Pesto pizza is a delightful change of pace for pizza night. The bright green sauce, bursting with a nutty, garlicky, herbaceous essence, brings boldness to pizza in every way possible. Pair pesto with a chewy homemade pizza dough, juicy tomatoes and mozzarella cheese for a delicious vegetarian pizza. Or, change it up with any other pizza toppings you desire.
A little pesto goes a long way; you need only 1/2 cup pesto for each pizza. If you end up with leftover sauce, don’t fret. There are many great recipes to use up a jar of pesto, or you can freeze the extra pesto for up to six months.
Ingredients for Pesto Pizza
- Pizza dough: Use this homemade pizza dough recipe or pick up prepared pizza dough from the grocery store. Let the frozen dough thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Pesto: Homemade pesto is easy to make and tastes incredibly fresh. Of course, there are some excellent store-bought pesto brands that you can use if you’re running short on time.
- Mozzarella cheese: We use shredded mozzarella to cover the entire pizza with a melty layer of cheese. Feel free to swap in sliced mozzarella to make a pesto margherita pizza instead.
- Tomato: Basil and tomatoes are a classic pairing! The juicy tomatoes really accentuate the pesto’s fresh flavor. If tomatoes aren’t in season in your area, you can use sun-dried tomatoes.
Directions
Step 1: Prebake the pizza dough
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Press the dough to fit a greased 14-inch pizza pan. Pinch the edges to form a rim. Bake the dough until the edges are lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes.
Step 2: Add the pizza toppings
Spread the pesto over the crust.
Then, sprinkle it with mozzarella, and top the cheese with tomato slices and pepper.
Step 3: Bake the pesto pizza
On a lower oven rack, bake the pizza until it is heated through and the crust is golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
Let the pizza stand 10 minutes before serving. If desired, garnish with fresh basil.
Pesto Pizza Variations
- Change the toppings: There are so many great topping choices for pesto pizza. Use ingredients that can hold up to pesto’s bold flavor, like mushrooms, bell peppers, oven-roasted tomatoes, olives or marinated artichokes. To make a meaty pie, add cooked meats like thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped bacon, ground sausage or shredded chicken to make chicken pesto pizza.
- Experiment with a different pesto: Basil pesto is traditional, but it’s not the only choice for pesto pizza. Try using other greens to make kale pesto, arugula pesto, spinach pesto or even garlic scape pesto. If you’re serving anyone with nut allergies, try this nut-free pesto recipe.
- Use another cheese: Instead of using a melting cheese like mozzarella, add dollops of a creamy cheese like burrata, ricotta or goat cheese.
- Make vegan pesto pizza: Use a vegan pesto recipe and vegan cheese. Check the ingredients on store-bought pizza dough to ensure it contains only plant-based ingredients.
How to Store Pesto Pizza
Store leftover pesto pizza in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. The best ways to reheat pizza are on a preheated baking sheet in the oven or in a skillet on the stovetop.
Pesto Pizza Tips
What is pesto sauce made of?
Pesto is a rustic Italian sauce traditionally made with basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese and olive oil. Several variations exist, including pesto made with leafy greens like spinach or kale. Pine nuts are expensive, so many pesto sauces are instead made with nuts like pistachios or walnuts.
Do you have to make your own pizza dough for pesto pizza?
Homemade dough tastes fantastic, but it’s not the only option for this pesto pizza recipe. If you don’t have time to knead or shape pizza dough, use a premade pizza crust. Or, even though the pizza will turn out differently, you could also substitute naan bread to make a flatbread version of pesto pizza.
