The Best English Muffin Pepperoni Pizza Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated Aug. 30, 2018
English muffin pepperoni pizza
Photographs: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

The ultimate English muffin pizza made with a fresh tomato sauce and crisp pepperoni.

Recipe Details

The Best English Muffin Pepperoni Pizza Recipe

Active 20 mins
Total 30 mins
Serves 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

  • 1 tablespoon butter

  • 2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)

  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves, divided

  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves, divided

  • Pinch red pepper flakes

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1 (14-ounce)  can crushed tomatoes

  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 stick pepperoni, preferably natural casing, cut into 32 slices

  • 4 English muffins, split in half

  • 4 ounces grated mozzarella cheese

  • 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and preheat oven to 500°F (260°C). Heat oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until butter is melted. Add garlic, 1 tablespoon parsley, 1 tablespoon basil, pepper flakes, and oregano and cook, stirring frequently until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly thickened, about 15 minutes total. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in another tablespoon of parsley and a tablespoon of basil.

    garlic butter with parsley

  2. While sauce is cooking, heat half of pepperoni slices in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until cupped and crisp around edges, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large plate, leaving rendered fat in pan. Add four English muffin halves cut-side-down to skillet and swirl to pick up all fat. Cook until well-toasted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pepperoni and English muffin halves.

    cooked English muffins on tin foil

  3. Coat each English muffin half with sauce. Spread half an ounce of mozzarella on each English muffin, followed by 1/4 ounce of Parmesan cheese. Place 4 pepperoni slices on top of each pizza and top with a little bit more grated Parmesan.

    pepperoni pizza on English muffins

  4. Bake until English muffins are crisp underneath and cheese is melted and just starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Top with extra Parmesan cheese immediately after removing from oven. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with remaining parsley and basil, and serve.

    pepperoni pizza on English muffins

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
227 Calories
13g Fat
19g Carbs
10g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 227
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 16%
Saturated Fat 6g 28%
Cholesterol 29mg 10%
Sodium 659mg 29%
Total Carbohydrate 19g 7%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 8mg 38%
Calcium 209mg 16%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 249mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)