Frozen pizza turns into crunchy croutons for a bread salad tonight. Tear and toast it to char the crust, toss with greens and a sharp vinaigrette, and you have dinner in under twenty minutes. The cheese melts into the warm croutons and wilts whatever greens you have.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 200 calories a serving, 1 g protein, 2 g carbohydrate, 21 g fat. From USDA figures for 80% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need half frozen pizza, 3 tablespoons oil, to taste salt, to taste pepper, 1 clove garlic, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 3 ounces mixed greens or arugula.

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. While it heats, tear the half pizza into bite-sized pieces and scatter them on a baking sheet.
2. Add the pizza pieces to the hot skillet and toast, stirring often, until the edges are charred and the cheese has mostly melted into the crust, about five to eight minutes. You should hear them crackle and smell toasted bread.7 min
3. Mince 1 clove garlic and whisk it with 1 tablespoon of oil, 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, a pinch of salt, and a grind of pepper. Taste and adjust the vinegar or salt.
4. Put 3 ounces of greens in a large bowl, pour the warm pizza pieces and all their oil and browned bits over the greens, then drizzle the vinaigrette over the top. Toss until the greens wilt slightly and everything is coated, about one minute.
5. Divide between two bowls and eat right away while the croutons are still warm and crisp.

Note Swap the greens for thinly sliced radicchio or cabbage if you have them; they will stay crisp longer. Leftovers keep in an airtight container for one day but the croutons will soften. Serve with a glass of white wine or a cold beer on the side.

Half a frozen pizza becomes dinner when you scatter it with soft, golden onions and a scatter of garlic while it bakes. The toppings are already there; you just need to upgrade what comes out of the box. Roasted in the oven and on the table in twenty minutes.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 280 calories a serving, 6 g protein, 21 g carbohydrate, 20 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 1 frozen pizza half, 1 medium onion, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons oil, to taste salt, to taste pepper.

1. Heat your oven to 425°F [220°C]. Slice 1 medium onion into thin half-moons. Warm 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the onion with a pinch of salt, and stir often until soft and deep golden, about 10 minutes; mince 2 cloves garlic and stir in during the last minute.10 min
2. Place the frozen pizza half directly on the oven rack and bake for 12 minutes, until the crust is crisp and the cheese bubbles at the edges.12 min
3. Top the hot pizza with the caramelized onions and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and serve at once.

Note Swap the onions for thinly sliced mushrooms if you prefer. Leftover pizza keeps covered in the fridge for two days and reheats in a 350°F oven for five minutes. Serve with a simple green salad or warm bread to stretch the meal.

Frozen pizza crust has no business sitting in the freezer, so we thaw it, crisp it in a hot pan, top it with an egg, and finish it under the broiler. It's what you cook when you have five minutes and two mouths to feed.

Serves 2. 15 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 320 calories a serving, 14 g protein, 15 g carbohydrate, 22 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 1 slice or 2 slices frozen pizza half, 1 tablespoon oil, to taste salt, to taste pepper, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup [30g] shredded cheese.

1. Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon oil. Once it shimmers, lay in the frozen pizza slice or slices and let them crisp for 3 to 4 minutes without moving them, until the bottom is deeply golden.4 min
2. Flip the pizza and scatter 1/4 cup [30g] shredded cheese over the top. Crack 2 eggs into the skillet beside the pizza, season them with salt and pepper, and cover the pan with a lid or baking sheet.
3. Cook until the eggs are set and the cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes. If the eggs need more time than the cheese, pull the pan from heat and let carryover heat finish them.4 min

Note Swap regular cheese for whatever you have. The eggs keep the pizza moist and turn it into a proper meal. Serve with a handful of greens and a splash of vinegar on the side, or eat it on its own.