Lunch Lady Sheet-Pan Pizza

Lunchtime is the sacred 30 minutes in the school day when you can gather with your friends to exchange information (like gossip and homework answers), general childhood gripes, and only the finest cafeteria delicacies (like Gushers and string cheese). The only thing that improved upon such a hallmark experience was when the day to rule all days rolled around: pizza day.

Pizza has been a staple on the American school lunch menu since the 1960s, and it’s easy to see why. Aside from being a kid-friendly favorite, it’s easy to make and feed to hordes of hungry children. My version includes instant yeast dough, herby pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella, and spicy pepperoni baked on a sheet tray until you can see melty cheese and that signature thick and fluffy crust. Topped with a sprinkle of Italian seasoning, you’ll swear you just grabbed a slice from the school lunchroom. If you don’t have any Italian seasoning on hand or you want to make your own, combine 1 tsp. each dried oregano, dried basil, and dried rosemary blended with 1/2 tsp. each dried thyme, dried rosemary, and dried marjoram.

The best flavor of lunch lady pizza is pepperoni, but other options often include:

• Veggie: Chopped red onion, chopped broccoli, mushrooms, olives, and tomatoes
• Supreme: Cooked Italian sausage crumbles, pepperoni, mushrooms, bell peppers, olives

Have you made this? Let me know how it went in the comments!