppings will make him or her ready to join the Justice League team made up of Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman and The Flash.

You only need four ingredients and 20 minutes to whip together this pesto pizza.

When peaches are plentiful and juicy, do a riff on the basic salad pizza for more, shall we say, sophisticated diners in the family. This lightened-up summery pie is delicious and easy to make if you pick up a pre-made crust.

You’re putting what on a pizza? Somehow kielbasa, sauerkraut, and potato just work together. Don’t be surprised if you and your family end up agreeing.

This pizza conveniently cooks well on a cookie sheet, no pizza stone is needed.

The whole family will appreciate the flavors of the South with this quick, NOLA-inspired pizza.

This tomato-basil pizza is made with puff pastry, rather than the usual dough, for a lighter, crispier crust.

This rustic pizza, adapted from grilling guru Elizabeth Karmel, is a great way to make a pizzeria-quality pie during the dog days of summer. Use your favorite style of homemade or bottled barbecue sauce.

Topped with Sonoma Heirloom Tomato Pizza Sauce, chopped chicken breast, kalamata olives and feta, this is basically a Greek salad, but in pizza form.

California-style pizza is all about trying non-traditional toppings, which leads to unique and tasty pies!

This Mexican pizza uses refrigerated crescent rolls as the base, so you can save time without having to make fresh pizza dough, and swaps tomato sauce for cream cheese and sour cream.

This pizza has a mild spicy cornmeal crust that most kids will love. It’s topped with homemade roast peppers, with a smoky and candy-sweet taste sans the spice.

This simple pizza is a delicious way to showcase summer peaches and is perfect for a light supper.

Whip together a quick 15-minute meal with precooked chicken and a pre-baked pizza crust.

These bite-sized pizzas are perfect for kids or your next party.

This personal pizza is a breeze to prepare. Savory spinach, feta cheese, and tomatoes sit atop a pita.

Burger night and pizza night meet in the most delicious way.

This upscale pizza uses a variety of figs (or a combo) to make a classic savory-sweet combo. If fresh figs are available, use them; otherwise, dried are fine. You can use Brie instead of Taleggio.

This veggie pizza bursts with Mediterranean flavors.

Eateries in and around Old Forge, a suburb of Scranton, Pa. specialize in pies that sport a thick crust topped with red sauce and mild cheese.

Chicago’s deep-dish pizza, invented at Pizzeria Uno, features cheese and chunked tomatoes surrounded by a biscuit-rich crust. Chicago deep-dish pizza requires a pan that is 2-3 inches deep and 10-12 inches across.

Rhino’s Pizzeria in Rochester, New York, created a dill pickle pizza a few years back, and let’s just say that it has its lovers and haters.

This perfect slice is basically spinach artichoke dip on a pizza and it’s pretty mind-blowing, hence the need to have it over and over. One bite in and you’ll be craving it 24/7.

With convenience items like rotisserie chicken for a shortcut and bell peppers for added nutrition, this pizza is both easy and better for you.

Thin crust and creamy Provel cheese (a blend of cheddar, Swiss and provolone) define this city’s signature pizza.

From classy tailgate parties to intimate dinners for two, lobster options are plentiful. Try this lobster pesto pizza and add a little pizzaz to your next meal.

The dough for the crust is extremely simple to make, and there’s no need to worry about fiddling around with yeast and rising times. Just add a creamy herb sauce and top with tomatoes and spinach—a decidedly un-boring way to use those leftovers!

This scrumptious—and filling—meatball pizza will put those hunger pangs at bay.

These hands-friendly, budget-friendly pizzas are great for the littles to help with. You can even make it a “bar” style meal and let them build their own individual pizza. Perfect for when their friends come for a sleepover or party.

Naan bread, grated cheese, sliced red onion and some pulled pork makes for one amazing flatbread.

Upgrade an unassuming frozen cheese pizza with a perfectly savory combo of toppings. This meatball pizza might be the best-frozen pizza ever, with fresh red onion and arugula, pepperoncini peppers and Italian seasoning.

Food stylist Callie Blount shares her method for getting a melty, mouthwatering “cheese pull” (when the cheese stretches out as you pull a slice from the pizza).

A quick (and customizable!) sausage pizza that’s topped with green peppers and mozzarella.

Make a square with whole-wheat dough, lots of fresh vegetables and a little cheese, then cut it into small squares. Cook it the night before at home, and then the kids can eat it cold at school like focaccia.

An easy-to-make, homemade, colorful and mouthwatering pizza, ready to eat from start to finish in about 20 minutes.