Looking for an easy and delicious way to step up your pizza night? This homemade pesto pizza recipe is your answer! Ready in under 10 minutes, it’s packed with flavor and is a real crowd pleaser!
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It would be an understatement to say we love pizzas, Greek pizza, Caprese pizza, Margharita pizza, you name them, we LOVE them.
And we think you’ll love this pesto pizza – let us know!
Why you’ll love this delicious pizza recipe
- A great cost efficient way to use up pesto in your fridge.
- Quick and easy, it can be made in as little as 5 minutes.
- It tastes as good as it looks and adults and kids all love it.
- The ingredients are 100% vegetarian.
Ingredients you’ll need
You’ll need all the ingredients in the photograph below.
The moment you bite into that crispy crust and taste the delicious cheesy herby flavor of pesto, you’ll know, and when you know, you know.
What do you serve with pesto pizza?
You don’t always have to serve it with something as it’s great on its own but you could dip it in pizza aioli, garlic dip, or max out on pesto with pesto aioli.
It would make a great sharer starter for pasta dishes such as penne arrabiata, spaghetti Aglio e olio, or penne alla vodka.
What is pesto?
Pesto is a sauce made from crushed basil leaves, garlic, Parmesan cheese (we use a vegetarian version), pine nuts, and olive oil, we love to make pesto pasta with it.
Pesto sauce is traditionally used as a pasta sauce, but can also be used on pizzas, in soups, or as a dip.
Basil is the key ingredient in pesto and gives it its signature flavor. The other ingredients simply enhance the taste of the basil and complement its earthy notes.
Homemade pesto or store bought?
There really is nothing like homemade pesto, the flavor is nothing like you can buy in a store.
We definitely recommend making it, it’ll take you just 15 minutes to make this classic basil pesto recipe and it freezes too, so make a batch for next time.
But we realize not everyone wants to make their own, so when shopping for pesto, look for a sauce that has a bright green color and a pungent aroma. Avoid sauces that are dull in color or have an overly sweet taste.
Do I have to make my own pizza dough?
No you don’t have to make your own pizza dough, naturally homemade pizza dough is going to be better, so if you have time, make it (dough recipe coming soon)
You can buy store bought pizza dough and use that or buy a good quality pizza crust, the choice is yours!
What’s the best way to cook pizza?
There are three ways to cook a pizza.
In a pizza oven, on a pizza stone, and on a pizza pan.
Pizza ovens get our vote every time, the pizza oven we use cooks in as little as 60 seconds – it’s phenomenal and you get that classic charred crust.
After a pizza oven, a pizza stone is your next best bet. It’s cost efficient and you can fit it in your kitchen oven and the heat ensures that you get a good crispy crust.
Our final recommendation would be a pizza pan, this is a round pan but it has holes in the bottom which allows some of the heat to reach the crust, and will give you a better pizza than using a baking sheet.
Recipe variations
One of the best things about making homemade pizza is that you get to choose what goes on it.
We’ve used grated mozzarella cheese, but you could use fresh mozzarella cheese instead if you prefer.
Just make sure the fresh mozzarella is drained from any water it comes in or it’ll make the pizza soggy.
Add fresh tomatoes, cherry tomatoes are a good choice.
Trying to cut down on meat but love chicken pesto pizza? Simply sub the chicken for vegetarian chicken!
How to store leftover pesto pizza
Our pesto pizza will store for up to 3 days when kept in the fridge in an airtight container.
You can either choose to reheat it or eat it cold.
You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
Recipe notes and expert tips
- Don’t overload
The more topping you have on your pizza, the more you risk a soggy crust, just remember, less is more.
- Storage
Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Important
Different pizza ovens, pizza stones, or pans all cook in different ways. Watch your pizza as you may have to increase or reduce the cooking time.
More easy pizza recipes for you to try at home
Margharita pizza – the easiest pizza you’ll ever make
Cheese pizza – loaded with cheesy flavor
Mushroom pizza – you can never have too many mushrooms – right?
Pineapple pizza – our take on a Hawaiian pizza
Nutella pizza – hazelnut chocolate and strawberries, perfect dessert pizza!
How to make our pesto pizza recipe with step by step instructions
It’s easy to make pesto pizza recipe is easy if you follow our simple instructions.
If using a pizza oven
Preheat your pizza oven to 650°F/340°C.
Lightly dust your pizza paddle with flour and place your pizza crust.
Spread pesto over your pizza crust, leaving ½ inch border, then add mozzarella cheese, vegetarian Parmesan cheese, mushrooms, tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper.
Place your pizza in the oven and cook for approximately 2 – 3 minutes, use a pizza turning peel to turn the pizza every 20 seconds to ensure an even cook.
When cooked, your pizza crust should look charred and the pizza toppings perfectly cook.
Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh basil leaves.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
If you are using a kitchen oven
Preheat your oven to 500°F/260°260C.
If you are using a pizza stone, put it in the oven so it heats up.
Place your pizza crust on a lightly floured surface or on your pizza pan, and spread pesto over your pizza crust, leaving ½ inch border, then add mozzarella cheese, vegetarian Parmesan cheese, mushrooms, tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper.
Place your pizza in the oven and cook for approximately 8 – 10 minutes, turning halfway to ensure an even cook.
When your pizza is ready, the crust will be a lovely golden brown, and the toppings perfectly cooked.
Remove from the oven, garnish with chopped fresh basil leaves and serve immediately – enjoy!
We hope that you enjoy making and eating our pesto pizza and would love to hear how you got on with making it.
Please leave a comment below and feel free to ask any questions you may have.
Pesto pizza recipe: easy and delicious
Utensils
Ingredients
- All purpose flour to coat your work surface
- 1 12 inch pizza base
- ¼ cup Basil pesto
- 4 oz Mozzarella cheese shredded or sliced
- ⅛ cup Vegetarian Parmesan cheese finely grated
- ¼ cup Mushrooms sliced
- 1 Vine ripened tomato cut into chunks
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ⅛ cup Basil leaves torn
Instructions
If using a pizza oven
- Preheat your pizza oven to 650°F/340°C
- Lightly dust your pizza paddle with flour, then place your pizza base on the flourAll purpose flour, 1 12 inch pizza base
- Spread pesto over your pizza crust, leaving ½ inch border, then add mozzarella cheese, vegetarian Parmesan cheese, mushrooms, tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper¼ cup Basil pesto, 1 Vine ripened tomato, ¼ cup Mushrooms, ⅛ cup Basil leaves, ⅛ cup Vegetarian Parmesan cheese, Salt and pepper, 4 oz Mozzarella cheese
- Place the pizza in the oven and cook, using the pizza turning peel to turn the pizza every 20 seconds for an even cook, until the base has charred and the topping is evenly cooked approximately 2 – 3 minutes
- Remove from the oven, garnish with fresh basil leaves, serve immediately and enjoy your pesto pizza!
If using a kitchen oven
- Preheat your oven to 500°F/260°C
- If you are using a pizza stone, put it in the oven so it heats up
- Place your pizza crust on a lightly floured surface or on your pizza pan, and spread pesto over your pizza crust, leaving ½ inch border, then add mozzarella cheese, vegetarian Parmesan cheese, mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper
- Place your pizza in the oven and cook for approximately 8 – 10 minutes, turning halfway to ensure an even cook. When your pizza is ready, the crust will be a lovely golden brown, and the toppings perfectly cooked
- Remove from the oven, garnish with fresh basil leaves, serve immediately and enjoy your pesto pizza!
Notes
The more topping you have on your pizza, the more you risk a soggy crust, just remember, less is more Storage
Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months Important
Different pizza ovens, pizza stones, or pans all cook in different ways. Watch your pizza as you may have to increase or reduce the cooking time
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Please note that nutrient values are estimates only. Variations can occur due to product availability and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of origin, preparation, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.
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