Pesto Margarita Pizza Recipe
Housemade pesto, fresh mozzarella cheese, and tomatoes.
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Ingredients
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Dough & assembly
Housemade basil pesto
Toppings
Method
Dough & assembly
Preheat oven
Place a pizza stone or inverted heavy baking sheet on the middle rack and preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes. If using a home oven that doesn't reach 500°F, preheat to the highest temperature available.
Lightly flour a work surface with the all-purpose flour. Stretch or roll the pizza dough into a 12-inch round (or desired size), leaving a slightly thicker rim for the crust. Transfer the shaped dough to a piece of parchment paper for easier handling.
Brush the dough lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil, focusing on the outer rim to help browning.
Housemade basil pesto
In a food processor or blender, combine toasted pine nuts, basil leaves, garlic cloves, grated Parmesan, lemon juice, kosher salt, and black pepper. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
With the motor running, drizzle in the 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil until the mixture forms a smooth, spreadable pesto. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed.
Reserve about 3/4 cup of pesto for the pizza. Any leftover pesto can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days or frozen.
Toppings & baking
Spread an even layer (about 1/2–3/4 cup) of the housemade pesto over the prepared dough, leaving a 1/2-inch rim.
Arrange the thin mozzarella slices evenly over the pesto, leaving small gaps so the cheese melts evenly. Top with tomato slices, distributing them across the pizza.
If you like a little heat, sprinkle red pepper flakes lightly over the toppings. Grind the 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper over the pizza and lightly sprinkle the 1 teaspoon of flaky sea salt over the tomatoes and crust as desired.
Using a pizza peel or the back of a baking sheet, transfer the pizza (on the parchment) onto the preheated pizza stone or baking sheet. Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 8–12 minutes, or until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and slightly blistered. If using a lower-temp oven, baking may take 12–16 minutes.
Remove the pizza from the oven and let rest on a cutting board for 2 minutes.
Tear or chiffonade fresh basil leaves and scatter them over the hot pizza before slicing.
Slice and serve immediately.