Pizza My Heart

I’m a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for Associates to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may make a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Thank you for shopping and I hope you love these products as much as I do.

Jump to Recipe

Looking for a fun and casual Valentine’s dinner? Homemade pizza in the shape of a heart will put a smile on everyone’s face!  The kiddos, and the inner-kid in all of us, will fall in love with this pizza. It’s cheesy in a good way.  (I’m getting a little carried away with the play of words, but I can’t help it!)  You can make the toppings as straightforward or as gourmet as you like – whatever gets your heart racing. (Oops, there I go again. Okay – it’s out of my system, I’ll stop now).

Making pizza is so much fun, and it’s super quick & easy, thanks to pre-made dough and jar or canned pizza sauce.  There are all sorts of options for making the crust.  I recently started using pizza dough in a can (Pillsbury) found with the refrigerated biscuits and breakfast rolls in the store. However, I’ve made my own pizza crust from a mix for years (Martha White, Betty Crocker, and King Arthur all have easy mixes).  There are options for both regular and thin, crispy crusts.  I follow the package baking instructions for the crust/dough of choice. Usually, the crust requires pre-baking before the sauce, meat, toppings, and cheese are added.  The total baking time may vary based on the number of toppings. You want to crust to be lightly brown and the cheese melted. You can also buy pizza dough from the grocery store or favorite pizzeria. 

Pizza sauce is usually next to the spaghetti and pasta sauce in the store. I’ve used both generic and gourmet brands of pizza sauce.  I like the store brand.  Jar or canned pizza sauce can be zhooshed up with a splash of vinegar and a couple of pinches of nutmeg.  It’s not necessary, but it does give it a more homemade taste. (I also use this hack with spaghetti sauce.)

My gang likes a hearty pizza, so I make my pizza with a pound of ground sausage.  Ground beef and ground turkey are also good choices.  While you can’t go wrong browning your ground meat in a skillet. I opt to nuke mine in the microwave (it’s easier clean-up).  If you are a pepperoni lover, forego the ground meat and throw on some pepperoni slices. Canadian bacon or ham would also be good.  A meatless pizza is also an option. A hearty portabella mushroom is a great meat alternative if you are looking for something filling.   Be as creative as you want with the toppings.  My go-to is sliced mushrooms (fresh is best, but canned is fine), chopped onion, minced garlic, and sliced black olives.  For this heart-shaped pizza, I added sundried tomatoes for a sweet-tart bite of flavor. 

The key to a stress-free pizza making experience is mise-en-place (everything in its place).  Organize all your toppings before you start. Everything should be sliced and ready-to-go. Ensure that your ground meat is cooked or browned and if you choose to go a different protein route, make sure that it is prepped.

Shredded mozzarella cheese melts beautifully, is traditional, and my recommendation.  However, there have been days when I only thought I had shredded mozzarella in the fridge and have used non-traditional shredded cheese.  Hey, it gave the pizza a different look and a slightly different taste, but with the pronounced flavors of the pizza sauce and ground sausage, the kids didn’t even mention it!  It’s all good.

When I’m not in a Valentine’s frame of mind, with no need to shape the crust in a heart, I bake the pizza in a 9×13 pan that has a light coating of non-stick spray.  You can also form the dough in a traditional round on baking sheet pan, but I find it’s all-around easier to use a 9×13 glass pan.

Check out My Favorite Valentine’s Day Tools & Products

Don’t miss out on a single recipe!