What can you cook in a pizza oven? (20+ great ideas)
By Robert Parsons March 14th, 2023
If you’re interested in cooking with an outdoor pizza oven but unsure about what else you can cook besides pizza, this guide is for you. Discover the tasty options that using a pizza oven can bring to your outdoor cooking and impress even the most selective food enthusiasts.
Explore delicious recipes featuring tangy grilled fish and golden-crusted pies that showcase fresh ingredients from your garden or local farmer’s market. Learn how to effortlessly create flavorful dishes, regardless of your culinary skills, with the help of a basic wood-fired pizza oven. Unleash your creativity now!
What you need to know about cooking other foods with your pizza oven
It can be enjoyable to cook various foods in your pizza oven, but you must keep some things in mind. The suitable temperature range for different types of dishes can differ significantly, so it is vital to set the temperature properly. Slow-cooked meats, for instance, require a lower temperature of roughly 90 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas pizza requires a considerably hotter temperature of 700 to 750 degrees Fahrenheit.
It’s important to check if the cookware you use is safe for the oven’s heat. Cookware made of materials like glass or earthenware may crack under high temperatures. If using cast iron, it should be heated more slowly than other types of cookware.
To ensure that your wood-fired pizza oven cooks evenly, it’s crucial to maintain appropriate ventilation and airflow. If your oven has air intakes or vents, be sure to keep them open for higher temperatures and closed for lower temperatures.
Interesting dishes (besides pizzas) you can cook in your oven
Steaks
In a pizza oven, you can prepare steaks alongside pizzas. The oven’s high heat will seal in the natural taste and juices, producing a delicious and tender cut that is tough to match. Moreover, you can try out various spices and herbs to elevate the taste of your steaks.
Using a pizza oven offers a wide temperature range for cooking steak to the desired level of doneness, whether rare or well done. Additionally, there is no concern about flare-ups caused by fat dripping onto an open flame like with a traditional grill. For an unforgettable meal, adding wood chips during cooking time will give just the right amount of smokiness.
BBQ ribs
To begin with, cooking the ribs in high heat results in a crispy and flavorful crust on the outside, known as the bark. As the ribs continue to cook in low heat, they become more tender and juicy while absorbing the flavors of the rubs and glazes. The pizza oven adds a slightly smoky flavor to the meat, enhancing its overall taste.
A wood-fired pizza oven is the best way to cook both baby back and spare ribs, ensuring they are savory and succulent. With consistent indirect heat and precise temperature control, you can impress your guests and provide an unforgettable BBQ rib experience.
Focaccia
For an authentic taste, Focaccia can be cooked in a pizza oven. The oven’s high temperatures make the bread crust golden-brown and cook it quickly without drying out the fluffy interior. To enhance its flavor, use traditional herbs such as rosemary, oregano, garlic, and thyme, along with extra virgin olive oil.
The wood-fired pizza oven’s open flame generates high heat that seeps into the bread dough, resulting in a crispy crust and a distinct smoky fragrance. When focaccia is prepared in a pizza oven, its texture remains pleasant because it stays moist, emphasizing its unique flavors.
Roasted veggies
First, take your preferred vegetables and wrap them in foil. Then, add your desired herbs and spices. Next, put the wrapped veggies onto the hot coals that were generated from the pizza oven. The high temperature of the coals will lock in the flavors of your freshly-picked produce while roasting it to perfection. By utilizing a pizza oven, your vegetables will acquire a delightful smoky and charred flavor. Additionally, roasted vegetables can be adjusted easily to your preference. Try various spice combinations, such as cumin and chili powder, or dried oregano and garlic, for a memorable taste experience.
Seasoned chips
I recommend trying to cook seasoned potato chips in a pizza oven! The high temperature of the oven makes the chips perfectly crisp and flavorful. Additionally, the pizza oven creates a unique lightly charred taste that can’t be replicated with other cooking methods. It’s relatively easy to do, and the result is delicious.
To make some seasoned potato chips, spread your favorite chips on a baking sheet, sprinkle on your chosen seasoning, and put them in the preheated pizza oven. Keep an eye on them to avoid burning, and bake for 8-10 minutes. Afterward, transfer the chips to a plate or bowl and enjoy your freshly-cooked snack from the pizza oven!
Cheesecake
Did you know that you can prepare a tasty Basque burnt cheesecake using a pizza oven? This regional delicacy from the Basque country, located on both sides of the border between northern Spain and southern France, requires cooking at high temperatures to achieve a crispy, crunchy and caramelized exterior while retaining a tender interior.
To make a delicious cheesecake, you only need cream cheese, cream, eggs, and sugar. For a perfect charring effect, place the cheesecake directly onto the grates of your pizza oven. This makes it easy to control the temperature and achieve a toasty, golden brown outside while keeping the inside creamy. Enjoy this tasty dessert after dinner or as a special treat. You won’t be disappointed!
Ciabatta bread
If you want your Ciabatta bread to have a perfectly crunchy crust and airy crumb, then cooking it in a pizza oven is the way to go. The high heat of the pizza oven creates a satisfying crunch, while the steam from the rising dough can give your bread a beautiful rise.
Additionally, you can enhance the flavor of your ciabatta bread by incorporating sun-dried tomatoes, chopped olives, or cheese into the dough before baking it in the pizza oven. The outcome is a delicious and savory loaf that will tantalize your taste buds. Don’t wait any longer – gather your rolling pin and let’s commence the ciabatta-making festivities!
Naan
You can still enjoy the traditional flavors of Naan bread, even without a clay oven. By using your pizza oven, you can make delicious Naan bread just like Persians did back in 1300 AD. With high heat, you can achieve the same soft and fluffy consistency that makes classic Indian Naan bread so wonderful.
To make delicious naan, it’s important to adjust the heat in your pizza oven. The oven should be hot enough to give a golden-brown color to the outside, but not so hot that it burns. If you get it right, you’ll have a chewy texture, charred edges, and a smoky flavor that are amazing. You can enjoy it with some spicy tikka masala or other curries for an authentic Indo-Persian cuisine experience any day of the week!
Roasted corn
To enhance your summer corn meal, try roasting it in a pizza oven for a unique smoky, wood-fired taste that cannot be achieved through other cooking methods. Keeping the husk on while roasting also helps maintain the corn’s succulence and tenderness.
To cook your roasted corn, first preheat your pizza oven to the right temperature, which is usually between 260°C and 320°C. Then, place the corn cobs inside and wait approximately 15 minutes until they are ready to be enjoyed. If you want a complete summer meal, you can also cook BBQ ribs in the pizza oven. Before serving, add some butter or sprinkle some sea salt on the corn for extra flavor.
Bananas foster
Even if you’re not an expert cook, you can use your pizza oven to impress your loved ones with a delicious dessert like Bananas Foster. The oven’s flames will caramelize the bananas to perfection and create a stunning effect. Just get some banana liqueur, rum, and a cast iron pan to try it out.
By slightly tipping the pan in the pizza oven, you can create a flame that will enhance the experience of your Bananas Foster. It only takes a few minutes in the heat of the pizza oven to create a delicious, restaurant-quality dessert that will leave everyone wanting more.
Cinnamon rolls
Using a pizza oven, you can make delicious cinnamon rolls with leftover pizza dough. The intense heat of the wood-fired oven caramelizes the sugar and creates a crispy/chewy golden crust. To add toppings, roll out the dough thinly and sprinkle crushed pecans, chocolate spread, or raisins.
Next time you use your pizza oven, make sure to try making cinnamon rolls. You can add other ingredients like chopped apples or dried cranberries to make them more unique. These rolls have a heavenly aroma when baking and have a crispy, caramelized outside with a tender, fluffy inside filled with flavor.
Grilled shrimps
To begin, preheat your oven for optimal cooking. Then, prepare a cast iron skillet by heating olive oil, garlic, shallot, and fennel. As the skillet heats up, season some shrimp with salt and pepper and place them onto the grill grate above the hot coals.
While cooking the shrimp in the skillet, the flavors from all ingredients will be infused together, resulting in a delicious combination. It is important to monitor the cooking to avoid overcooking or burning. The final result will involve juicy grilled shrimp, sweet tomatoes, briny capers, and fresh basil for a unique, unbeatable flavor.
Pulled pork
Using a pizza oven to cook pork shoulder produces tender and juicy pulled pork. The oven’s high temperature sears the outside while slowly cooking the inside, resulting in deep and complex flavors. The smokiness and caramelized flavor of the pulled pork cooked in a pizza oven are irresistible and unmatched by other cooking methods. Give it a try and delight everyone at your dinner table.
S’more
One great way to enhance your classic summer dessert is to cook S’mores in a pizza oven. The uniform heating and strong heat of a wood-fired oven will give you a perfectly toasted marshmallow every time. The combination of chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallow creates an amazing and unforgettable gooey, chocolatey treat. Additionally, wood-fired pizza ovens cook S’mores much faster than the traditional method, so you can enjoy them quickly.
Roasted potatoes
You can use a pizza oven to cook Roasted potatoes perfectly. The oven’s high-heat environment creates a crispy golden-brown crust while keeping the inside moist and flavorful.
Furthermore, the high-temperature aids in caramelizing the potato exteriors resulting in a rich, savory taste that resembles butter. You could try using diverse herbs and spices to intensify the flavor, with rosemary and thyme being particularly suitable for roasted potatoes. Properly prepared, these roasted potatoes are not only incredibly tasty but visually appealing as well.
Fishes
Using a pizza oven to bake fish is a tasty method to cook this fragile protein. This technique keeps the moisture and flavor intact and allows you to be innovative with spices and combinations. Whether it’s salmon, mahi mahi, or other types of fish, whole or filleted cuts can be easily cooked in the pizza oven.
For delicious and moist fish, there are a few options. Soak a cedar plank in water before cooking to retain moisture. Alternatively, wrap the fish in foil while baking. Enhance the flavor with herbs and spices. Consider using a pizza oven for quick and tasty meals.
Turkey
If you use a pizza oven to cook a turkey, you can enjoy a turkey with crispy skin and flavorful meat. The wood-fired flames generate a high temperature that gives the turkey a unique taste, which cannot be achieved with other cooking methods.
For a perfectly cooked turkey, place it on a tray either upright or lying down if it can fit comfortably. It’s important to keep the temperature low and the basting frequent to prevent the skin from getting too much heat. If you do it right, you’ll be hooked on the delicious combination of juicy meat and crispy skin.
Casserole
If you want to make a tasty casserole, try using a pizza oven. The high temperatures will help caramelize the ingredients, giving your dish an extra delicious flavor. The pizza oven’s indirect heat will also help keep it moist and prevent it from drying out or burning. The convection capabilities of the pizza oven will also ensure that your casserole is cooked perfectly every time as the heat circulates evenly around the dish.
Ratatouille
Did you know that you can use a pizza oven to make delicious Ratatouille? This French dish is made by sautéing eggplant, zucchini, peppers, onions, and tomatoes with garlic and herbs. Once cooked, the vegetables are placed in the pizza oven and baked until crispy on the outside but still tender on the inside. Serve with crusty bread or pasta for a tasty meal.
Brownies
It is possible to bake delicious and gooey brownies using a pizza oven. Since the oven provides uniform heat, your brownies will be cooked evenly and will have a crispy top layer. Furthermore, the wood-fire will add a unique smoky flavor to your dessert for a delightful taste every time.
For best results when making brownies, it’s crucial to monitor them while they’re in the oven. As pizza ovens are generally hotter than regular ovens, it’s recommended that you check them after roughly 15 minutes of cook time. It’s also important to rotate them periodically to ensure they cook evenly. Additionally, be vigilant for any signs of burning since high temperatures can cause the brownies to burn rapidly.
Hot dogs
If you want perfectly charred hot dogs with a unique flavor, try cooking them in a pizza oven. Use high-quality, kosher frankfurters and the intense heat of the oven to get juicy, flavorful sausages that are cooked perfectly.
For an even better hot dog experience, you can add some unique toppings such as kimchi, pickled onions, chimichurri, or pesto. Once your hot dog is ready, sprinkle some cotija cheese on top to enhance the creaminess and overall taste. You don’t need a food truck to make a mouth-watering hot dog – just follow these simple steps.
Lamb meat
Using a pizza oven to cook lamb results in a delicious flavor and texture. The high heat creates a moist and tender interior with a crispy outer edge. Additionally, the smoky scent produced by cooking the meat on an open flame is quite appetizing. Pizza ovens are versatile and can be used to cook more than just pizza. The indirect heat is perfect for cooking roasts, shanks, and chops. You can also attach a rotisserie to the oven to cook whole cuts of lamb that are juicy and delectable.
Conclusion
In summary, a pizza oven offers endless opportunities for creative cooking in the kitchen. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced chef, this appliance can help you master a variety of dishes and achieve satisfying results.
If you want to enjoy the diverse flavors, textures, and crispy results that a pizza oven can offer, don’t hesitate to try it out! It’s worth the effort. You should always be exploring and trying out new and delicious recipes since life is too short. Just light up your pizza oven, and get excited about all the yummy meals that you can prepare in your own backyard.