{"id":3035,"date":"2026-01-17T08:14:07","date_gmt":"2026-01-17T08:14:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/pesto-pizza-recipe-cookie-and-kate\/"},"modified":"2026-01-17T08:14:07","modified_gmt":"2026-01-17T08:14:07","slug":"pesto-pizza-recipe-cookie-and-kate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/pesto-pizza-recipe-cookie-and-kate\/","title":{"rendered":"Pesto Pizza Recipe – Cookie and Kate"},"content":{"rendered":"


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How about pizza tonight?<\/strong> It\u2019s hard to beat classic pesto pizza. This simple vegetarian pizza recipe is a guaranteed crowd pleaser. It offers an irresistible combination of fresh, bright flavors from the basil pesto and tomatoes, plenty of cheesy mozzarella, and a bubbling crust with a satisfying chew. <\/p>\n

This easy pesto pizza recipe comes together quickly with the help of your food processor. You can whip together the dough and pesto in about 15 minutes\u2014just wipe down the processor in between the two components. If you\u2019re looking for a super simple weeknight meal that\u2019s better than take-out, use store-bought dough and pesto instead!<\/p>\n

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Pesto Pizza Ingredients & Topping Options<\/h2>\n

Here\u2019s what you\u2019ll need to make this pizza: <\/p>\n

Pizza dough<\/h3>\n

As usual, I started with my favorite Whole Wheat Pizza Dough Recipe, which is a breeze to make. I recommend using white whole wheat flour, which is now called Golden Whole Wheat by King Arthur, so the whole wheat flavor doesn\u2019t distract from the bright pesto. The recipe works with all-purpose flour, too. <\/p>\n

Change it up:<\/strong> Use your favorite pizza dough recipe that yields around one pound of dough. Store-bought pizza dough works, too\u2014just follow the package\u2019s instructions on letting it rise at room temperature, if necessary. <\/p>\n

Pesto<\/h3>\n

This recipe includes instructions for making basil pesto from scratch. It calls for fresh basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil. <\/p>\n

Change it up:<\/strong> You can substitute another nut for the pine nuts, including almonds, walnuts, pecans or pepitas. You can also use arugula instead of basil, which is generally more affordable and easy to find year-round. <\/p>\n

Mozzarella cheese<\/h3>\n

Mozzarella is perfect on pesto pizza. I loved the results with mini fresh mozzarella balls, called ciliegene, which are just the right size to dot your pizzas. You can also use larger mozzarella balls, torn into one-inch pieces. The trick to making great pizzas with fresh, water-packed mozzarella balls is to lightly pat the cheese dry before topping your pizza to avoid excess moisture. <\/p>\n

Change it up:<\/strong> You can also use grated part-skim mozzarella for delicious results. I slightly preferred the fresh mozzarella\u2019s texture and loved seeing the pesto\u2019s green color shine through. <\/p>\n

Toppings<\/h3>\n

Tomatoes are the classic choice. I recommend cherry tomatoes, which are not too watery and generally more flavorful year-round. They bake up best on pizzas when they\u2019re quartered lengthwise, which helps distribute them evenly across the pizzas and gives them ample surface area to help roast away any excess juice. <\/p>\n

Change it up:<\/strong> You can omit the tomatoes altogether, or substitute other thinly sliced veggies like bell pepper, marinated artichoke, olives, mushrooms, or zucchini or yellow squash (cut like this). Well-drained, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes would offer extra flavor. <\/p>\n

Watch How to Make Pesto Pizza<\/h3>\n
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What to Serve with Pesto Pizza<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re building your meal around pesto pizza as your main course, it\u2019s hard to go wrong. Pesto pizza complements many other fresh, herbed dishes. Here are my top suggestions organized by category. <\/p>\n

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More Recipes Featuring Pesto<\/h2>\n

Pesto is one of my favorite sauces! Here are a few more top recipes with pesto on Cookie and Kate: <\/p>\n

Please let me know how your pesto pizza turns out in the comments.<\/strong> I love hearing from you. <\/p>\n

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Pesto Pizza<\/h2>\n
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This classic pesto pizza recipe features basil pesto, mozzarella and tomato! It\u2019s easy to make from scratch. Store-bought components work well, too. Recipe yields two medium pizzas.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Dough and toppings<\/span><\/h4>\n

Pesto (or substitute 1 cup store-bought)<\/span><\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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  1. Preheat the oven to 500\u00b0F with a rack in the upper third of the oven. (Or, if you\u2019re using a pizza stone, make sure it\u2019s in the oven on the appropriate rack. Consult the manufacturer\u2019s directions.) Prepare the pizza dough as directed, rolling the dough as thinly as possible, but don\u2019t brush the edges with oil (you don\u2019t need it for this recipe, given the pesto\u2019s oil content). Wipe the food processor bowl clean and return it to the machine.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. To make the pesto: In the food processor, combine the basil (reserve a small handful of the prettiest smaller leaves for garnish), nuts, Parmesan, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil. Continue processing until the mixture is well blended, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. To top the pizzas: Spread each pizza with half of the pesto, leaving about 1 inch of empty dough around the edges. If you\u2019re using fresh mozzarella, drain it well and lightly pat it dry on a clean tea towel or paper towels (if you\u2019re using larger mozzarella balls, tear them into 1-inch pieces). Evenly distribute half of the mozzarella and sliced tomatoes over each pizza.<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Transfer one pizza (parchment paper and all) onto a baking sheet and into the oven. Bake until the crust is golden and the cheese on top is bubbling, 8 to 12 minutes (or as few as 5 minutes if using a pizza stone).<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Repeat with the remaining pizza. Top each pizza with the reserved basil leaves and a light sprinkle of Parmesan and red pepper flakes, if desired. Slice and serve.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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    Notes<\/h3>\n
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    Recipe adapted from my Basil Pesto and\u00a0Arugula-Almond Pesto Pizza.<\/em><\/p>\n

    Change it up:<\/strong> Substitute arugula for the basil. You can omit the fresh tomatoes or use other tender veggies, like sliced bell pepper, or you could add sliced Kalamata olives or sun-dried tomatoes.<\/p>\n

    Make it dairy free\/vegan:<\/strong> Follow the substitutions provided with the pizza dough recipe. Omit the mozzarella and Parmesan in this recipe. Substitute a generous drizzle of Vegan Sour Cream for the mozzarella and sprinkle Easy Vegan Parmesan Cheese on the pizza before serving.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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    Nutrition