How to Throw an Outdoor Pizza Party

Need ideas for an exciting family night or a casual evening for two? Throw a pizza party in the backyard! Convenient and fun, all you need is a pizza oven, a few ingredients and your imagination—and we've got great ideas for you. Give the grill a break at your next gathering and let everyone create their own Italian-style pies!

Choose the Right Pizza Oven

The right oven makes all the difference to ensure your pizzas turn out the way you like them. Ooni pizza ovens are a worthwhile investment for pro-level pies, so we like to take their cooking advice. When it comes to making authentic Neapolitan-style pizzas, Ooni recommends 750-850°F (400-450°C) to be ideal temperatures for cooking pizzas in 60 to 90 seconds. You'll also want to consider your pizza oven's fuel type and cost. Gas-powered ovens, like the Ooni Koda pizza oven, are the easiest choice for fuel management and are a great option for larger parties. The Ooni Fyra pizza oven cooks with wood pellets that burn faster, but they impart that wood-fired flavor that many people love and is great for more intimate outdoor dining settings.

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Plan Your Menu Beforehand

You can plan your pizza party to accommodate a wide variety of dietary and flavor preferences. Vegan and gluten-free ingredients are relatively easy to find nowadays, for example. If you're having a simple family party with children included, you can include a few kid-friendly options like the classic margherita, pepperoni and so on. For adults, you can opt for more sophisticated gourmet options like grilled veggies, anchovies and a variety of pizza sauces. Additionally, your pizza doesn't need to be limited to the main course. Experiment with sweet toppings to make it a dessert option, too!

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Prep Your Pizza Ingredients

Try to do most of the party prep in advance before your guests arrive. Proof your dough, make the sauce, grate your cheese and chop or slice the toppings ahead of time. Opt for a set of pizza party ingredients, which will make it even easier to prep for your guests' arrival.

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How to Make Pizza Dough

If you want to try making your own dough, we highly recommend one of our Urban Slicer pizza dough mixes. This bestselling dough comes in three styles: Deep Dish, Neapolitan and Outdoor Grilling Pizza Dough mixes. These mixes require only water and a little kneading to prepare for your outdoor oven. Prepare batches ahead of time and make more than you think you'll need, as pizza dough can be frozen and defrosted to be used in the future.

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Set Up a Pizza-Making Station

Set up a small outdoor table or a separate outdoor dining table as a buffet station with all your prepped pizza-making supplies. Start at one end of the table with a dough rolling-out station. Next come the pizza sauces. We like to give guests a few options like classic marinara, pesto and garlic and olive oil. Offer a few different types of cheeses like mozzarella, burrata, parmesan and fontina. Finally, put out the toppings and watch your guests create their own masterpieces. Be sure to do a variety of fresh ingredients: tomatoes, herbs, pepperoni, sausage, artichoke hearts, onions, mushrooms olives—your imagination is the limit!

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Make Flavored Pizza Oils

Add extra flavor to your homemade pizzas by adding herbs to jars of extra virgin olive oil and allowing for the herbs to infuse the oil. For additional kick, use homegrown chilies with the herbs to make a spicy infused oil. These also make great gifts—add some into small glass bottles with handwritten labels and give them out as party favors to your guests.

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Extra Pizza Party Hosting Tips

An outdoor pizza party can be a simple endeavor, and we have a few tips to make it even easier. First, try things out before the big day. Test your recipes, learn how to make dough that works for you or try a few types of premade dough to find your favorite. Next, if your pizza fails, remember the "Recovery Calzone". Rips and tears happen; sometimes pizzas move around when launched into the oven. Don't panic! Fold, pinch and close all the way along the edge, and launch. Now you've got a delicious calzone. Finally, if you're not going to be eating them immediately but need several pizzas at the ready, keep your home oven on at a very low setting for another place to refire them.

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Don’t Forget Snacks

Provide starters or snacks before it's pizza time. Salads are a great option; consider serving one Caesar or other green salad and one fruit bowl. Another great appetizer is a charcuterie board. (Some of the snacks can also serve as pizza toppings.) Load your board with a variety of gourmet World Market picnic snacks like bruschetta, prosciutto, tapenade, salumi, fig spread, anchovy fillets, olives, nuts, veggies and cheeses. Let everyone graze while having drinks and while the pizzas cook.

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Wine & Pizza Pairings

Wine and pizza go together like bread and butter. Our wine experts have pairing recommendations to go with your favorite pies. For a Pizza Napoletana, we suggest an Italian light red wine, such as a chianti or Toscano. For veggie and fish pizzas, we love a white wine, vino bianco or a rosé—while meat pizzas are excellent with a Rosso Veronese or sweet chianti. Sparkling wines are great to serve at an afternoon pizza party, too!

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Setting the Mood

Make your outdoor dining experience the best it can be. We like to throw casual pizza parties without the formal place settings. World Market has a huge variety of gorgeous tabletop items, including outdoor dinnerware, linens and serving pieces to make a great impression while keeping it casual. For evening parties, decorate with stylish outdoor lighting like string lights or lanterns, and add outdoor decor like pretty vases and florals to your tables. Create a party playlist that includes classics and current favorites and make it at least a few hours long to avoid repeats.

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