Pesto Flatbread

Total Time

Prep: 20 min. Bake: 20 min.

Makes

8 servings

Updated: Dec. 29, 2023
We kneaded basil, oregano and Parmesan cheese into packaged bread dough for this full-flavored crust. Purchased pesto sauce keeps the pesto flatbread big on taste and convenience. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 1 loaf (1 pound) frozen bread dough, thawed
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 cup prepared pesto
  • 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°. Place dough on a lightly floured surface; let rest for 10 minutes. Knead in 1/4 cup cheese, basil and the oregano. Roll into a 12-in. circle; place on a greased 14-in. pizza pan. Prick with a fork. Bake 10 minutes.
  2. Spread pesto over crust. Sprinkle with mushrooms, mozzarella cheese and the remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake pizza until golden brown, 8-10 minutes longer.
Pesto Pizza Tips

What kind of pesto should you use to make pesto pizza?

While basil pesto is the traditional choice for pesto pizza, feel free to use any type of pesto. There are some tremendous store-bought pesto brands. That said, if you have the time, it’s hard to beat homemade pesto. Creating it yourself allows you to customize the ingredients, making the pizza taste so fresh. Our guide to how to make pesto provides plenty of tips if you want to give it a shot.

Can you make your own dough when making pesto pizza?

Store-bought pizza dough is certainly convenient, but it’s surprisingly easy to use your own homemade pizza dough for pesto pizza. Most recipes don’t require any special tools or ingredients. Simply combine the ingredients, knead the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes before shaping. If you plan ahead, you can make the dough the night before and let it proof overnight in the refrigerator.

What other toppings can you put on a pesto pizza?

Not everyone is a mushroom fan, so feel free to omit them from this pesto pizza and use other toppings instead. Fresh tomatoes are an excellent option (or sundried tomatoes, if heirloom varieties are not in season in your area). Choose toppings that can hold up to pesto’s bold flavor, like prosciutto, olives, kale or chicken. Creamy cheeses like burrata and goat cheese work well on this type of pizza, too.

—Lindsay Mattison, Taste of Home Contributing Writer

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 259 calories, 11g fat (4g saturated fat), 17mg cholesterol, 513mg sodium, 31g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 2g fiber), 12g protein.