Pizza Toast Upgraded (Printable)

Thick sourdough topped with garlic tomato sauce and layered cheeses, quickly broiled for a melty finish.

# What You Need:

→ Bread

01 - 2 thick slices sourdough or country-style bread

→ Tomato Sauce

02 - 1/2 cup good-quality marinara sauce
03 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

→ Cheese

05 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
06 - 1/4 cup shredded provolone cheese
07 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

→ Toppings (optional)

08 - 8–10 slices pepperoni or salami (omit for vegetarian)
09 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
10 - 1/4 cup sliced black olives
11 - 1/4 bell pepper, thinly sliced
12 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

→ Seasoning

13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
15 - Red pepper flakes, to taste

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Set the oven broiler to high and prepare a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper.
02 - Combine marinara sauce, minced garlic, and extra-virgin olive oil in a small bowl and mix thoroughly.
03 - Lightly toast the bread slices in a toaster or under the broiler until golden.
04 - Spread a generous layer of the garlicky tomato sauce evenly over each toasted bread slice.
05 - Sprinkle half of the shredded mozzarella and provolone cheeses evenly over the sauce on each slice.
06 - Arrange your chosen toppings such as pepperoni, red onion, black olives, and bell pepper over the cheese layer.
07 - Top the toppings with the remaining mozzarella, provolone, and all of the grated Parmesan cheese.
08 - Sprinkle dried oregano and freshly ground black pepper evenly over each slice.
09 - Place the prepared slices under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbling, and golden brown.
10 - Remove from the oven, garnish with fresh basil leaves and a pinch of red pepper flakes, then serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in 20 minutes flat, making it perfect for those nights when you can't be bothered with a full meal.
  • The cheese layering technique creates pockets of gooey, golden richness that tastes way more impressive than it should.
  • You can throw almost anything on top, so it adapts to whatever's in your fridge without complaining.
02 -
  • Don't skip the light toast step—it's the difference between crispy bread and a soggy, sad base that falls apart.
  • Watch the broiler like a hawk; cheese goes from melted and perfect to burnt and bitter in about two minutes, so set a timer if you think you'll wander off.
  • The bread needs to be thick; thin slices won't support the weight of sauce and cheese without buckling or tearing.
03 -
  • Use thick slices and invest in actually good marinara; these two things alone separate good pizza toast from the kind that tastes like bread with toppings glued on.
  • Keep the broiler door cracked or at least check constantly—every broiler is angry and different, and catching it at the right moment is the difference between perfection and charcoal.
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