The Ooni pizza oven has become wildly popular in recent years for making delicious wood-fired pizza at home. With temperatures reaching over 900°F, the Ooni oven can cook authentic Neapolitan-style pizza in just 60-90 seconds. But why limit this versatile oven to just pizza? The Ooni is capable of so much more.
While the Ooni oven was designed specifically for pizza, its high heat and fast cooking times make it ideal for cooking a variety of foods beyond pizza. From roasting vegetables to charring meats to baking bread, the Ooni oven opens up many new cooking possibilities right in your own backyard.
Cooking with the Ooni Oven
First, it’s important to understand some basics about how the Ooni oven works. The Ooni uses wood pellets or gas as fuel to heat up an interior stone baking board to incredibly high temperatures. The combination of flame, heat, and stone gives foods cooked in the Ooni that characteristic wood-fired taste and texture.
Here are a few key tips for cooking with the Ooni oven:
- Preheat the oven for at least 15-20 minutes before cooking. This allows the stone to fully heat up.
- Use tongs or a wooden pizza peel to place and rotate foods in the oven. Metal tools conduct heat and can burn you.
- Cook foods quickly, usually just 2-5 minutes per side depending on thickness. The high heat will char foods if cooked too long.
- Brush or spray foods with oil to prevent sticking on the hot stone.
- Keep the oven stoked with wood pellets or keep gas burner on high to maintain high heat.
- Allow oven to reheat for 2-3 minutes between cooking batches.
Now let’s look at all the different ways you can use the Ooni oven!
Roasting Vegetables
Roasting veggies in the Ooni oven gives them an amazing charred flavor you just can’t achieve in a regular oven. The Ooni roasts vegetables quickly at high heat which caramelizes natural sugars and intensifies flavors.
Almost any vegetable tastes great roasted in the Ooni. Try asparagus, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, squash, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and more. Chop vegetables into similar sized pieces so they cook evenly.
Toss chopped veggies in olive oil, salt, and any other desired seasonings. Spread them out on the hot stone in a single layer. Roast for 2-5 minutes per side, turning occasionally, until charred and tender.
Recommended Roasting Temperatures
| Vegetable | Cook Temperature |
|---|---|
| Asparagus | 500°F |
| Brussels Sprouts | 450°F |
| Broccoli | 475°F |
| Potatoes | 425°F |
| Sweet Potatoes | 450°F |
| Onions | 450°F |
| Squash | 450°F |
| Eggplant | 475°F |
| Tomatoes | 450°F |
| Peppers | 475°F |
| Zucchini | 475°F |
Grilling Meat
The Ooni oven brings that charcoal barbecue taste to your backyard without needing an actual grill. Steaks, chops, chicken, shrimp and more all taste amazing cooked over the hot Ooni stone.
Grilling meats in the Ooni only takes 2-5 minutes per side depending on thickness. Quick cooking times ensure the exterior gets nicely charred before the interior overcooks. A meat thermometer is recommended for ensuring foods are fully cooked.
Brush or toss meats with a little oil and seasoning of your choice. Get the stone fully preheated before cooking. Use tongs to place and flip meats, cooking just until desired doneness is reached.
After grilling, let meats rest 5-10 minutes before serving. This allows juices to redistribute so meat stays moist and tender.
Recommended Grilling Times
| Food | Cook Time Per Side |
|---|---|
| Steaks (1 inch thick) | 2-4 minutes |
| Pork Chops (1 inch thick) | 3-5 minutes |
| Chicken Breasts (Boneless, Skinless) | 3-5 minutes |
| Chicken Thighs (Bone-in, Skin-on) | 4-6 minutes |
| Shrimp | 1-2 minutes |
| Sausages | 3-5 minutes |
| Lamb Chops (1 inch thick) | 3-5 minutes |
Baking Breads
The Ooni stone makes an incredible baking surface for fresh artisan breads. With a brief preheat, you can bake boules, batards, baguettes and more with the iconic dusted slash.
For bread baking, it’s best to preheat the Ooni for at least 20 minutes at around 450°F. This allows the stone to mimic the heat of a bread oven. For a crispy crust, spritz some water on the stone before baking.
Shape and proof bread dough according to your recipe directions. For a professional look, use a lame or sharp knife to score a slash in the top of loaf before baking. Bake bread right on the stone until browned and crusty, 15-20 minutes usually.
If making multiple loaves, you may need to reheat the stone for 2-3 minutes between batches.
Great Breads to Bake
| Bread Type | Shaping Method | Slash Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Baguette | Rolled rectangle | diagonal or chevron slashes |
| Bâtard | Oval shape | single slash down center |
| Boule | Rounded shape | graphic or square slashes |
| Focaccia | Flat rectangle | decorative herbed top |
| Pita | Rounded discs | no slash |
Cooking Pizzas
Of course, you can still make incredible wood-fired pizza in the Ooni! The Ooni oven bakes authentic stone-baked pizza far better than your regular kitchen oven.
Crank the Ooni up to maximum heat around 900°F before cooking pizzas. Let it reheat for a few minutes between pies. Use a pizza peel to slide pizzas in and out quickly.
Cook pizza for just 60-90 seconds for that perfect charred crust and melty toppings.Rotate frequently for even cooking. Add any of your favorite toppings – the world is your pizza oyster!
Tips for Ooni Pizza
- Use a pizza peel and semolina flour so pizza slides off easily
- Stretch dough thinly and evenly for best results
- Limit wet toppings to prevent a soggy pizza
- Char vegetables and meats before topping for extra flavor
- Sprinkle cheeses first so they melt properly
- Drizzle sauce near the end of cooking time
- Use high-temp mozzarella so cheese browns nicely
Cooking Fish and Seafood
The Ooni oven can be used for some amazing seafood dishes. The high heat quickly sears skin-on fish fillets for a crispy exterior. Delicate scallops, shrimp and clams cook to tender perfection in just minutes.
Brush fish and scallops lightly in oil and cook for just 1-2 minutes per side until opaque throughout but still moist inside. Don’t overcook seafood or it will dry out.
For clams, mussels and oysters, simply place them directly on the stone, cover, and steam just until shells open, about 5 minutes usually. Discard any unopened shells.
You can even throw wood-fired seafood boils by cooking shellfish in stock, wine or sauce right on the Ooni stone. Serve seafood simply with lemon wedges and grilled bread.
Best Ooni Seafood Recipes
| Seafood | Recipe Idea |
|---|---|
| Salmon | Miso-glazed salmon |
| Shrimp | Cajun spiced shrimp skewers |
| Scallops | Bacon-wrapped scallops |
| Clams | White wine and herb steamed clams |
| Oysters | Wood-fired oysters with garlic butter |
| Mussels | Coconut curry steamed mussels |
Baking Desserts
You can even use your Ooni oven for cooking up delicious wood-fired desserts. From roasted fruits to baked goods, the Ooni adds sweet smoky flavor.
Preheat oven to around 400°F for most dessert cooking. Try cooking fruit crisps, cobblers, brownies, cookies, s’mores, and more. Use a baking sheet or cast iron pan placed directly on the stone.
Roast halved fruits like peaches, plums, figs, apples and pears for an easy wood-fired dessert. You can also bake dessert pizzas made with sweet ingredients like Nutella, marshmallows, cinnamon sugar etc.
Get creative with the Ooni oven to make all kinds of scrumptious desserts infused with a touch of wood-fire.
Sweet Ooni Dessert Ideas
| Dessert | Ingredients |
|---|---|
| Fruit Crisp | Roasted fruit, oats, nuts, brown sugar |
| Skillet Cookie | Cookie dough baked in cast iron |
| Grilled Peaches | Halved peaches, honey, cinnamon |
| Chocolate Lava Cakes | Eggs, chocolate, butter, sugar |
| S’mores | Graham crackers, chocolate, marshmallows |
| Flambéed Bananas | Bananas, brown sugar, rum |
Other Ooni Cooking Ideas
In addition to the wide range of foods mentioned already, there are plenty more creative ways to use the Ooni oven:
- Charred salsa with tomatoes, peppers, onions
- Wood-fired flatbreads like naan, lavash, and pita
- Smoked eggplant or onion baba ghanoush
- Grilled fruit chutneys and compotes
- Smoky roasted nuts for snacks
- Fire-roasted corn on the cob
- Sweet or savory crepes and galettes
- Grilled sandwiches like pizza subs, paninis and quesadillas
The possibilities are truly endless with the versatile Ooni oven. Get creative with different foods, flavors and cultural recipes from around the world. The Ooni can be used for so much more than just pizza!
Cooking Tips and Tricks
Here are some top tips for getting the most of out your Ooni oven:
- Always thoroughly preheat the oven before cooking.
- Use natural wood pellets for the most authentic wood-fired flavor.
- Keep extra fuel on hand so you can quickly add more during cooking.
- Let oven reheat for 2-3 minutes between batches.
- Brush stone with oil to prevent sticking.
- Use metal or wood tools, not plastic, for handling hot foods.
- Work quickly and have all ingredients prepped and ready to go.
- Keep a spray bottle of water handy for spritzing stone or controlling flames.
- Consider wearing an oven mitt on your working hand for grabbing hot pans.
- Let meats and breads rest 5-10 minutes before cutting for better results.
Get Creative with Wood-Fire Cooking
Part of the fun of owning an Ooni oven is experimenting with all the possibilities it provides. The Ooni isn’t just for pizza – it’s a versatile cooker that can be used for amazing meats, seafood, vegetables, baked goods and more.
Think outside the pizza box and discover all that your Ooni oven can do. Impress your family and friends with stunning wood-fired dishes from starters to desserts. Let the Ooni oven unleash your inner chef!