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Rectangle school cafeteria pizza slice with seasoned beef, tomato sauce and melted mozzarella

Easy School Cafeteria Pizza Recipe (Old School Rectangle Pizza)

This easy School Cafeteria Pizza Recipe brings back all the nostalgia of old school pizza day with a soft rectangular crust, seasoned ground beef, pizza sauce, Italian seasoning, and plenty of melted mozzarella. Using refrigerated pizza dough makes this nostalgic school lunch pizza incredibly easy to recreate at home.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings: 8 slices
Course: Dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 425
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pizza
  • 1 family-size refrigerated pizza dough
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1–1½ teaspoons all-purpose seasoning or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon garlic pepper
  • ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
  • ½ teaspoon granulated onion
  • 1½-2 cups jarred pizza sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning plus more to taste
  • ¼–½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
  • 2-3 cups shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
Optional Protein Substitutions
  • Ground Italian sausage
  • Ground turkey
  • Ground chicken
  • Pepperoni
  • Beef and Italian sausage mixture

Equipment

  • Large skillet
  • Sheet pan
  • Wooden spoon or meat chopper
  • Spatula
  • Pizza cutter or sharp knife

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven. Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly grease or line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
  2. Cook the ground beef. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and season with all-purpose seasoning, garlic pepper, granulated garlic, and granulated onion. Cook, breaking the beef into small crumbles, until browned and fully cooked. Drain excess grease and set aside.
  3. Prepare the dough. Unroll the refrigerated pizza dough onto the prepared sheet pan. Gently press and stretch the dough into a rectangle.
  4. Pre-bake the crust. Bake the pizza dough at 425°F for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven.
  5. Add the sauce. Spread pizza sauce evenly over the partially baked crust, leaving a small border around the edges. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes, if using.
  6. Add the first layer of beef. Sprinkle approximately half of the cooked ground beef evenly over the pizza sauce.
  7. Add the cheese. Cover the pizza generously with shredded whole milk mozzarella.
  8. Finish with beef. Sprinkle the remaining ground beef over the mozzarella so you get meat throughout the pizza and visible crumbles across the top.
  9. Bake. Return the pizza to the 425°F oven and bake for approximately 10–15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the crust is golden brown. Cooking time can vary by brand of refrigerated dough and oven.
  10. Rest and serve. Allow the pizza to rest for about 5 minutes before slicing into rectangles and serving.

Notes

Don't skip the pre-bake: Baking the refrigerated dough for five minutes before adding the toppings helps prevent a soggy center.
Finely crumble the beef: Smaller pieces give you better meat coverage and create more of that classic school cafeteria pizza texture.
Season to taste: Different all-purpose seasonings contain different amounts of salt, so adjust accordingly.
Control the heat: Crushed red pepper is optional. Leave it out when serving younger kids or anyone sensitive to spice.
Protein swaps: Italian sausage, turkey, chicken, pepperoni, or a beef-and-sausage combination all work well.
Cheese: Whole milk mozzarella gives the pizza a rich flavor and great cheese pull. For the best melt, shred the cheese yourself.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days. Reheat at 375°F in the oven or air fryer for the best crust.