Want to throw a memorable party, but don’t want to spend a small fortune on food? A pizza potluck party is the answer! Learn how to throw a pizza potluck party that will leave your guests buzzing for years to come.
PIZZA PARTY POTLUCK IDEAS
Pizza party potlucks are about to be your new best friend. Forget about dropping wads of your hard-earned cash on takeout. Hang up the phone and pre-heat your oven instead! I’m telling you, creating a memorable gathering doesn’t need to be an expensive affair. If you invite your friends over and order delivery, chances are no one is going to remember the evening. If you invite your friends over and ask them to bring their favourite pizza toppings, they’re in for an evening they’ll never forget.
HOW TO THROW A PIZZA PARTY POTLUCK: A VIDEO
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GET EVERYONE INVOLVED
By asking your guests to bring their favourite toppings, sauce, or cheese, all of a sudden they have a stake in the evening. Your friends and family gather together in the kitchen, bonded together with purpose. There’s collaboration over combination possibilities. Hands get washed, sleeves get rolled up, and everyone plays a role in preparing the meal. It’s a beautiful picture, right? There’s no heavy prep for them at home either unless they play a serious game and want to bring caramelized onions or a béchamel sauce (psst! keep those friends close!).
THE HOST MAKES THE DOUGH
There’s a catch to all this, of course. You gotta make the dough! You’re the foundation of this party, so it’s only fitting that you provide the foundation for the pizza. Now, you could go out and buy pre-made dough, but what fun is that?
My favourite pizza dough recipe of all time can be found on Ricardo Cuisine. If you scroll down, you can watch me make this dough in the video. NOTE: I don’t follow their method, it’s only their ingredients that I care about.
DON’T WANT TO MAKE THE DOUGH FROM SCRATCH?
I mean, if you don’t want to, you don’t have to, but if you do, it will add an extra wow factor for your guests. There’s something about homemade pizza dough that impresses people. I personally don’t get it because it’s not a big deal for me. I spent three years working in the pizza business: two years in high school and another year running a pizzeria of my own. However, people appreciate that special touch. It says, “I care about you (and pizza) enough to make the dough from scratch”. Then there’s the added benefit of knowing exactly what went into the dough. If you’re still not convinced though, here are a few base alternatives.
PIZZA CRUST ALTERNATIVES:
Focaccia with tomato sauceNaan breadPitasTortillasEgg plant roundsBaguettes sliced in halfWaffles
LET’S TALK ABOUT SAUCE
There’s more to pizza than the ever classic tomato sauce. Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with tomato sauce. If I had to put a number to it, I would say that 95% of my pizzas are made with tomato sauce. But we’re throwing a pizza party here. It’s a time to experiment and share findings together. Tomato sauce needs to make an appearance, there’s no question about it, but consider offering at least one sauce that’s outside the norm. Here are some ideas to get you going.
PIZZA SAUCE IDEAS:
Barbecue sauceBéchamel (a white sauce). You can grab my recipe from either my French ham and cheese sandwich melt or cauliflower gratin posts.Hollandaise sauceHummusPesto
I once had a guest who brought a pear and vanilla jam that she used as a sauce. I was skeptical, but then she added walnuts and goat cheese before popping it in the oven. When it came out I almost lost my mind. It was so darn good that years later I still can’t stop raving about it!
LOGISTICS FOR PIZZA PARTY POTLUCKS
How can you ensure that your guests bring what’s needed for a successful pizza party potluck? There are three ways around this.
OPTION ONE: DELEGATE
Be specific in telling your guests what to bring. Ask Martha to bring the mozzarella and Tom to bring the mushrooms.
OPTION TWO: ASSIGN TYPES
Offer your guests creative freedom, but assign them a type. For example, ask Martha to bring a cheese or sauce and Tom to bring a couple of vegetables. Maybe you want each guest to bring a topping, a cheese, and a sauce. Another way around it is to assign a theme to each guest, like Greek, Hawaiian, or Mexican. It’s your party, you decide!
OPTION THREE: PRAY
Live on the wild side and cross your fingers that some of your guests will think to bring sauce and cheese. This can be a fun approach, but if you choose this route, I recommend providing back up sauce and cheese in addition to the pizza dough.
MORE TIPS FOR THROWING MEMORABLE PIZZA PARTY POTLUCKS
Put on an Italian music playlist. If it doesn't include That's Amore by Dean Martin and Angelina by Louis Prima, it's a bust.Set up a condiment bar! Kefir ranch and caesar dips in ramekins; freshly grated parmesan cheese; chilli infused olive oils and red hot chilli pepper flakes; bottles of hot sauce (Sriracha and Frank's Red Hot are popular options).Make sure the pizzas are sliced in such a way that everyone gets a taste, unless, of course, they want to pass because there's anchovies, or pineapple, or green olives, or something.Prepare a couple of green salads or garlic bread for guests to enjoy while they wait in between pizzas. Caesar and Greek salads are always a hit.Take pictures and videos while everyone has their sleeves rolled up to share with your guests after the party.
BE OPEN TO CREATIVITY
You have your guests, the dough, the sauce, the cheese, and everyone’s toppings. The kitchen is bustling and the oven is preheating. The counters are dusted with flour and people are taking turns rolling out and pressing dough into the pans. The music is playing and the vibes are good all around. Now is not the time to micro-manage. Micro-managing is for when the oven timer goes off and you charge in with your oven mitts and warn everyone that a hot pan is coming through (no injuries, please!). Be that gracious hostess that gathers everyone together and let the pizza-making magic happen.
YOUR TIPS FOR PIZZA PARTY POTLUCKS
Have you done this before or attended a pizza party potluck in the past? How did it go? What did you do differently? What were some of the highlights? Favourite combinations? Let me know in the comments below!
HOW TO MAKE A PIZZA VIDEO
SHOP THIS POST
OTHER FOOD-CENTRED PARTY IDEAS TO CONSIDER
How to build a classic cheeseboard
PIN IT FOR LATER
Love and gratitude,
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