How to Step Up Your Frozen Pizza

It’s Wednesday evening at around 6:00pm. I got home from work and immediately went to the fridge to see what I could throw together. My eyes gazed across the shelves at the random assortment of leftover vegetables and condiments, quickly realizing that nothing could be scrambled together from this miscellany besides some eggs… but I already had that for breakfast… and lunch… for the past two weeks.

Fridge doors closed, I wandered to the pantry, only to be met with the same amount of success. Then I walked back to the fridge, as if assuming that during my short absence the food fairies would have supplied me with more. But no. Desperate, I opened the freezer and saw a cheap box of frozen pizza I had bought some weeks before, unconsciously knowing this day would come.

I took the frozen saucer out of the box and sighed. The pizza, claiming to be "pepperoni," had a total of four pieces of meat placed tightly together near the centre. The rest of the pizza was simply cheese. It needed help. A lot of help. So I opened the fridge doors again, dug around, and managed to find a few things chilling there—some remaining spinach, feta cheese, garlic, half an onion, tomato and pepper, and sprouts (really, any sprouts you have on hand make an amazing addition). This made a what would have been disappointing pizza into something worthy to be eaten with a good bottle of Cab Sav.

Step 1: Step up your cheese game.

This is fundamental to upgrading your pizza: more cheese. Because, who's ever had too much cheese? My favourites include parmesan, more mozzarella, and cheddar, or, if you're feeling bold, brie, feta, gouda, havarti, or goat cheese.

Step 2: Mama Mia, more meat!

Four sorry slices of pepperoni are not going to cut it. Here you have the chance to completely redesign your pizza using leftovers. Bacon or ham on hand? Try a Hawaiian style. Chicken or turkey? Consider Alfredo or BBQ. Steak, sausage, pulled pork, or hamburger? What about taco or meatlovers pizza? (Of course, if you're vegetarian or vegan, feel free to skip this step.)

Step 3: Top it up.

Now's the time to fill in those gaps with your favourite toppings. Sticking with the classics is pretty fail safe. For toppings, my assumption is the more the merrier. Consider:

• Olives
• Spinach
• Jalapeños
• Mushrooms
• Pepper (preen or red)
• Onion
• Tomatoes
• Garlic
• Pineapple (yes, really)

Or, if you're up to pushing the pizza limits, these are worth a try:

• Microgreens, especially cilantro, arugula, or basil
• Chopped figs or dates
• Berries (Blueberries or hascaps receive a thumbs up from us)
• Chickpeas/Garbonzo Beans
• Spinach
• Artichoke
• Corn
• Broccoli
• Zucchini
• Pickles
• Potatoes
• Sweet potato
• Nuts (pecans, cashews, and walnuts)

Step 4: Add some herbs and spices

To give your pizza an extra kick of flavour, sprinkle it with your choice of herbs or spices before baking. We love:

• Basil
• Oregano
• Rosemary
• Paprika
• Cumin
• Onion flakes
• Garlic powder
• Thyme
• Fennel
• Pepper

Step 5: Make things saucy.

Nobody wants pizza that tastes like toasted cardboard. Be sure you drizzle a dressing or sauce over your pizza so that it is bursting with flavour. This can be done before or after baking. Our ideas include:

• Pesto
• Ranch dressing
• Sweet balsamic vinegar
• Tzatziki
• Hummus
• Honey
• Harissa
• BBQ sauce

Step 6: Garnish, garnish, garnish

Top off your creation with... (drumroll)... sprouts! This is the perfect way to add freshness and flavour to your pizza. Clover or alfalfa are sweet and nutty in flavour, while mustard, radish, or our house blend, Sandwich Zinger, will add a spicy kick.

That's all! With these tips, you should have no trouble taking your pizza from cardboard to gourmet.