• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About Me
    • Work With Me
    • Disclosure
  • Recipes
  • Kitchen Music
  • Travel
  • SUBSCRIBE

Foodtastic Mom logo

Home » Recipes » pizza » Copycat Lunch Lady Pizza

August 18, 2018

Copycat Lunch Lady Pizza

Jump to Recipe
Copycat Lunch Lady Pizza | Foodtastic Mom #backtoschool #pizza #copycatrecipe #pizzarecipe #schoolpizza via @foodtasticmomCopycat Lunch Lady Pizza | Foodtastic Mom #backtoschool #pizza #copycatrecipe #pizzarecipe #schoolpizza via @foodtasticmom

Who else has fond memories of their school cafeteria rectangular pizza slices? I do and decided to create a version at home with this recipe for Copycat Lunch Lady Pizza.

school lunch pizza on a plate with apple slices

Do you ever think back on your school cafeteria? Is there a lunch food you crave from back in those days before we all became hyper-sensitive to terms like GMO, organic, free-range, gluten-free and keto? I guess because school is starting back again it got me reminiscing about such things. For me, pizza day was when I always bought lunch instead of packing in elementary and middle school. Do you know the pizza I’m talking about? It had the mystery meat topping that was maybe sausage or ground beef, plus that white, gooey cheese with a sheen of grease on the top. Oh man, it was the best! And so this is my version – Copycat Lunch Lady Pizza.

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

Save Recipe

overhead view of a slice of school lunch pizza

In the past I have revisited such childhood foods like Spaghetti-O’s and Twinkies and have decided those are best left to my memories. But this version of what I am calling Copycat Lunch Lady Pizza (or school lunch pizza) is a stand-out update to a retro favorite. In searching for “copycat” recipes, I came across this recipe at here. I used her crust recipe (with a few changes) and then switched the topping to a freshly browned combination of Italian sausage and lean ground beef (to mimic whatever meat was on my school’s pizza).  The crust kind of reminds me of the Chef Boyardee pizza in a box that my mom used to make.

school pizza crust baked and unbaked

Tips for making Copycat Lunch Lady Pizza:

  • Use a half sheet pan with a rim for baking the crust
  • Line the sheet pan with parchment paper to prevent the crust from sticking to the bottom of the pan
  • Break up the meat as finely as you can while cooking – this kitchen gadget helps with that

Copycat Lunch Lady Pizza | Foodtastic Mom #backtoschool #pizza #copycatrecipe #pizzarecipe #schoolpizza

  • Purchase a block or ball of part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese and shred it yourself – it tastes and melts better than pre-shredded cheese
  • Dump the crust onto the pan and then allow it to rest for about five minutes before spreading it to the edges of the pan – I find it best to use my finger tips for spreading the crust as it is a rather sticky dough

Foodtastic Mom is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Any highlighted, clickable Amazon link you see is an affiliate link that I may earn advertising fees on.

Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of Foodtastic Mom. Be sure to PIN and print this recipe! 

Copycat Lunch Lady Pizza | Foodtastic Mom #backtoschool #pizza #copycatrecipe #pizzarecipe #schoolpizza

overhead view of a slice of school lunch pizza
Print Pin
4.87 from 15 votes

Copycat Lunch Lady Pizza

Who else has fond memories of their school cafeteria rectangular pizza slices? I do and decided to create a version at home - Copycat Lunch Lady Pizza.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes minutes
Total Time 55 minutes minutes
Servings 8
Calories 445kcal
Author Jill McOwen

Ingredients

  • 2 2/3 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup non-fat dry milk powder
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 packet quick rise or pizza yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 2/3 cup warm water
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/2 lb Italian sausage
  • 1/2 lb lean ground beef
  • 1 jar (12 oz) pizza sauce
  • 8 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese shredded

Instructions

  • Grease a metal (1/2-sized) sheet pan (18"x13") and line it with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, milk powder, sugar, yeast and salt. Microwave the water for about 1 minute and add the oil. Pour the oil and water mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a spatula until a batter is formed. If there are a few lumps remaining, it's OK.
  • Spread the pizza dough into the prepared sheet pan, being sure the dough is spread evenly and to the edges of the pan. If you are having trouble with the dough spreading to the edges of the pan, allow the dough to rest for at least 5 minutes before spreading it with your fingertips.
  • Meanwhile, brown the Italian sausage and ground beef together until cooked completely. Drain if necessary and set aside.
  • Bake the un-topped crust for 6 - 8 minutes. Remove the crust and top with the pizza sauce, then the cooked sausage and beef mixture and then the shredded cheese.
  • Return the pizza to the oven and bake for an additional 8 - 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and beginning to brown.
  • Slice into rectangles and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 754mg | Potassium: 446mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 383IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 378mg | Iron: 2mg

More pizza recipes:

  • Pizza Pot Pie
  • Ultimate Pizza Dip
  • Pizza Bagels
  • Pizza Crust Recipe
  • Supreme Mashed Potato Pizza

Copycat Lunch Lady Pizza | Foodtastic Mom #backtoschool #pizza #copycatrecipe #pizzarecipe #schoolpizza

 

Found In: pizza

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. oven&apron says

    August 25, 2015 at 4:21 pm

    Looks lovely! I’m glad you enjoyed my recipe! 🙂
    Amanda @ oven + apron

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      August 30, 2015 at 11:35 am

      Thanks Amanda for stopping by to take a look! I was excited to find your recipe and I’ll be using the crust now when I don’t have enough time to make the dough I use for my pizza stone. Thanks 🙂

      Reply
      • oven&apron says

        August 31, 2015 at 9:36 pm

        Aw you’re welcome!!

        Reply
  2. Ali says

    August 26, 2015 at 9:22 am

    i just adore retro favorite 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      August 30, 2015 at 11:35 am

      You’re welcome Ali!

      Reply
  3. Jaimie says

    January 7, 2018 at 9:12 am

    Can’t wait to try this. Hopefully it will bring me back to grade school. That is when I first realized I love pizza. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      January 8, 2018 at 9:40 pm

      You’re welcome!

      Reply
  4. Debbie says

    February 9, 2018 at 1:17 am

    Well for me, this was a definite NO, I know people have different taste, but I did finish one piece of it only cause I had not ate all day, honestly the rest of it went in the trash can. Sorry!

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      February 14, 2018 at 9:50 am

      That’s OK – that’s why there are so many recipes and different blogs. I’m sorry you had a bad experience with this recipe! Was it the crust? Something else? I’ve been wanting to revisit this one to update photos, etc. so let me know.

      Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      August 18, 2018 at 12:26 pm

      I have since updated the crust recipe and changed up the ratios of the toppings a bit. Just in case you want to try again…

      Reply
    • adam says

      March 11, 2021 at 4:19 pm

      Im curious why the no too…..lol. I personally “loved” the lunch room pizza…..but growing up, we also were raised to clean our plates 😉 and dont take more than you can finish lol.

      im gonna try this just for nostalgia sake haha….i got a kiddo now in pre-K so looking forward to the lunch room stories already haha

      Reply
  5. Denise Rockwell says

    April 30, 2018 at 6:54 am

    5 stars
    This was “some kind a wonderful”. Just like I remember, graduated high school in 1972. Will make this “over and over again “. Thanks

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      April 30, 2018 at 6:58 pm

      That’s awesome to hear. Thanks Denise 🙂

      Reply
  6. Sandi says

    August 18, 2018 at 1:31 pm

    5 stars
    I have always wondered where they got their pizza haha. I am definitely going to try this!

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      August 24, 2018 at 11:13 am

      Great! Come back and let us know what you think!

      Reply
  7. Sarah Newman says

    August 18, 2018 at 1:42 pm

    5 stars
    LOL! I haven’t thought about school pizza in many years, but it did have a certain charm to it. 😉 This sounds ever better though!

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      August 24, 2018 at 11:13 am

      Yes I would like to think that my homemade version is a little better! Thank you 🙂

      Reply
    • Haley B says

      August 13, 2020 at 6:00 pm

      Flavor and taste were there, but mine was not thin crust whatsoever what could it be?

      Reply
      • foodtasticmom says

        August 14, 2020 at 11:39 am

        What size of sheet pan did you use? Yours may have been smaller than mine. That is my first thought. I use a half sheet pan which measures 13″x18″.

        Reply
  8. camila says

    August 18, 2018 at 1:55 pm

    5 stars
    This is a very delicious recipe!! What a great pizza!! YUMMY

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      August 24, 2018 at 11:12 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  9. Eden | Sweet Tea and Thyme says

    August 18, 2018 at 2:17 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for this! It brings back so many great school-time memories!

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      August 24, 2018 at 11:12 am

      You’re welcome!

      Reply
  10. Ginny says

    August 18, 2018 at 3:37 pm

    5 stars
    I absolutely love that lunch lady technique. Why not make your pizza on a baking sheet. Love it!

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      August 24, 2018 at 11:12 am

      Thanks Ginny!

      Reply
  11. Rowena Orris says

    March 4, 2019 at 11:20 pm

    Question. Was the dough supposed to be really wet? I filled the directions as it was written and it was a very wet and sticky dough.

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      March 5, 2019 at 9:58 am

      Yes, very wet and sticky.

      Reply
  12. Stephen says

    March 27, 2019 at 10:08 am

    5 stars
    Turned out great. Was curious – can I just use milk instead of the dry milk powder? Also, do you think using a milk alternative, such as soy, would yield similar results? Thanks again!

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      March 30, 2019 at 11:28 am

      Well, you’d have to decrease the water amount. Adding milk and keeping the water the same would make a soupy mess, so I wouldn’t recommend it. I’m not sure of the milk powder addition except to add a different texture to the crust rather than just using all flour. Hope that helps. I’m glad you enjoyed the pizza!

      Reply
  13. Linda says

    May 7, 2019 at 12:54 pm

    Is this a thin crust, we like thin.

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      May 7, 2019 at 1:04 pm

      Yes it is thin crust.

      Reply
  14. Donna says

    May 9, 2019 at 2:57 pm

    I can not tell you how often I reminisce about this pizza. Pretty much every time we have pizza and that’s a lot! Thank you so much for posting it! I will be printing a copy.

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      May 9, 2019 at 3:15 pm

      So glad I could help with some fond food memories. I hope you like this version of the pizza!

      Reply
  15. Donna says

    May 16, 2019 at 1:02 pm

    I have been trying for years to copy the school lunchroom pizza and have not been successful 😐 I’m really hoping this is it.. Thank you

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      May 16, 2019 at 1:25 pm

      I hope so too! You’re welcome

      Reply
  16. Nikkie M. says

    May 27, 2019 at 9:59 pm

    Our school ALWAYS served applesauce, carrot coins or sticks and PB fudge with our rectangular pizza. I am glad to have this one to try. If u are lucky enough to have a Sav-A-Lot grocery in ur area, they sell the Tonys school Pizza but without a convection oven, it doesn’t come out as good as I remember. Did anyone else eat their toppings all mixed up and scooped up with their carrots!? Try with any kind of N.Y. style pizza, it’s really good! 44 and my mouth still waters for some school recipes!

    Reply
  17. Jen says

    June 6, 2019 at 1:03 pm

    Wish I would have went to your schools. My lunch lady pizza looked like Ellios and tasted like cardboard. Lol

    Reply
  18. Mozelle Martin says

    June 25, 2019 at 10:34 pm

    5 stars
    Hi and thank you for sharing this. I just wanted to let you know that I shared this recipe of yours on my blog @ http://www.AllOuttaSugar.com.

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      June 26, 2019 at 10:26 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  19. Bella Hardy @ Healthnerdy.com says

    July 29, 2019 at 8:57 am

    5 stars
    That copycat lunch lady pizza absolutely something new for me! Looks yummy! Thx for sharing recipe, I definitely add it to my cookbook!

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      August 27, 2019 at 10:12 am

      So glad to hear this. You’re welcome!

      Reply
  20. Meghan F says

    January 7, 2020 at 4:07 pm

    Can I use instant non fat dry milk in this recipe?

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      January 9, 2020 at 11:02 am

      Yes I think so.

      Reply
  21. Keto Diet Line says

    March 11, 2020 at 3:15 am

    your site layout is very good

    Reply
  22. Mike says

    April 22, 2020 at 6:05 pm

    BTW if you want the official recipe as directed to schools by the US dept. of Agriculture from the 1980’s for all schools that participated in the NSLP then here it is. The originals were intended for 100 + servings so I won’t bother with listing the amounts. Maybe someone can test amounts to match the original flavor.

    Raw Beef (no more than 24% fat)
    Dehydrated Onions
    Garlic Powder
    (Cook beef. Drain grease. Add the onions and garlic. Bake for 5 minutes.

    Black Pepper
    Tomato Paste
    Water
    Flaked Basil
    Flaked Oregano
    Flaked Marjoram
    Flaked Thyme
    (Add those together. Simmer for 15 minutes)

    Crust:
    Dry yeast
    water (110 degrees F)
    (dissolve dry yeast in water. Let stand 4-5 minutes)

    All purpose bread flower
    Salt
    Sugar
    Vegetable oil
    (Kneed for 15 minutes at medium speed.)

    Place dough on sheet pan. Add pizza sauce mixture. Add meat mixture. Add Mozzarella cheese shredded. Bake 475 F for 15-18 minutes. Convection oven is 450 F for 15 minutes. Cut each slice 4 inches by 5 inches. (for some reason I remember the sizes being a little longer than 5 inches but I digress)

    Calories: 312 each slice.
    Protein: 18 grams
    Fat: 12 grams
    Sodium: 226 mg

    100 servings as listed (do your own conversion)
    8 lbs of ground beef
    Onions: 1.25 cups
    Garlic: 1.5 Tsp
    Black Pepper: 1 Tbsp
    Tomato Paste: .5 (half) number 10 can…???
    water: 3.5 qts
    Basil and Oregano: 2 tbsp each
    Marjoram and Thyme: 1 tbsp each
    cheese: 2.25 quarts
    Sheet pans are listed as 5 in total at 18″ X 26″ X 1″
    Yeast: 2 oz
    flower: 7 lbs
    Oil: 2/3 cup
    salt: 2.5 tsp
    sugar: .25 cup

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      May 5, 2020 at 10:56 am

      Wow, thanks for this!

      Reply
  23. Allison says

    July 16, 2020 at 6:14 pm

    I will definitely be trying this. I will alter it a little. I remember the sauce being scant, the cheese being the cheaper low moisture stuff, and a strong flavor of marjoram (I’ll add this to the sausage and burger). I can’t wait to try it!

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      July 18, 2020 at 10:29 am

      I’m impressed with the marjoram – actually all of those details. Your memory is great. Let us know how it turns out 🙂

      Reply
    • Kim says

      August 2, 2021 at 5:27 pm

      How did it turn out

      Reply
  24. Kimberly Caceres says

    August 2, 2020 at 4:19 pm

    I’m curious if this crust would work will 00 flour?

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      August 4, 2020 at 10:23 pm

      I’ve not tried it. I looked up if you can replace all – purpose flour with 00 flour and it seems like you can. Let us know how it turns out!

      Reply
      • MiMi Larza says

        June 4, 2021 at 11:48 pm

        I tried this recipe tonight. It was fantastic!!! I made half the pizza exactly as instructed. I added some vegetable toppings to the half (the adult version). My husband & 13 yr-old twins loved it. So simple, yet so good! Thank you for sharing this recipe.

        Reply
        • foodtasticmom says

          June 5, 2021 at 7:22 pm

          Love to hear this. Thank you very much for taking the time to write!

          Reply
      • Charlie says

        March 29, 2022 at 11:19 am

        00 zero flour is more for a very hot oven 8-9 hundred degrees but try it. Also why do people comment when they never tried the recipe. Just make it then review. Your comments are useless to us who want to try it but comments from others who made it what they did and ingredients help us. Thanks

        Reply
        • foodtasticmom says

          March 29, 2022 at 4:08 pm

          I’m not sure about people commenting if they haven’t tried it. If people comment, I approve it and respond, since they took the time to write something. As for the 00 flour, I was not aware that it is more for a very hot oven (obviously commercial, or wood-fired maybe?), so thank you for sharing that piece of useful information. I like to bake, but I am much more knowledgable when it comes to cooking rather than baking. Thanks.

          Reply
  25. Christine says

    August 10, 2020 at 11:34 pm

    I’m curious about the texture of this crust. My elementary school had a crust that was light and had a spongy looking texture but it was so good! I was in sixth grade in 1975 so I don’t think the school would give me the recipe, lol ! I also loved the Spoonburgers, sort of a blonde sloppy joe, we always got seconds on that!

    Reply
    • foodtasticmom says

      August 11, 2020 at 9:31 am

      The texture of this crust is kind of light and spongy – more so than a regular pizza crust. We didn’t have Spoonburgers at my school that I remember. They sound good!

      Reply
Newer Comments »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

About Foodtastic Mom

jill
My name is Jill and I share simple and delicious, family-friendly recipes. I want you to feel super in YOUR kitchen!

Most Popular Recipes

Ultimate Pizza Dip | Foodtastic Mom #pizzadip #slowcookerpizzadip #crockpotpizzadip
feature image for air fryer apples
This recipe for Slow Cooker Sirloin Tip Roast uses real ingredients like beef stock, apple juice, tomato juice and butter.
My recipe for rotisserie chicken and dumplings has thousands of fans. The chicken stew takes help from a rotisserie chicken, but the dumplings are made from-scratch and practically fool-proof.
Learn how to cook meatballs from frozen in your Crock Pot, complete with a delicious Swedish meatball gravy made with my microwave roux.
Crock Pot Frozen Turkey Breast | Foodtastic Mom #crockpotturkeybreast #crockpotrecipes #howtocookfrozenturkeybreast
a bowl full of cooked, shredded chicken breast, cooked in the Crock-Pot
slow cooker pork tenderloin plated with cheese grits and a side of bacon
French Strawberry Cake | Foodtastic Mom #frenchstrawberrycake #cakerecipes #strawberrycake
Sign up for FREE recipes straight to your INBOX!

SUBSCRIBE

© 2025 Foodtastic Mom • Privacy Policy