Recipe report: Pizzas that are ready to party

Pizza is always a hit at Super Bowl watch parties, but Chef Jordan Lawson of la Fiamma Wood-Fire Pizza changes up the traditional pie with a Mexican twist. The toppings include roasted poblano peppers, tomatillo salsa, chorizo and two Hispanic-style dairy products—queso quesadilla cheese and crema Mexicana. Get the recipe 

Breakfast pizzas are becoming more popular, but this version fits just as well into the lunch, dinner or late-night menu. Chef Mani Niall of Sweet Bar Bakery keeps it fresh and colorful with the addition of an avocado topping along with the traditional bacon and eggs. Get the recipe

Customers seeking something a little different will appreciate this unique take on pizza from chef Cathy Whims of Nostrana restaurant in Portland, Ore. Thinly sliced potatoes flavored with rosemary and pancetta—uncured Italian bacon—make for an unconventional pizza topping. Get the recipe

Several manufacturers now produce plant-based sausage, but at Restaurant Associates’ locations, the kitchen makes their own from scratch. Walnuts and cannellini beans are the base for the vegan version, and the mixture is spiced with Italian seasoning, fennel, garlic and onion powder and smoked paprika to mimic the pork-based Italian-style sausages. This plant-based sausage is not put into casings; it’s more of a crumble that is scattered over the top of the pizza and baked. Get the recipe

Chef Cindy Pawlcyn changes up the Italian pork sausage that traditionally tops pizza, swapping in a housemade lamb merquez. It’s made by blending ground lamb with a Moroccan-style spice mix that combines cumin, chili powder, anise seeds, sweet paprika and other pantry staples. A quick tomato sauce, olive tapenade and two cheeses complete the scratch-made pizza. Chef Pawlcyn weighs the ingredients for the dough for a more precise baked result. Get the recipe