Whole wheat English muffins are split, spread with the pizza sauce of your choice (tomato? pesto? alfredo? It’s all fair game here), then smothered in cheese and any of your favorite pizza toppings, English Muffin Pizza is an easy, healthy, and highly personalizable dinner. Whether you are in need of sure-to-please meals for picky eaters, fast and healthy dinners for back-to-school nights, or are a grown up looking to cook yourself something a) presentable and b) exceptionally low-maintenance, you have a reason to make an English Muffin Pizza. Or, maybe you just have very fond memories of the jingle from the Pizza Bagels commercials and want to take a moment to relive your childhood (umm…me!). These English Muffin Pizzas hit the spot there too. Also, pizza. Pizza night = happy night. It’s mathematical law. (I also recommend making this Burrata Pizza for an upcoming pizza night.) Let’s make these English Muffin Pizzas for toddlers, for the busy parents who cook for them, for my fellow children of the ‘90s (did anyone else grow up with these??), and for all who crave an extra grin when they take a bite of their dinner tonight. English Muffin Pizza will make you smile.
About English Muffin Pizza
For those of you who didn’t spend as much time in the freezer section of the grocery store in the ‘90s as I did, English Muffin Pizza is inspired by the infamous pizza bagels that I used to beg my mom to put into her shopping cart for us (apologies if that song is in your head now). Today’s English Muffin Pizza is a modern, wholesome spin on that widely adored snack. From a history standpoint, English muffins are a spin themselves! They began as a riff of on an English crumpet and have been marketed in America in some form since the late 1850s (they were called toaster crumpets then). Pizza bagels didn’t come on the scene for about 100 more years, and there are actually dueling claims as to who invented them. The earliest claimed version was a pizza cooked on a halved bagel that was baked without a hole…which is kind of like an English muffin. Could this be the earliest iteration of the English Muffin Pizza? Wherever it started, English Muffin Pizza satisfies the need for easy, snackable, kid-friendly, gratifyingly cheesy goodness! You can make English Muffin Pizzas in advance and warm them up in a variety of ways. See below for make ahead English Muffin Pizza directions, as well as tips to cook them in the oven, the toaster oven, the grill, the air fryer, and (in a pinch) the microwave.
How to Make English Muffin Pizza
Whether you cook these English muffins in the oven (or the toaster oven!) now, or freeze them for later, the recipe begins the same way. The ingredients for this recipe mirror that of classic pizza. Take inspiration from your favorite pizzas, be they classic or crazy, and use this recipe as a starting point for any combination of sauce, cheese, and toppings you like.
English Muffins. Our stand-in for the pizza crust (when I’m not already making Naan Pizza). Because these homemade English Muffin Pizzas are healthy, I recommend using whole grain English muffins with as few processed ingredients and added sugars as possible.
Often the least processed English Muffins are sold in the freezer section because they do not contain preservatives to keep them shelf-stable, so be sure to check there too.
Sauce. Any kind of pizza sauce you like!
We made our English Muffin Pizza with tomato sauce. This summer, English Muffin Pizza with pesto sauce would be light and seasonal. For a more indulgent twist, try English Muffin Pizza with alfredo (this creamy pumpkin pasta sauce is a healthy spin on the alfredo option). You can also go wild and make an English Muffin Pizza with BBQ sauce (this homemade barbecue sauce is particularly excellent).
Cheese. For the most classic approach, make you English Muffin Pizza with fresh mozzarella, though it is certainly not your only option. This recipe is versatile and a great way to play around with different cheeses or use up extra cheeses you have in your refrigerator from other recipes.
Try English Muffin Pizza with cheddar cheese for an all-American twist (great with BBQ sauce!), English Muffin Pizza with ricotta for a more Italian version (dreamy with pesto), or do a combination.
Toppings. Anything goes here! We still had mini-pepperonis leftover from my Zucchini Pizza Boats, so that’s what we used.
For a meat-lovers’ version, try English Muffin Pizza with sausage (or sausage and pepperoni). Craving something fun? Go Hawaiian and make English Muffin Pizza with pineapple and ham (this version would be yummy with BBQ sauce oo). One of my favorite things about this English Muffin Pizza recipe is how versatile it is. Each member of your family can customize to his or her taste. Because the recipe is easy, it’s a fun way to involve your kids in the kitchen—especially helpful if you are making English Muffin Pizza for toddlers and hoping they’ll take a bite.
The Key to Avoiding Soggy English Muffin Pizza
The biggest issue with English Muffin Pizza (other than narrowing down all of the delicious topping possibilities) is making sure that it doesn’t turn out soggy.
The key to making English Muffin Pizza not soggy is toasting the English muffins before you add the sauce or toppings.
You don’t need to toast the English muffins fully. A few minutes in the oven will create a lightly toasty surface barrier that allows some, but not all of the sauce to absorb. This is trick to ensuring your final English Muffin Pizza is pleasantly crisp without being dry or cracker-like, just like the frozen pizza snack that inspired them…except your homemade English Muffin Pizza is going to taste WAY better and be better for you too!
Final Recipe Steps
Once you’ve toasted your English muffins, you are ready to top and bake. For ease, I pre-toast the English muffins, add the toppings, and then fully bake them all on the same baking sheet. This is one-pan cooking at its finest.
Spread the English muffins with your sauce of choice.Sprinkle on any and all desired toppings.Bake the English Muffin Pizzas at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the English muffins are lightly golden at the edges.
Make-Ahead English Muffin Pizza – How to Prep Now, Store, and Eat Later
While these easy English Muffin Pizzas are great for fast dinners, you can also make them in advance and speed up dinner even more! Freezing them will yield the best results.
Make Ahead and Reheating Directions – Oven Method
To Freeze: This is the best method for making your English Muffin Pizza ahead. Toast your English muffin halves as directed and top as desired. Lay the English Muffin Pizzas topping side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer for at least 2 hours. Once completely frozen, place the pizzas in a freezer-safe container, separating layers of English Muffin Pizzas with parchment paper. Reheat from Frozen: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Lay your frozen English Muffin Pizza on a baking sheet topping side up and place in the oven. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until heated through.To Refrigerate: In a single layer, place your English Muffin Pizzas in the refrigerator in an airtight container topping side up for up to 1 week.
Alternative Cooking Methods
Toaster Oven. Perfect for making a smaller batch of English Muffin Pizzas! To make English Muffin Pizza in a toaster oven, heat your toaster oven to 400 degrees F and follow recipe instructions for preparing English muffin halves with olive oil. Place your English muffin halves in the toaster oven for 2 to 3 minutes. Then, top with ingredients of your choice and place the English Muffin Pizza back into the toaster oven. Cook for 13 to 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and edges of the muffin are lightly golden. To reheat English Muffin Pizza in the toaster oven, heat your toaster oven to 400 degrees F and place your English Muffin Pizzas in the toaster oven for 4 to 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.Microwave. I do not recommend cooking English Muffin Pizza in the microwave fully, as the bottoms will become soggy. In a pinch, if you don’t have access to an oven when you want to warm them back up (say you are reheating them at the office for lunch), you can reheat them in a microwave. Line a microwave safe-plate with a paper towel (this will absorb some of the moisture and deter the English Muffin Pizza from becoming soggy). Warm on moderate heat, just until the cheese is melted.Grill. To make your English Muffin Pizza on the grill, turn your grill to low heat and place the English muffin halves on the grill rack. Watching closely, toast halves gently until slightly crispy and toasted. Immediately remove from grill and top with the sauce, cheese, and toppings of your choice. Spray a sheet of aluminum foil (large enough for your English Muffin Pizza halves) with nonstick cooking spray and lay it onto the grill. Place your English Muffin Pizza halves on the foil, topping side up. Close the grill and let your pizzas cook for 3 to 4 minutes, checking them frequently. Once your cheese is melted, remove the pizzas from the grill and serve immediately.Air Fryer. While I haven’t personally tried the English Muffin Pizza air fryer approach, I know this appliance has become quite popular! From what I have read, you can cook English Muffin Pizza in an air fryer. Set the air fryer to 400 degrees F. Once preheated, place your English muffins halves inside for 1 minute. Remove after 1 minute and cover each half with desired toppings. When ready, place your halves back into the air fryer for an additional 4 minutes. To reheat the English Muffin Pizzas in the air fryer, preheat it to 320 degrees F. Once heated to temperature, place your English Muffin Pizza inside for 3 to 4 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Of all the English Muffin Pizza we made, my favorite was the sautéed mushrooms and spinach with pepperoni version. It’s ‘90s picky-eater Erin (lover of pepperoni pizza…and little else) meets grown-up Erin (lover of vegetables…and mini pepperonis). And grown-up Erin certainly isn’t too mature to eat English Muffin Pizza for dinner and love every bite (and, I hope she never will be!).
