Pesto Pizza Recipe

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The perfect farewell to summer! This pesto pizza recipe will use up all those ripe tomatoes and overgrown basil from the garden! It comes together in just minutes with store bought pizza dough or my favorite no knead dough recipe.

How to make pesto pizza:

Gently press dough into a circle and slap it back and forth between your hands to create a 12-14 inch crust.

Transfer to a pizza pan (I HIGHLY recommend this one). Poke crust all over with a fork.

Brush entire crust with olive oil.

Par-bake crust for 3-5 minutes. See how nice and golden brown this pan helps the crust get?! If there is one pan you invest it – let it be this one! Also – it’s actually super inexpensive so it’s worth every penny!!

While the crust is par-baking, throw together my super easy basil pesto.

Remove from oven and spread pesto across crust, leaving about an inch around the perimeter.

Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly across the pizza.

Place tomatoes on top of the cheese. Sprinkle oregano across the pizza as well as a large pinch of Kosher salt. Brush crust with more olive oil. 

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is dark golden brown.

Why you’re going to love this pesto pizza:

• It’s the perfect way to showcase all those fresh veggies and herbs from the garden! If you’ve got an abundance of ripe tomatoes and bushes of basil in the garden, this pizza is a MUST. It’s the perfect way to use up the last of the late summer harvest (or welcome a new season of warmth)!
• It’s a hearty vegetarian dinner that will even please the meat eaters in your life! My carnivorous, meat loving husband gave this pizza his stamp of approval saying it was “the best pizza you’ve ever made”. So I’m pretty confident that you can serve this at your next pizza night or tailgate party and everyone is going to LOVE it.
• It’s a welcomed reprieve from the classic pepperoni pizza you’re always making on Friday night! Switch things up a bit and give the pepperoni a rest next week! The classic toppings have had their day in the sun – let’s give the tomatoes and basil some time to shine!

Tips for making the best pesto and tomato pizza:

• Don’t skip the par-baking! It may seem like an unnecessary extra step, but you have to partially bake the crust in order to get that perfectly crisp, golden brown crust. Trust me, it’s worth the extra 3 minutes!
• For a really extra crispy crust make sure you brush it with oil before par-baking and then also brush the edges before the final bake. This will give the crust the most buttery, rich flavor and just the right amount of crunch!
• Less is more when it comes to toppings. When making a 12 inch pie, make sure you stick to about a 1/2 cup of sauce and 1 cup of cheese plus a handful of veggies or meats. This will ensure that the crust cooks evenly and thoroughly and you’re not left with a soggy mess!

If you loved this pizza, you’ll definitely enjoy these family dinner favorites:

• Loaded Baked Potato Pizza
• 30 Minute Baked Ravioli
• One Pan Chicken & Rice Casserole
• 10 Minute Vegetarian Lasagna
• Healthy Slow Cooker Chili

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