Michael Symon's Sweet And Spicy Addition To Frozen Pizza Really Works

After a long day of work, a frozen pizza is a great, easy meal that almost anyone can enjoy. But, as good as it is, it can almost always be made that much better with extra ingredients and condiments. With the right additions, even the blandest Costco frozen pizza can become a delicious meal that even the pickiest eaters will look forward to.

One great addition for your frozen pizza comes from celebrity chef Michael Symon. He recommends a drizzle of hot honey on top for a sweet and spicy flavor combination that's sure to please your taste buds. Hot honey is exactly what it sounds like: it's honey with some kind of spice added, usually in the form of peppers and other ingredients commonly found in hot sauce. It's become a trendy food item in recent years, and it's not hard to see why. The spiciness helps cut through honey's natural sweet richness, as well as the sometimes heavy ingredients that can come with a pizza, adding complexity to the flavor profile.

Part of the beauty of Michael Symon's favorite pizza topping is that there are many different kinds of hot honey to select. Fine-tune the heat to your taste, or look for flavors that can more specifically complement the other ingredients. If you can't find anything to suit your palate, you can also try making your own hot honey by mixing honey and spicy add-ins — perhaps red pepper flakes, to start? — and giving it a try.

Before you splash some hot honey on your frozen pizza, keep a few things in mind. While how much to add is up to you, we all know there can be too much of a good thing. If you haven't had it before, start with a light drizzle across the pizza and take notes for future dinners. Keep in mind that the heat of the freshly cooked pizza can intensify the spiciness.

Also, follow Michael Symon's example and match your honey to the toppings on your pizza. He typically has it with pepperoni pizza, where the rich cured meat matches up well with hot honey. The heat helps cut through and complement the heavy pepperoni, while its sweetness serves as an excellent flavor foil. With the right pairing, even the worst-reviewed grocery store frozen pizzas can become a delicious go-to meal, so take stock of what's available to you, with varieties that include smoky notes, citrus-forward flavors, and the extra punch of habanero peppers, for starters.

Finally, add the honey after the pizza comes out of the oven, not before it goes in. If the honey cooks in the oven, it changes the flavor profile and can burn. Caramelizing honey can improve its flavor and improve your pizza, but burnt honey is hardly ever tasty.