How do you make oven pizza dinners a bit more exciting?

[moremeatballs]

We are super busy at the minute. DP working very long shifts, I’m working and studying alongside so quite often it gets to 7pm and we’re bunging an oven pizza in the oven.

They’ve been a lifesaver recently and I’m not complaining (huge pizza lover ) but I was wondering what you all serve alongside pizza to make it a bit more of a meal rather than just a few slices of pizza on your plate if you see what I mean? Same goes for other oven favourites we’ve been having lately - kievs, fish cakes etc.

Looking forward to some inspiration TIA!

I normally drizzle some olive oil before cooking then put extra shaved Parmesan and Rocket leaves on top. We usually have a Greek salad with it and maybe baked corn. Nice cold white wine.

Salad, with some kind of dressing on it. Then you can dip your pizza in!

Antipasti - olives, sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, marinated peppers... I always have something of this type in I'm having fresh pasta tonight and I'm having some olives on the side

Garlic bread

Breadsticks

Mozzarella sticks

Chips/wedges/fries

Onion rings

Salad

Agree with

Corn on cob

Wine

Coleslaw

Other quick/easy options:

Various egg dishes - eggs are super quick and easy to cook and very nutritious and you can even do them in the oven! I sometimes do baked egg and chips - chips in the oven first, eggs in a wee pie dish, prick the yolks, then pop in oven, near end of cooking sprinkle some grated cheddar on the eggs - job done! You can even do baked beans and eggs in the oven in a similar way, beans in greased pie dish (bean juice murder for sticking), make a well, egg in well, cook as before, grated cheese near end of cooking as you wish

Stir fry with micro rice - I don't have a micro so I just make the stir fry add the sauce then add the rice splash of boiling water 3 mins heat up - done! Ready prepped or even frozen veg for the stir fry (I'm veggie) possibly addition of quorn chicken chunks I believe you can get ready cooked pieces of chicken breast?

Get toasta bags - you can make LOADS in them, not just toasted sandwiches which are also yummy, but you can use them to cook fish fingers/veggie fingers, breaded nuggets, pasties, sausage rolls, potato waffles, pastries, bacon... excellent product

I don't think you can tart up oven pizza, really. Horrified to read people eating chips or wedges with it!!!

We have oven pizza prob once or twice a month when I'm knackered. I add a bit of passata, maybe some blue cheese/black olives/anchovies, plus a drizzle of nice oil at the end.

Garnish with a bottle of nice red and be done with it. Veg tomorrow!

Rocket and coleslaw with pizza here! We make healthy pizzas with wholemeal pitta bread base! X

I made a chickpea salad to go with pizza yesterday. Chickpeas (obviously) then loads of pepper, onions, cucumber and tomato diced small with a spoon of crispy chilli in oil mixed through at the end.
Lovely stuff.

I put vege on the pizza - peppers/onions/mushrooms/olives/artichokes/asparagus - any combination of these
Then serve with a rocket and red onion salad, balsamic vinegar and shaved Parmesan.
I also like coleslaw with pizzas, but only if it's homemade and not at the same time as balsamic vinegar!

With any oven meal - pizza, nuggets, fish fingers etc we do a big plate of crudités and a dish of olive oil and salt or hummus to dip. Since we're eating with our fingers anyway!! It gets the kids eating raw crunchy veg, but (sort of) in the shape of chips. Usually carrots, cucumber, peppers (not green as too bitter but red or yellow), radish, cherry tomatoes, courgette, even raw cauli, broccoli and mushroom if they're perky and fresh.

Any of...

Wedges/chips/garlic bread
Broccoli/green beans/corn on the cob
Salad/veg sticks
Coleslaw/potato salad/beetroot salad
Pasta salad/rice salad/rice pouch
Chicken dippers/pop corn chicken/fried chicken
Beans/bbq beans
Onion rings/breaded mushrooms

Usually something from the freezer and a vegetable of some kind, though

I don't eat fishcakes, but OH does. I have the M&S cheese croquette things when he has fishcakes. We usually have a beetroot salad and either nice bread or a jacket potato with them, but it's double carbs.

I like to do chicken Kiev's with mash potato and lots of streamed veg. Like sausage a mash bit without the gravy. We like chicken nugget salad wraps and fish finger tacos, things like that.

We bought an electric pizza oven (Ferrari Pizza Express) for £100 last summer and now we enjoy 'proper' pizzas every week or so. A batch of dough and some tomato sauce are easy to make and freeze and the pizzas are much tastier and more authentic than any you can cook in a normal oven.

Get some nice Italian style pizzas and add rocket and balsamic glaze on top, maybe some cherry tomatoes. Serve with a salad and corn on the cob with loads of butter, salt and pepper.

Nice rocket salad with olive oil. Yummy.

I like the suggestions for corn on the cob. We usually have corn on the cob with burgers or hotdogs.

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie

We eat a lot of corn on the cob in my house! Is much under rated IMO

Wedges, cucumber, salad like you get at Pizza Hut... esp the onion crispies and bacon bits ;)

Add rocket on top and garlic oil, serve with a mango/palm heart/artichoke (choose one not all) salad.

Or use the premade uncooked sourdough pizza bases you roll out yourselves and top however you like.

Handful of rocket on top of pizza so it wilts a bit.

It's quicker to fry a bit of plaice/sole in the pan than it is to heat up fishcakes. Add a few capers and a squeeze of lemon - even if you just do new potatoes and frozen peas to serve with it, it's an improvement on dreary supermarket fishcakes.

White beans, finely sliced red onion, finely diced celery, tuna if you like, oregano (or rosemary), drizzle of olive oil, salt.
Mix, and eat!

A lovely range of responses here, from pre-made, easy, cheap, practical to really homemade and foodie! Unusual for Mumsnet.

Quick one we've been doing is stuffed tortellini in a fresh pasta sauce. Takes 10 mins max to get on the table. Usually add a bit of salad and garlic bread.

Does anybody know if it's possible to turn fresh tortellini into a nice pasta bake that doesn't involve tomatoes in any shape or form? I'm thinking a kind of creamy al forno type thing.

I make a quick coleslaw of grated carrot, the 'chunky bits' from iceberg lettuce and spring onions with a bit of mayo.
Also salad of feta, leaves, olives and spoon of chutney for dressing.