Make Cheesy Pizza Without An Oven: Quick, Easy Methods

how to prepare cheese pizza without oven

Preparing a cheese pizza at home is easy and fun. You can make it in an oven, skillet, or grill. If you don't have an oven, you can use a skillet or grill to cook your pizza. Start by getting some pre-made pizza dough and heating a teaspoon of cooking oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Roll out your dough into a circle slightly smaller than your skillet. Once the oil is hot, place the dough in the pan. After about a minute, flip the crust and top it with pizza sauce, shredded cheese, and any toppings of your choice. Cover the pan and cook for about five minutes. Your pizza is ready when the cheese has melted and the bottom of the pizza is golden brown.

How to Prepare Cheese Pizza Without an Oven

Characteristics Values
Dough Pre-made or made from scratch
Dough preparation Roll out into a circle, slightly smaller than the pan
Pan Skillet
Oil 1 teaspoon of cooking oil, heated in the skillet over medium-high heat
Dough cooking Place the dough in the pan for about a minute
Toppings Sauce, shredded cheese, and other toppings of your choice
Cooking method Cover the pan with a lid, turn the heat down, and cook for 5 minutes
Checking doneness If the cheese has melted and the bottom of the pizza is golden brown, it is done
Grilling Heat grill to 600 degrees F (315.55 C)
Grilling time Grill for 3-5 minutes with the lid closed
Serving Place the pizza on a cutting board and let it cool before slicing and serving

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Prepare the dough

Preparing the dough is the first step in making a delicious pizza. You can either buy pre-made pizza dough from a grocery store or make it from scratch. If you are making the dough yourself, you will need to activate the yeast before adding it to the flour.

To make the dough from scratch, you can use a stand mixer or knead it by hand. For a thin crust, roll out the dough to your desired thickness. If you prefer a thicker crust, spread the dough to a slightly thicker base using your hands, ensuring the sides are thicker than the middle.

If you are using a pre-made dough, roll it out into a circle that is slightly smaller than your skillet or pan. This step is important as it ensures that the dough fits well in the cooking utensil and cooks evenly.

Before placing the dough in the pan, heat a teaspoon of cooking oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully place the dough in the pan. After about a minute, flip the crust, and you are ready to add your toppings!

Additionally, if you are making a thick-crust pizza, you can prick the base with a fork 8 to 9 times. This step helps prevent the base from puffing up like bread and ensures an even cook.

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Use a skillet or pan

To prepare a cheese pizza without an oven, you can use a skillet or pan. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Prepare the Dough

Start by getting some pre-made pizza dough from the grocery store or making your dough from scratch. If you're making a thick-crust pizza, roll or stretch the dough into a circle that's slightly smaller than your skillet. Prick the base with a fork 8 to 9 times to prevent it from puffing up like bread.

Heat the Skillet

Place your skillet on the stovetop and heat a teaspoon of cooking oil over medium-high heat. You want the oil to be hot before placing the dough in the pan.

Cook the Dough

Once the oil is hot, carefully place the dough in the skillet. Let it cook for about a minute. You can use a spatula or tongs to flip the dough after this initial cooking period.

Add Toppings

Right after flipping the dough, it's time to add your toppings. Use a large spoon to spread pizza sauce over the dough, and then sprinkle shredded cheese on top. You can also add any other toppings you like, such as vegetables, herbs, or spices. If you're making a thick-crust pizza, some sources suggest adding the sauce and toppings after the dough has been partially baked.

Cover and Cook

After adding your toppings, cover the skillet with a lid. Turn the heat down to medium or medium-low, and let the pizza cook for about 5 minutes. The pizza is likely to be done after this time, but you can always cook it a little longer if needed.

Check for Doneness

After 5 minutes, remove the lid and check the pizza. The pizza is likely done if the cheese has melted and the bottom of the crust looks golden brown. If it needs more time, cover and cook for another minute or so, checking every 30 seconds or so to prevent burning.

Serve

When the pizza is done to your liking, use a spatula to transfer it from the skillet to a cutting board. Let it cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy your freshly made, skillet-cooked cheese pizza!

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Add toppings

When adding toppings to your pizza, it's important to remember that less is more. Overlapping and layering toppings will weigh down your pizza and add too much moisture, resulting in a flabby crust instead of a crispy one. Start with the thinnest slices of meat, such as salami or pepperoni, and then add larger pieces of meat. If you're using fatty meats, like Italian sausage, sauté them beforehand to release some of the fat so your pizza isn't overwhelmed by it. You don't need to fully cook the meat, but you do need to cook some ingredients, like chicken and pork, for safety reasons.

Next, add vegetables with the highest water content, like zucchini, mushrooms, peppers, and onions. To avoid a soggy pizza, it's a good idea to roast these vegetables before putting them on your pizza to get rid of the extra moisture. Toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and maybe some herbs or garlic-infused oil, before roasting.

Finally, add your cheese. If you're grating low-moisture mozzarella, freeze it for about 20 minutes first so it doesn't get gummy when you grate it. Avoid pre-shredded mozzarella if you can, as it doesn't taste as good and doesn't melt as well as freshly grated cheese.

Once your pizza is out of the oven, add any fresh ingredients, such as fresh vegetables, rocket, salads, or prosciutto, that you don't want to heat or that you want to taste fresh. You can also add basil after baking to keep it bright green and fresh.

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Bake until cheese melts

To prepare a cheese pizza without an oven, you can use a skillet or a grill. Once you've placed your toppings, including the cheese, on your pizza, you can use one of the following methods to melt the cheese:

Using a Skillet

Place a lid on the skillet and turn the heat down to low. Let the pizza cook for about 5 minutes. Check to see if the cheese has melted and the bottom of the pizza is golden brown. If not, keep checking every minute or so until the pizza is ready.

Using a Grill

After placing your toppings, close the lid of the grill and cook the pizza for about 3 minutes. Check to see if the edges are crispy and the cheese has melted. If not, keep checking every 30 seconds or so until the pizza is done to your liking.

Tips for Melting Cheese

  • Grated cheese or cheese in thin strips melts quicker than chunks or slices.
  • Letting the cheese come to room temperature before placing it on the pizza can help it melt faster.
  • Fresh mozzarella tends to stay white and go soupy in very hot ovens. To avoid this, tear it into thin strips rather than cubing it.
  • If your pizza has a lot of fresh toppings like tomatoes, onions, or watery mozzarella, try using less of them or pat them dry with paper towels before adding them to your pizza.

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Slice and serve

Once your pizza is ready, remove it from the heat and place it on a cutting board. It is important to let the pizza cool down a bit before slicing it. The ideal temperature to slice and serve pizza is hot or warm.

If you have baked your pizza in an oven, the pizza should be browned and the cheese melted. If you are cooking the pizza in a skillet, the pizza is ready when the cheese has melted and the bottom of the pizza looks golden brown. If you are making a thick-crust pizza, the base may need to be baked for longer to ensure it is cooked through.

If you are reheating a frozen pizza, it is best to avoid the microwave as this can make the crust rubbery. Instead, use a preheated oven, a skillet, or an air fryer.

When slicing, a pizza wheel or a large sharp chef's knife can be used. For a clean cut, wipe the blade with a damp cloth between slices.

Frequently asked questions

You will need pre-made pizza dough, a skillet or pan, cooking oil, pizza sauce, cheese, and any other toppings you like.

Roll out your dough into a circle that's slightly smaller than your skillet or pan.

Heat a teaspoon of cooking oil in a skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, place the dough in the pan. After about a minute, flip the crust and top it with sauce, cheese, and any other toppings. Cover the pan with a lid, turn the heat down, and let the pizza cook for 5 minutes. If the cheese has melted and the bottom of the pizza is golden brown, it is done. If not, keep checking every minute until it is ready.

You can reheat pizza in a dry, covered skillet over medium heat or in an air fryer. Avoid using a microwave, as this will make the crust rubbery.

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