Homemade English Muffin Pizzas: Quick, Easy, and Perfectly Nostalgic (Ready in Minutes!)

Step back in time to the 90s with this incredibly simple yet utterly satisfying recipe for English Muffin Pizzas! This classic dish isn’t just a meal; it’s a trip down memory lane, offering the ultimate nostalgic comfort food experience. Perfect for a speedy lunch, a fuss-free weeknight dinner, or even a filling snack, these mini pizzas are universally loved – even by the pickiest eaters. Best of all, they’re ready to enjoy in less than 20 minutes, making them an ideal choice for busy households.

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How to Craft Perfect English Muffin Pizzas in the Oven

While we’ll cover air fryer and toaster oven instructions further down, the classic and most common way to prepare these delightful English muffin pizzas is in a conventional oven. Let’s walk through the steps for creating perfectly crispy and cheesy mini pizzas!

Step 1: Toasting the English Muffins (Highly Recommended!)

This first step is technically optional, but I cannot stress enough how highly recommended it is for superior results! Back in the 90s, the common practice was to simply add sauce, cheese, and toppings directly to raw English muffin halves and then bake. While this was undeniably easy, it often led to a common frustration: soggy English muffins where the sauce had seeped into the bread.

The absolute best way to prevent this undesirable sogginess and achieve a beautifully crisp crust is to first pre-toast the English muffins in the oven for about 5 minutes. This quick pre-bake crisps up the bread portion, creating a barrier that allows the pizza sauce to rest nicely on top, rather than absorbing into the muffin. This ensures a firm base for your delicious toppings.

Here’s how: Simply preheat your oven to 425ºF (218ºC). Place the split English muffin halves, cut-side up, onto a baking sheet. Bake them for approximately 5 minutes at the preheated temperature. Once lightly toasted and golden, remove them from the oven. They are now perfectly prepared and ready to be loaded with sauce, cheese, and your favorite pizza toppings!

Step 2: Assembling Your English Muffin Pizzas

With your English muffins perfectly pre-toasted, it’s time for the fun part – assembly! Evenly spread each English muffin half with a generous heaping tablespoon of your chosen pizza sauce. Ensure the sauce covers the surface well, leaving a small border for the crust effect.

Next, lavishly top each half with about ¼ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. Don’t be shy with the cheese; it’s what creates that irresistible gooey texture! For those who love a meaty bite, now is the time to add your pepperoni. Place 2 regular-sized pepperoni slices (or about 5-6 mini pepperonis, if using) on each muffin. This is also when you should add any other desired pizza toppings. I often like to diversify by making about half of my batch with pepperoni, while leaving the others as plain cheese or loaded with colorful, finely diced veggies for a different option.

Step 3: Baking English Muffin Pizza to Perfection

Once your English muffin pizzas are beautifully assembled with sauce, cheese, and your chosen toppings – whether it’s pepperoni, finely diced bell peppers, savory mushrooms, sweet red onion, or vibrant green peppers – they are ready for their final bake. Carefully transfer the baking sheet back into your preheated oven.

Bake for approximately 8-10 minutes. If you skipped the initial toasting step, you’ll want to extend the baking time slightly to 10-15 minutes to ensure the English muffin base cooks through and crisps up. You’ll know they’re perfectly done when the cheese is gloriously bubbly, melted, and starts to turn golden brown at the edges. For an extra bubbly and slightly charred cheese top, you can carefully turn on the broiler for about 1 minute at the very end. Just be sure to watch them closely, as broilers can quickly burn food, and ensure your baking pans are broiler-safe.

Step 4: Cooling and Serving Your Mini Pizzas

The moment they emerge from the oven, hot and bubbly, your mini pizzas will look irresistible. For an added touch of freshness, flavor, and a splash of vibrant color, I highly recommend garnishing each pizza with some freshly chopped basil. It’s my absolute favorite way to elevate their taste and presentation!

While tempting to dig in immediately, it’s best to allow the English muffin pizzas to cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet before carefully removing them and serving. This cooling period helps the cheese set slightly, preventing it from sliding off and ensuring you don’t burn your tongue on the piping hot toppings.

These mini pizzas are incredibly versatile and pair perfectly with a variety of sides. For a light and refreshing accompaniment, serve them alongside fresh raw veggies and a creamy homemade ranch dip, or a crisp and healthy green salad. My personal favorite pairing is with a vibrant Swedish Pizza Salad, which complements the rich pizza flavors beautifully.

Storing and Reheating Your English Muffin Pizzas

These English muffin pizzas are fantastic fresh, but they also store and reheat wonderfully, making them excellent for leftovers or quick future meals.

Storing: Once your English muffin pizzas have completely cooled to room temperature, transfer them to an airtight container. They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, making them perfect for grab-and-go lunches throughout the week.

Reheating: For quick reheating, pop them in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until thoroughly heated. If you prefer a crisper crust, a toaster oven works wonders: reheat for 2-4 minutes at medium heat. Alternatively, an air fryer set to 350ºF for about 2-4 minutes will also yield a nicely re-crisped and hot pizza.

Effortless Meal Prep: Make Ahead and Freeze!

English Muffin Pizzas are an ideal candidate for make-ahead meal prep, especially for busy families or individuals. Freezing a batch means you’ll always have a delicious, homemade option ready in minutes, without the hassle of cooking from scratch.

Freezing Instructions: To prepare for freezing, first toast your English muffins in the oven for about 5 minutes as described above. This crucial step helps prevent sogginess upon reheating. Allow them to cool completely. Next, assemble them with sauce, cheese, and pepperoni or any other desired toppings. Arrange the assembled (but unbaked) pizzas on a sheet pan, ensuring they don’t touch. Place the sheet pan in the freezer and allow the pizzas to freeze until they are completely solid – this usually takes a few hours. Once solid, transfer the individual frozen pizzas to an airtight freezer bag or container. Label with the date and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Cooking from Frozen: When you’re ready to enjoy, preheat your oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Place the frozen English muffin pizzas directly onto a baking sheet. Cook for 12-15 minutes, or until they are heated through, the cheese is beautifully bubbly, and the crust is golden and crisp. No need to thaw beforehand!

Toaster Oven Method: Even Faster English Muffin Pizzas

For those times when you only need a couple of mini pizzas or want an even faster cooking method than a full-sized oven, your toaster oven is a fantastic tool! It makes this easy lunch idea even simpler and more energy-efficient.

1. Preheat your toaster oven to 400 degrees F (about medium-high heat) for approximately 3-4 minutes. This ensures the oven is at the right temperature for even toasting and melting.
2. Place the English muffin halves on a small toaster oven baking sheet. For best results, use parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup a breeze. Toast them for 4-5 minutes to achieve that crucial crispy base.
3. Carefully remove the sheet and then generously top each English muffin half with your pizza sauce, shredded cheese, and any desired toppings of choice.
4. Return the baking sheet to the toaster oven. Cook for an additional 8-14 minutes, or until the cheese is gloriously bubbly, melted, and the pizzas are warmed through. Keep an eye on them as toaster ovens can vary in cooking time.
5. Once done, allow them to cool for 5 minutes before serving to avoid burns and let the cheese set.

Air Fryer English Muffin Pizzas: Crispy & Quick!

The air fryer is another excellent appliance for making super crispy and incredibly quick English muffin pizzas. I’ve previously detailed a more in-depth guide to air fryer English muffin pizzas, but here’s the general idea to get you started on this speedy cooking adventure:

1. Preheat your air fryer basket to 350ºF (175ºC) for at least 3 minutes, or according to your specific manufacturer’s instructions. Proper preheating is key for even cooking and crisping.
2. Place 3 English muffin halves on a cutting board or plate. This will be your assembly station.
3. Generously top each half with 1 heaping tablespoon of pizza sauce, spreading it evenly, and then about ¼ cup of shredded cheese. Add any toppings you desire at this stage, keeping them small.
4. Carefully transfer the assembled English muffin pizzas into the preheated air fryer basket. You might need to cook them in batches, depending on your air fryer’s capacity, ensuring they don’t overlap. Cook for 4-6 minutes.
5. After the initial cooking, carefully remove them from the air fryer and add any additional desired toppings (like basil or extra pepperoni) that might fly around in the air fryer during earlier cooking.
6. Cook for an additional 1-3 minutes, or until the cheese is perfectly melted and bubbly, and any pepperoni added is crispy on the edges.
7. Remove the piping hot pizzas from the air fryer and allow them to cool for 5 minutes before serving to ensure the cheese is set and to prevent burning.

Delicious Variations to Customize Your English Muffin Pizzas

One of the best things about English muffin pizzas is how easily they can be customized to suit any taste or dietary preference. Don’t be afraid to experiment!

• Healthy Whole Wheat Option: For a more wholesome meal, simply swap out regular white English muffins for whole wheat or sprouted grain varieties. This is a fantastic and subtle way to incorporate more fiber and nutrients into your diet, all while still enjoying one of the most beloved and delicious comfort meals of the 1990s.
• Creative Toppings Galore: Feel free to unleash your culinary creativity with a wide array of toppings to add flavor, color, and satisfying crunch to these mini pizzas. Remember the golden rule: chop the pieces small to ensure even cooking and to keep them from sliding off the small surface area. Some fantastic options include crispy crumbled bacon, sautéed mushrooms, thinly sliced bell peppers (any color!), finely diced red onion, sweet pineapple chunks, savory chopped ham, tangy feta cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, or even a sprinkle of Italian seasoning.
• Sauce Substitutions: No pizza sauce on hand? No problem! If you’re in a pinch, you can easily use good quality spaghetti sauce or marinara sauce as a delicious alternative. Just ensure it’s not too watery, or it might make the muffins soggy. A quick homemade tomato paste sauce (tomato paste thinned with a little water and seasoned) also works.
• Cheese Blends: Experiment with different cheese blends beyond just mozzarella. A mix of provolone, Parmesan, and mozzarella can add depth. For a sharper flavor, try a little shredded sharp cheddar.
• Protein Boosts: Add cooked and crumbled sausage, finely diced grilled chicken, or even plant-based meat crumbles for extra protein.

English Muffin Pizza Recipe FAQs

Discover More Quick & Easy Meal Ideas

If you loved the simplicity and deliciousness of these English Muffin Pizzas, you’ll certainly appreciate these other effortless recipes that are perfect for busy weeknights or relaxed weekends:

• Sheet Pan Smoked Sausage and Peppers
• Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas
• One Pan Creamy Garlic Chicken
• Slow Cooker Queso Chicken Tacos
• Creamy Mushroom Chicken

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