Upgraded Frozen Pizza

Name: Upgraded Frozen Pizza With Garlic Butter Crust
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 frozen pizza, any variety; 1 cup mayonnaise; 1 cup buttermilk or milk; 1 packet ranch dressing mix, buttermilk recipe; 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced; 1/4 cup unsalted butter; 2 cloves garlic, minced; salt, to taste; 1/4 cup pepperoncini, sliced; 1/4 cup fresh basil, chiffonade; 1 tbsp balsamic glaze; 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Upgraded Frozen Pizza transforms a standard frozen pie into restaurant-quality comfort food with seven simple tweaks: homemade buttermilk ranch, garlic butter crust, fresh basil, red onion, and pepperoncini. No special skills required.

🌍American 🏷️Pizza 🏷️Frozen pizza 🏷️Pizza hacks 🏷️Ranch dressing Garlic butter

🏷️

🏷️Comfort food

-0:00

thatdudecancookonTikTok

Total

10 min

Servings

2

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$23–$38

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From TikTok · by thatdudecancook

-0:00

thatdudecancookonTikTok

Ingredients

1 frozen pizza, any variety
1 cup mayonnaiseoptional
1 cup buttermilk or milkoptional
1 packet ranch dressing mix, buttermilk recipeoptional
1/4 red onion, thinly slicedoptional
1/4 cup unsalted butteroptional
2 cloves garlic, mincedoptional
salt, to tasteoptional
1/4 cup pepperoncini, slicedoptional
1/4 cup fresh basil, chiffonadeoptional
1 tbsp balsamic glazeoptional
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely gratedoptional

12 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
To make the optional homemade ranch, combine mayonnaise, buttermilk (or milk), and the ranch dressing mix in a bowl. Whisk until smooth and set aside for dipping.
2
If desired, add extra toppings like thinly sliced red onion to the frozen pizza before baking.
3
Bake the frozen pizza according to the package directions.
4
While the pizza bakes, prepare the garlic butter. Melt unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add minced garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 4 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
5
Once the pizza is out of the oven, immediately brush the hot crust with the prepared garlic butter.
6
Top the hot pizza with sliced pepperoncini and fresh basil chiffonade.
7
Finish by drizzling with balsamic glaze and sprinkling with finely grated Parmesan cheese.
8
Slice the pizza and serve with the homemade ranch for dipping.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Brush garlic butter on the crust edge only in the final 2–3 minutes to prevent burning while maximizing flavor.
Slice red onion paper-thin and add immediately after baking so it stays crisp rather than steaming into the pizza.
Make ranch dip at least 30 minutes ahead so flavors fully develop before serving.
Chop basil by hand or stack and cut into thin ribbons (chiffonade) just before serving to prevent bruising and browning.

Substitutions

Mayo → sour cream or Greek yogurt (ranch will be tangier and thicker)
Pepperoncini → fresh jalapeños or roasted red peppers (adjust heat level and acidity)
Fresh basil → fresh oregano or parsley (changes flavor profile but maintains freshness)

Storage & make-ahead

Store leftover ranch dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat pizza in a 350°F oven for 5–7 minutes to restore crust crispness.

Common Questions

Can I make the ranch dip ahead of time?

Yes. Mix mayo, buttermilk, and ranch dressing mix up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container.

Should I add toppings before or after baking?

Add garlic butter to the crust before baking. Add fresh toppings like basil and red onion after the pizza comes out of the oven to preserve texture and flavor.