Try These Delicious Party Pizzas to Celebrate Graduates

A pizza adds pizzazz to any graduation party. Here are some fun, unique and delicious pizza options to add to your menu.

Hank and Zahava Reinhart love their recipe for Caramelized Pastrami and Onion Pizza.

“This is the perfect grad-party recipe,” Hank Reinhart, founder & president of Sabavi Home, told the Journal. “It’s quick and easy to make, is a crowd-pleaser for both young and old, and is a great handheld food.” 

Caramelized Pastrami and Onion Pizza

into bite-size pieces
1 pre-baked Pizza crust or flatbread
2 Tbsp oil
1 large onion, sliced or diced – your preference
Favorite BBQ sauce

Plus:
Any greens of choice
Garlic mayonnaise
Spicy mayonnaise, for drizzling

In a frying pan, sauté the onions over medium-high heat in oil until they soften and begin to brown. Add the pastrami and sauté for five more minutes until cooked. Add your favorite bbq sauce — just enough to coat — and cook a few minutes more, until thickened
Spread the prebaked crust or flatbread with a generous amount of garlic mayonnaise end to end. Sprinkle the onion and meat mixture in an even layer over the dough.
Preheat your barbecue or oven to 375°F and heat the pizza until the dough gets crispy on the edges.
Drizzle with some spicy mayo and top with greens of choice.

Debbie Kornberg’s delicious za’atar spiced pizza was featured at the San Diego-based pizza chain, Pizza Port, as one of their Pizzas of the Month. 

“It incorporates the flavors of the Middle East and brings you closer to Israel,” Kornberg, founder and CEO of SPICE + LEAF, told the Journal. “This pizza elevates any informal gathering or celebration!”

Za’atar Pizza with Roasted Eggplant, Garlic & Feta

Pizza dough*
Olive oil
SPICE + LEAF Authentic Za’atar
Feta cheese
Fresh mozzarella
1 eggplant, cut into 1/4 inch slices
10 -12 whole garlic cloves
1 can of diced tomatoes, drained or 3 – 4 fresh tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup red onion, minced

Prep for roasted eggplant:
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Cut eggplant slices into quarters. Lightly brush with olive oil. Sprinkle za’atar on top of eggplant. Roast for about 15 minutes until toasty brown.
Use 2 tsp Za’atar for 1 cup of eggplant.
Prep for roasted whole garlic cloves:
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Toss whole garlic cloves lightly with olive oil. Roast until toasty brown and soft on the inside.
Roll out pizza dough and drizzle olive oil as base
Sprinkle healthy portion of Za’atar over pizza:
– 1 Tbsp. of Za’atar for a small pizza
– 1.5 Tbsp. of Za’atar for a medium pizza
– 2 Tbsp. of Za’atar for a large Pizza
Sprinkle feta cheese or fresh mozzarella cheese over pizza according to your liking.
Add za’atar roasted eggplant, roasted garlic cloves, tomatoes and red onions.
Dust additional Za’atar over pizza, about 3-6 tsp. depending on the size of the pizza.
Bake at 450°F for about 12 – 15 minutes (depends on thickness of dough*) or until the dough is toasty brown and cheese is melted.
*If using a pre-made pizza dough, review baking instructions of suggested baking temperature and baking time.

“If you want to have a dairy graduation party, which I totally recommend because everyone loves lavish cheese plates, then be sure to make this fruit pizza for dessert,” Zoë Biehl, senior editor of Gluten-Free Palate, told the Journal. 

Gluten-free fruit pizza is a sweet treat made with fresh fruits that are both healthy and tasty. Although the recipe is made with gluten-free flour, you can easily switch it out for regular flour. 

“This is a visually stunning and delicious dessert, perfect for a party,” Biehl said. “The idea of having pizza for dessert is fun and unusual.” 

Gluten-Free Fruit Pizza

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

Pizza crust
1/2 cup soft butter
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp almond extract
1 1/4 cups gluten-free plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 tsp salt

Cream
1/2 cup cream cheese
3 tsp powdered sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream

Decoration
5-6 raspberries
5-6 blueberries
2-3 strawberries
1 kiwi
5-6 mint leaves

For the crust:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a mixing bowl, beat softened butter and sugar. Add egg and almond extract and beat again.
In a separate bowl, mix all dry ingredients: flour, salt and baking powder.
Combine wet and dry ingredients until you get a thick, sticky dough.
Transfer the dough to a parchment lined round baking dish.
Put another layer of parchment on top of the dough. Then, pour ceramic pie weights (weighted beans or you can use ordinary dry beans, peas or chickpeas to weigh down the crust) on top of it.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Then let the crust cool.
Assemble the pizza:
Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and whipping cream in a separate bowl. Beat for 1-2 minutes until a fluffy, homogeneous cream is obtained.
Spread the cream on the crust.
Garnish with raspberry, strawberry, blueberry and kiwi slices. Add mint leaves before serving.
Note: Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature before starting.
Enjoy!