Grab A Loaf Of Bread For Late Night Pizza In A Pinch

When a late-night craving for pizza hits, you might have the urge to pull out a frozen pizza or order delivery from your favorite local spot. But sometimes the hunger strikes when it's just too late to wait for an oven to preheat or a delivery person to ring the doorbell. To save yourself some time and money, grab the loaf of bread from your pantry to make an effortless personal pizza that will provide just enough grub to satiate your hunger before bed. Think of it as pizza toast, or an open-faced pizza sandwich of sorts.

There are obviously many types of bread, but your go-to loaf of sandwich bread does the trick. You can even use English muffins, bagels, or even leftover hamburger buns if you don't have a loaf of traditional bread in the kitchen. You'll also want some sort of pizza sauce, but if you don't have any, consider alternatives to pizza sauces like barbecue sauce or store-bought pesto. Otherwise, tomato sauce, marinara, or ketchup can help curb your late-night hunger. Shredded mozzarella cheese is ideal because it's classic and melts well, but any type of cheese in the fridge can pull this off. The rest is up to you; so grab some leftover veggies, cold cuts, pepperoni, a jar of olives, or pepperoncinis to use as toppings.

There's no need for a precise recipe to pull off this snack, but here are some tips: Toast the bread first for a crunchier snack, or wait and allow the bread to crisp with the toppings. Carefully spoon some of your chosen sauce onto the bread then add your cheese and toppings. The key is not to overload the bread with sauce and toppings because it might not be as sturdy as a traditional pizza crust.

Use an air fryer, toaster oven, or traditional oven to cook your pizza toasts. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper so you don't have a big mess to clean up so late at night. For any of these appliances, a temperature around 400 degrees Fahrenheit works. Or use the broiler in your regular oven. It should only take a few minutes for the bread to toast and cheese to melt. To make it quicker, put the bread in the toaster, add the toppings, then place it in the microwave to melt the cheese.

For night owls who don't mind a little more effort, upgrade your pizza with gourmet toppings like a drizzle of Sriracha or a handful of arugula. Otherwise, finish it off with grated parmesan, red chili flakes, a sprinkle of Italian seasoning, or a squirt of hot honey. And maybe save some of the pizza toasts for tomorrow's lunch since you're already in the kitchen.