I Threw A Pizza Party Last Weekend, And These 10 Tips Made It So Easy That I Actually Got To Enjoy Myself For Once

A few days ahead of your pizza party, take some time to think about what you want to serve. I usually try to check all of the boxes and have a good selection of meat pizzas, veggie pizzas, and creative pizzas (like Caesar, cacio e pepe, or maybe a vodka pepperoni). I like to write my menu down on an iPhone note so I can later add a grocery list and refer to it when grocery shopping.

When I'm hosting pizza night, you best believe my dough is homemade — but I'm a professional baker! I'm aware that this step can add some extra stress and time to the pizza function, though. I still try to make it somewhat simple, so I typically use a no-knead pizza dough and always make it the day before. 

If I'm feeling lazy or don't have the time to make it, I'll pick up some prepared dough from Trader Joe's and call it a day. Some pizza restaurants also sell their dough, which can really bump things up a level, too. The choice is yours!

A few hours before my guests arrive, I get all my toppings ready and "mise en place" them into their own little containers and bowls to keep things organized. I pop these ingredients on a sheet tray, leave them in the fridge, then take them to the backyard whenever I start preheating the pizza oven.

After hosting four or five pizza nights, I realized a lot of my time was getting consumed just by shaping the pizza dough. It's the most tedious step in this process and also takes the most technique — you want a large, thin circle of dough to go in the oven so that a perfectly crispy pizza comes out of it. When the dough is too thick, the pizza will be doughy and gummy, which can be disappointing. 

For my last few pizza nights, I decided to try pre-shaping my dough, which has worked pretty well. I pull my dough from the fridge and let it come to room temperature, then I shape it into rounds and stack them on a sheet tray between layers of semolina and parchment paper (so they don't get stuck). This has saved me a ton of time and gives me more time to hang out with my guests!

The first time I had friends over to break in my new pizza oven, I quickly realized I was missing some core pieces of equipment. The first? Pizza trays. These are aluminum, 14-inch round trays that you can get pretty cheap online. They give your pizzas a spot to land, and you can also slice them up right on the tray and take them to the table. This is what pizza restaurants use; they're lightweight and easy to clean.

Everybody loves carbs and cheese, but a nice green salad (gasp!) can be a much-needed reprieve from a multi-course meal of just pizzas. It also gives your guests something else to munch on, so you can make a little less pizza! If you don't want to do a salad, a ranch dip with celery and carrot sticks can provide a similar fresh veggie vibe. For me, it's always gonna be a creamy Caesar salad with Parmesan cheese. Some things are just meant to go together!

My pizza oven can fit 12-inch pizzas, which may sound small, but it's totally ample for serving a small group of friends. I always make way too much food, no matter the occasion, so now I'm trying to manage that habit and really think about portions. It's not so much that I don't like having leftovers; it's more about the time it takes to bake six or seven pizzas, and if one isn't going to be eaten, I'd rather be chilling and socializing. 

A safe estimate for me is 3/4 of a small pizza per guest. If you have some hungry men coming, you can generously estimate one pizza per person, but this has rarely actually happened at my pizza parties, and more times than not, I've had too much dough on hand.

I have two other friends who also like to do pizza nights, and they like to set up a pizza building station for everyone to DIY their own, from shaping the dough to topping and baking. This can be really fun, but if someone has never done it before, you'll need to show them the ropes and help their pizza vision come true. This type of build-your-own vibe works perfectly for small groups!

If you have a pizza oven, it's your time to shine. Nothing beats a fresh pizza coming out of a blazing hot oven — they can be cooked in five to six minutes if you have the temperature right. Make sure you've got enough gas in the tank (if your oven is propane), and any other wood chips or accessories you might need to get cooking. I always set my oven up away from the dining table, because it can get pretty hot, and I want to avoid any possible accidents.

You can still have a great pizza night if you don't have a pizza oven. All of these tips still apply, but you'll need to heat your home oven to 475–500°F and preheat a large cast iron (or two). You can also use a baking stone if you have one. Prep your pizza and slide it into the hot cast iron — it'll most likely take 7–10 minutes from start to finish. Just be sure to preheat the cast iron again for 5–10 minutes before the next pizza goes in.