How To Host a Make-Your-Own Pizza Party

Hosting a dinner party doesn’t always have to be posh canapes and sit-down dinners. From time to time, we love to host a fun get-together for friends, and a make-your-own pizza party is one of our go-to themes. After all, pizza parties aren’t just for the kids, right?!

To host a pizza night of your own, follow the simple tips below. We discuss everything from choosing the perfect pizza dough, to selecting your toppings, decorating your space and how to run things smoothly on the night of your pizza party.

 

Decorate Your Space

Just like you would if you were hosting a dinner party, create a gorgeous tablescape with fresh potted herbs in old/vintage Italian tomato tins, intertwined with tealights, foliage, flowers, and olive green napkins. Utilise fairy lights and turn off the main light if you’re after moody lighting, just ensure that there is enough light for everyone to see whilst making pizza! 

If you have an outdoor pizza oven, like an Ooni or an authentic brick/clay oven (we’re jealous!), then we’d recommend hosting your pizza-making party outside if the weather allows. Create the same gorgeous tablescape on an outdoor table, and string out weather-proof festoon lights and lanterns to light up your garden.

 

Gather Your Ingredients

Aside from the pizza dough (an essential, for obvious reasons), you can choose to lay out as many toppings and sauces as you like, depending on your budget and number of guests. After all, the best part of a pizza party is the opportunity to get creative with the flavour combinations!

Choosing Your Pizza Dough

If you’re feeling ambitious, consider making your dough from scratch using a traditional yeast-based recipe. For a quicker option (we don’t always have much time when planning a party), many supermarkets offer pre-made pizza dough or flatbreads that work as a great base. 

Whichever option you choose, be sure to follow the recipe instructions carefully and allow time for the dough to rise or come to room temperature before shaping and baking.

The ideal temperature for baking pizzas in a home oven is around 245°C to 260°C. Preheat your oven for at least 30 minutes before baking to ensure it’s nice and hot.

Whilst some people will recommend pre-rolling the dough into rounds to save time, we don’t bother with this step. We find that guests love to create weird and wonderful shapes with their dough – and shaping the dough certainly adds to the fun!

Sauces

• Classic tomato & basil 
• Basil or wild garlic pesto
• White/bechamel sauce
• BBQ sauce 

Cheeses

• Mozzarella 
• Provolone
• Cheddar
• Goats cheese

Classic Toppings

• Peppers (red and yellow work best)
• Mushrooms
• Sliced onions
• Ham
• Pepperoni
• Pineapple (controversial, we know!)
• Salami 
• Chorizo

Adventurous Toppings

• Olives
• Anchovies
• Sundried tomatoes
• Artichoke hearts
• Prosciutto
• Bacon/lardons
• Figs
• Eggs
• Flavoured olive oil (like wild garlic or rosemary)
• Honey

If you don’t have a dessert planned, you may also want to offer some sweet pizza topping options:

• Nutella
• Caramel sauce
• Jam
• Marshmallows
• Banana
• Blackberries 
• Strawberries
• Apple slices

Side Dishes

The best pizza side is a large salad or carb-based dish to share. For your pizza party, make a big batch of our delicious Smashed Wild Garlic & Lemon Potatoes or our Grilled Courgette & Feta Salad. For more side dish ideas and inspiration, check out our blog on 20+ Winter Salad Ideas.

 

Setting Up the Pizza Party

For a seamless setup, we’d recommend utilising a large kitchen island if you have one but it also works if you have a large (indoor or outdoor) dining room table too! 

Start by laying out each pizza ingredient in cute dishes and bowls (ensuring everything is pre-chopped/grated/removed from the packaging, in the centre of your table. 

Next, create a dedicated area for each of your guests. Each station should have a pizza stone (or a baking tray), a rolling pin, and be within reach of all of the delicious toppings. Make sure to provide all the necessary serving ware, including plates, napkins, forks, and knives, for guests to enjoy their pizzas. Consider using disposable options for easy cleanup or provide reusable options for an eco-friendly touch.

Have wooden boards or decorative platters, as well as a pizza cutter, on hand for when pizzas come out of the oven!

 

Bring Everything Together On the Night

A great hostess has a range of drinks ready for when guests arrive. A lovely red or white wine is a great choice, or you could even consider a batch-made cocktail/mocktail! 

Greet your guests and do your best to make them feel comfortable around anyone they don’t know. If you aren’t ready to make the pizzas just yet, consider a few ice-breaker games to help people mingle. 

Time to start making pizza! Give your guests a demonstration of how to stretch the dough and assemble the pizza, before encouraging them to get started. If you have a large number of guests, pair people up, or swap roles throughout the party so that everyone has a chance to get involved and have fun.

Be flexible and adjust the timeline as needed to accommodate the pace of the party. If necessary, consider prepping some pizzas in advance or offering appetisers to keep guests satisfied while they wait for their turn to make pizzas.

Encourage guests to mingle and socialise while they make and enjoy their pizzas, and most importantly, don’t forget to have fun yourself!

 

Hosting Tips & Recipes From Savery Grazing

Ready to host your own pizza party? We’d love to hear about your pizza-making adventures and see photos of your delicious creations! Share your favourite pizza toppings, party planning tips, and pizza party success stories in the comments below. 

For more entertaining ideas and delicious recipes, keep up to date with our blog. For more foodie inspo, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest.

Happy pizza making!

---