Category: "pizza"

Our Tips for the Crispiest, Crunchiest, Charred-est Pizza Ever

We love ordering pizza from our favorite local slice joint or Neapolitan-style spot, but the taste of homemade pizza—especially our favorite grilled pizza recipes—is something truly special. A lightly charred crust drizzled with olive oil, a sprinkle o…

We love ordering pizza from our favorite local slice joint or Neapolitan-style spot, but the taste of homemade pizza—especially our favorite grilled pizza recipes—is something truly special. A lightly charred crust drizzled with olive oil, a sprinkle of basil leaves, a swirl of marinara sauce, and a generous amount of ooey-gooey mozzarella cheese is as simple and delicious as can be. Of course you can go all out with truffle-flavored ingredients or meat-lover toppings galore. If you’re looking for an upgrade to your summer dinner (after all, who doesn’t want a new and improved menu for entertaining family or friends?), make homemade pizza on the grill. Ahead, we’ll tell you how to do just that like a pro.

33 Genius Grilling Recipes for Smarter, Better Cookouts

33 Genius Grilling Recipes for Smarter, Better Cookouts

16 Recipes to Make Tonight a Pizza Party

16 Recipes to Make Tonight a Pizza Party

From Our Shop

Emile Henry Ceramic Pizza Stone $55–$90

More Options

Wood Handled Pizza Wheel $24.99

Matte Black & Brass Pizza Peel $59

How to Grill Pizza

Any great pizza—whether wood-fried, brick-oven baked, or grilled—starts with the perfect pizza dough. You can make your own with your favorite recipe or buy store-bought from a local pizzeria. Even if you love a deep-dish or Sicilian-style pizza, now’s not the time to make an extra-large pie. Instead, Paula Disbrowe, author of Food52’s Any Night Grilling: 60 Ways to Fire Up Dinner (and More), recommends stretching the pizza dough out to ½ inch thick or less. “Place the stretched crust on a pizza peel dusted with cornmeal or semolina flour, then add your toppings right before you slide the pizza onto the hot grates,” says Disbrowe. For an extra-crispy crust, grill one side of the pizza dough first, add toppings like pizza sauce, pepperoni, meatballs, clams, or an assortment of different cheeses to the charred pizza crust, and then slide the pie (uncooked side down) back onto the grill for an additional few minutes.

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Our Favorite Overnight Pizza Dough

No matter the toppings, homemade pizza is sure to be a crowd pleaser. And the foundation of good homemade pizza is, of course, the crust. Once you find a reliable, go-to pizza crust recipe, you’ll be set for life. We’ve made dozens of different crust recipes over the years, and this one is our all-time […]

The post Our Favorite Overnight Pizza Dough first appeared on Love and Olive Oil.

No matter the toppings, homemade pizza is sure to be a crowd pleaser. And the foundation of good homemade pizza is, of course, the crust. Once you find a reliable, go-to pizza crust recipe, you’ll be set for life.

We’ve made dozens of different crust recipes over the years, and this one is our all-time favorite: an overnight pizza dough recipe that uses what’s called a poolish, or pre-ferment, to develop a lovely depth of flavor without the need for a sourdough starter. It’s thick (but not too thick) and perfectly chewy, with an open, airy crumb and a delightfully crisp bottom.

Overhead wooden cutting board with two sliced pizzas (pepperoni and pizza bianca), with a bowl of sauce

As much as I love sourdough, I find most sourdough pizza crusts too tangy for my tastebuds. But often times recipes using instant yeast are downright flavorless. This pizza dough, however, strikes the perfect balance of flavor and fermentation, and it does so using what’s called a poolish, or pre-ferment, which gives the dough a lovely depth of flavor without the harsh undertones of sourdough.

This post and recipe is really focused the dough: what you put on top of it is up to your personal taste and limited only by your imagination.

Our favorite go-to pizza assembly includes a thin layer of extra thick pizza sauce (recipe coming in a separate post!) plus slices of creamy mozzarella and lots of pepperoni (I have to say, I never used to be a pepperoni person but lately it’s been growing on me). Sometimes we’ll add a sprinkle of parmesan or some fresh basil leaves to finish it off.

If I happen to have fresh chard on hand, this pizza bianca with goat cheese is quite possibly my favorite pizza of all time (just ignore the old crust recipe in that post, ok? This new one is better).

Side view, pepperoni pizza with one slice cut out to show the texture of the crust.

This recipe is scaled and adapted from one of my favorite bread books, Flour, Water, Salt, Yeast. The book actually has four different pizza dough recipes, including a sourdough pizza dough and a same-day pizza dough. But this one, an overnight dough made with a poolish or pre-ferment, has emerged as our favorite. I’ve scaled it down, as the original makes 6 balls of dough and frankly, I don’t have a container big enough for that much dough.

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Ultimate Arugula Pizza

This arugula pizza features a topping of baby greens! The fresh, peppery flavor is a great contrast to the rich…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

This arugula pizza features a topping of baby greens! The fresh, peppery flavor is a great contrast to the rich cheese below.

Arugula Pizza

Want to eat salad and pizza…at the same time? Try this Arugula Pizza recipe! You’ve probably seen this style of pizza at artisan-style pizzerias: a gooey, cheesy pie topped with fresh baby greens. Yep, that’s seasoned baby arugula! This Italian way of serving pizza is all about contrast: fresh peppery baby greens against a rich, saucy pizza. Here’s our favorite arugula pizza, made in a sheet pan! Or you can simply use the arugula topping on your favorite pizza.

Making arugula pizza: 3 tips to note!

You can use this arugula pizza recipe as a guide for topping your pizzas with fresh greens! This topping idea works for any pizza recipe, or you can use our amazing and tasty sheet pan pizza: more on that below. Here’s all about need to know about adding arugula as a pizza topping:

  • Use only baby arugula. This does not work with standard arugula: it’s sold in bunches and has large leaves that are very spicy. Instead look for baby arugula: it has a lovely feathery texture and milder flavor.
  • Season the arugula with olive oil and salt. Dry arugula on a pizza is not good (trust us). All you have to do is toss it in a bowl with olive oil and salt.
  • Use the recipe below, or eyeball the quantities. Once you’ve done this once, you can just eyeball the quantities. Then add to your favorite pizza recipe!
Arugula pizza

Use arugula with any toppings

You can use arugula topping to go with pizzas of any toppings! Below we used our favorite combination, but it works with just about anything.

  • Try pizza sauce, smoked gouda and mozzarella. Head to the recipe below for our favorite combo with arugula! It stars our Easy Pizza Sauce and smoked gouda cheese for a savory twist.
  • Make arugula and Prosciutto pizza. Salty cured Italian ham (Prosciutto) is the perfect pair with arugula! Just add a few pieces to the recipe below.
  • Or, use it with any of your favorite toppings! Seasoned baby greens work with just about anything: pesto pizza, burrata pizza, margherita pizza, and more!

Try it as a sheet pan pizza

The recipe for this arugula pizza below is a sheet pan pizza. It’s not our standard way to make pizza: instead it’s made in a sheet pan! Here are the pros and cons to this style of pizza:

  • Pros: it makes a big pan and it’s easy to make. A sheet pan pizza has 12 pieces, so it serves quite a bit! You can skip making 2 pizzas and make just one. Also, you don’t need as much equipment, like a pizza stone or pizza peel. You can press it right into a sheet pan!
  • Cons: it takes a little longer. This style of pizza takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes to prep, a little longer than our standard cheese pizza (which takes 1 hour and less prep work). But it’s well worth it in our opinion!
Arugula pizza topping

Or, make a standard pizza or use purchased dough!

You can also make this arugula pizza as a standard pizza! We’ve included the instructions for that in the recipe below in the Notes section. Here’s a little overview:

  • Dough: You can use our Italian Pizza Dough recipe, which has incredible flavor and makes a medium sized pizza! Or use store-bought dough.
  • Pizza stone: The best homemade pizza uses a pizza stone, which gets blazing hot in the oven. The higher temperature makes a crispy crust on the outside that’s doughy on the inside. Here’s the best pizza stone we’ve found.
  • Pizza peel: The pizza peel is a paddle used to slide the pizza onto the stone. We recommend this Standard pizza peel or this Conveyor pizza peel.
Arugula pizza recipe

What to serve with arugula pizza

We love this arugula pizza because it’s absolutely delicious and it makes us feel a little bit healthier! The arugula adds a fresh, peppery flavor and fluffy texture that’s incredibly satisfying. We’d still recommend adding a few salads to make it a meal. Pro tip: make one pizza and two salads, instead of two pizzas and one salad! Here are some favorite sides for pizza:

This arugula pizza recipe is…

Vegetarian.

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Arugula pizza

Ultimate Arugula Pizza

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 12 pieces
  • Diet: Vegetarian
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Description

This arugula pizza features a topping of baby greens! The fresh, peppery flavor is a great contrast to the rich cheese below.

Ingredients

For the pizza dough*

  • 375 grams (3 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon instant or active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon each dried oregano and garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 264 grams (1 cup – 2 tablespoons) warm water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for the sheet

For the arugula pizza

  • 1 ¼ cup pizza sauce (purchased or our favorite Easy Pizza Sauce)
  • 1 cup (3 ounces) shredded smoked gouda cheese
  • ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
  • 4 cups (3 ounces) baby arugula
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
  • Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Make the dough (5 minutes): In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, yeast, kosher salt, oregano and garlic powder. Add the warm water and olive oil and stir until flour is incorporated.
  2. Knead the dough (8 minutes): Knead the dough by pushing with the base of your palm, then reforming it into a ball. Continue kneading for 8 minutes until the dough feels pillowy and has a smooth, stretchy exterior. If the dough is very sticky, add a small amount of flour while kneading. Alternatively: attach the dough hook to a stand mixer and start the mixer on medium-low speed, then allow the mixer to knead for 8 minutes.
  3. Roll out and rest the dough in a sheet pan (15 minutes): Using floured hands, gently shape the dough into a boule (ball shape) by folding the dough under itself. Add a light sprinkle of flour to the boule. Then roll out dough on floured surface to roughly the shape of the 13×18 sheet pan. Brush 3 tablespoons olive oil on the bottom and sides of a standard 13″x 18″ sheet pan. Add the dough and brush it lightly with oil. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and rest for 15 minutes to relax the dough.
  4. Rest the dough again (45 minutes): Press the dough back into the corners of the pan so it evenly covers the pan. Cover and rest 45 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 500F.
  6. Bake the pizza dough* without toppings: After the 45 minute rest, bake the pizza dough for 6 minutes without sauce and toppings.
  7. Add the toppings and bake again: Remove the dough from the oven. Add the pizza sauce, smoked mozzarella, fresh mozzarella (torn into pieces), and Parmesan cheese, and top with a few pinches of kosher salt. Take care, since the pan will be hot! Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly brown.
  8. Add the arugula topping: In a small bowl, mix the baby arugula with the olive oil and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Sprinkle the pizza with torn basil, then add the arugula on top. Cut into pieces with a knife (a pizza cutter doesn’t get all the way to the pan edges) and serve immediately.

Notes

*Or, use store-bought pizza dough for quicker prep. For this method you can skip pre-baking the crust. Here’s what to do: Make our Best Pizza Dough or use storebought dough. Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500°F. When the oven is ready, dust a pizza peel with cornmeal or semolina flour. (If you don’t have a pizza peel, you can use a rimless baking sheet or the back of a rimmed baking sheet. But a pizza peel is well worth the investment!) Stretch the dough into a circle; see How to Stretch Pizza Dough for instructions. Then gently place the dough onto the pizza peel. Top the pizza as noted above (you can use less cheese since the pizza will be smaller). Use the pizza peel to carefully transfer the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone. Bake the pizza until the cheese and crust are nicely browned, about 5 to 7 minutes in the oven (or 1 minute in a pizza oven). Slice into pieces and serve immediately.

  • Category: Main dish
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Italian

Keywords: Arugula pizza

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza

Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza
Sink your teeth into this authentic Chicago-style deep-dish pizza! Made with a flaky, buttery crust, melty cheese, and chunky homemade tomato sauce, this deep-dish pizza is the ultimate at-home pizza!
READ: Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza

A close up of a deep-dish pizza with two slices cut out on a piece of parchment paper.

Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza

Sink your teeth into this authentic Chicago-style deep-dish pizza! Made with a flaky, buttery crust, melty cheese, and chunky homemade tomato sauce, this deep-dish pizza is the ultimate at-home pizza!

READ: Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza

Portobello Mushroom Pizza

This portobello mushroom pizza flips the typical pizza on its head! Use the mushroom as a crust for an easy dinner or side dish. Portobello mushroom pizza sounds like mushrooms are the toppings, right? Well, meet the new best way to use portobellos on pizza: as the crust! There’s no veggie that’s not delicious with pizza on top, and mushrooms are no exception. These meaty giant fungi make the perfect personal pizza size for all your favorite toppings. Use the idea as a tasty gluten free dinner, or a fun side dish. Here’s how to pull off this trick! Basic idea for portobello mushroom pizza The concept of portobello mushroom pizza is very simple: roast the mushrooms, add the toppings, and bake until the cheese melts. But as with any recipe, there are a few helpful hints to keep in mind for the process. Brush the portbello caps with oil and spices. Get them fully covered, then sprinkle with salt. Roast at 450 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, until nice and tender. Drain of all excess water! This is the most important part of the process. Mushrooms are full of water, and release water as they bake. Discard all […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

This portobello mushroom pizza flips the typical pizza on its head! Use the mushroom as a crust for an easy dinner or side dish.

Portobello Mushroom Pizza

Portobello mushroom pizza sounds like mushrooms are the toppings, right? Well, meet the new best way to use portobellos on pizza: as the crust! There’s no veggie that’s not delicious with pizza on top, and mushrooms are no exception. These meaty giant fungi make the perfect personal pizza size for all your favorite toppings. Use the idea as a tasty gluten free dinner, or a fun side dish. Here’s how to pull off this trick!

Basic idea for portobello mushroom pizza

The concept of portobello mushroom pizza is very simple: roast the mushrooms, add the toppings, and bake until the cheese melts. But as with any recipe, there are a few helpful hints to keep in mind for the process.

  • Brush the portbello caps with oil and spices. Get them fully covered, then sprinkle with salt.
  • Roast at 450 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, until nice and tender.
  • Drain of all excess water! This is the most important part of the process. Mushrooms are full of water, and release water as they bake. Discard all of the water to avoid watery pizza.
  • Top and bake again. Just a few more minutes in the oven is all they need: just to melt the cheese!
Portobello pizza

Key to the flavor: Pecorino Romano cheese

Here’s a tip we love to use for topping any type of pizza: use Pecorino Romano cheese! Pecorino Romano cheese is an aged Italian cheese that’s similar to Parmesan, but even saltier and more savory. Trust us: this will revolutionize your pizza! Put a few sprinkles on a portobello pizza and it’s gold.

What’s a Pecorino substitute? Parmesan cheese is pretty close, but doesn’t have quite the magic of Pecorino. If you do decide to use it, make sure to add another pinch of salt to the top of each pizza.

More topping ideas for portobello pizza

You can use any toppings you like on portobello mushroom pizza, of course! If you have 5 minutes, our Easy Pizza Sauce is incredible delicious. Then add whatever you like! This recipe is more of a concept than a strict guide to follow. A few topping ideas to try:

  • Pepperoni or Prosciutto
  • Artichoke hearts
  • Jarred bell peppers
  • Olives
  • Feta cheese
  • Herbs like basil, oregano or thyme

Toppings to avoid? Because portobellos do have extra moisture, avoid watery toppings like fresh mozzarella cheese or burrata.

Portobello mushroom pizza

How to serve a portobello mushroom pizza

Last important thing to note: this portobello mushroom pizza is not quite a meal in itself. Whatever way you serve it, a mushroom is not nearly as filling as a traditional pizza crust. So if you’re serving this as a main dish, make sure to add some hearty, filling side dishes. You also can serve the pizzas as a side dish. Here are some ideas for ways to serve portobello pizza as a main:

More portobello recipes

Not sure about you, but we’re a little obsessed with the meaty, succulent portobello mushroom. This mighty fungus is pretty darn special. Here are a few more of our favorite portobello recipes for ideas to serve it:

Portobello pizza

This portobello pizza recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free.

Print
Portobello Mushroom Pizza

Easy Portobello Mushroom Pizza

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 6 pizzas (4 as a side, 2 to 3 as a main)
  • Diet: Vegetarian
Print Recipe

Description

This portobello mushroom pizza flips the typical pizza on its head! Use the mushroom as a crust for an easy dinner or side dish.

Ingredients

  • 6 medium portobello caps (about 10 to 12 ounces)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 cups Easy Pizza Sauce
  • 1 to 1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
  • 1/3 cup Pecorino Romano cheese (highly recommended*)
  • Toppings: sliced Fresno peppers, fresh basil, other toppings as desired

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. 
  2. Clean the portobello mushrooms and remove the stems. Place the mushrooms on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet gill side up. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil with the oregano and garlic powder. Brush the tops and bottoms of the mushroom caps with the oil, adding a little more to the bowl of spices if it runs out. Sprinkle the kosher salt evenly divided among the mushroom caps.
  3. Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast the mushrooms for 10 to 15 minutes until tender. Once baked, drain the caps of all of the excess liquid (this step is important: otherwise the mushrooms are much too watery).
  4. Turn down the oven heat to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread each cap with pizza sauce, then add mozzarella and Pecorino cheese, and desired toppings. Bake 6 to 8 minutes until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.  

Notes

*Pecorino has the best savory, salty flavor. If you can’t find it, substitute Parmesan cheese but add a few more pinches salt. 

  • Category: Main dish
  • Method: Roasted
  • Cuisine: Pizza

Keywords: Portobello mushroom pizza, Portobello pizza

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

The Best Focaccia Pizza

Here’s how to make focaccia pizza! This recipe makes a deliciously thick crust for all your favorite toppings: ready in just a few hours. Oh hello, beautifully fluffy crust and melty cheese. Here’s a new style of pizza to add to your repertoire: focaccia pizza! This is the exact opposite of the Neapolitan style pizza with a thin and chewy crust. Instead this pizza is built on focaccia bread: massively thick, pillowy on the inside, and crunchy on the outside. It’s actually reminiscent of a style of Roman pizza you can get in the city today. It makes a massive sheet pan, the equivalent of three pizzas. Oh, and it will make your entire house smell like a pizzeria. (We know from experience.) Ready to get started? How to make focaccia pizza: an overview Focaccia pizza is a style of pizza where you’ll make a homemade focaccia bread, then add toppings and bake it like a pizza. It’s actually similar to Bonci-style pizza that Alex and I had in Rome, though that style has a bubblier crust. Why? Well, most focaccia pizza recipes require making the dough in advance and resting it for 24 hours or more. But for our […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Here’s how to make focaccia pizza! This recipe makes a deliciously thick crust for all your favorite toppings: ready in just a few hours.

Focaccia Pizza

Oh hello, beautifully fluffy crust and melty cheese. Here’s a new style of pizza to add to your repertoire: focaccia pizza! This is the exact opposite of the Neapolitan style pizza with a thin and chewy crust. Instead this pizza is built on focaccia bread: massively thick, pillowy on the inside, and crunchy on the outside. It’s actually reminiscent of a style of Roman pizza you can get in the city today. It makes a massive sheet pan, the equivalent of three pizzas. Oh, and it will make your entire house smell like a pizzeria. (We know from experience.) Ready to get started?

How to make focaccia pizza: an overview

Focaccia pizza is a style of pizza where you’ll make a homemade focaccia bread, then add toppings and bake it like a pizza. It’s actually similar to Bonci-style pizza that Alex and I had in Rome, though that style has a bubblier crust. Why? Well, most focaccia pizza recipes require making the dough in advance and resting it for 24 hours or more.

But for our spin, we wanted a focaccia pizza you can bake in the same day (mainly because we hate thinking ahead!). This is considered a fast focaccia pizza: prep is a little over 2 hours: no advanced planning required! Since it does require a few hours before you eat, this recipe is great for weekends and days off, or anytime if you’re lucky enough to work or watch kids from home. The tradeoff of this fast version is that the crust is slightly less bubbly than a traditional focaccia…but to us it’s worth it. Here’s a breakdown in the timing:

Make the dough15 minutes, active
Rest the dough (Proof 1)45 minutes, inactive
Press the dough into a sheet pan and rest15 minutes, inactive
Rest the dough again (Proof 2)1 hour, inactive
Bake the pizza20 minutes
Focaccia pizza

Making the dough: weights are most accurate

Here’s something to note about focaccia pizza dough. When you’re baking it up, measuring the ingredients by weight is most accurate! Why? The environment and the way you pack the measuring cups can both affect the exact weight. So using a food scale is the most accurate way to measure out quantities when baking something precise like dough.

  • Need a food scale? Here’s the food scale we use. It’s also what we use for our morning pourover coffee!
  • Don’t have one? Use the spoon and level method. Spoon the dry ingredient into the measuring cup, then level it off (instead of plunging the entire cup into the flour container).

Focaccia pizza crust requires two proofs!

What’s the trick to the best focaccia pizza crust? Two proofs. If you’re an experienced baker (or at least watch the Great British Baking Show), you’ll know this means resting the pizza dough. Proofing is when you let bread dough rest after you’ve added yeast so that it rises. The trick to getting a super thick, pillowy crust is resting it twice. This is the same method as in our cast iron skillet pizza.

Of course if you were making true focaccia bread, you’d rest 24 hours to get massive bubbles. But we’re going for a day-of pizza recipe! If you prefer a super bubbly crust, this is not the one.

Focaccia pizza

Otherwise, baking focaccia pizza is easy

So, you have to wait for 2 hours for your pizza dough to rise. But guess what? The rest of the process is much easier than a traditional pizza? Why? You don’t have to bother with shaping a dough, or using a pizza peel or pizza stone, which we do with our traditional method. Just throw it into the sheet pan, and throw that in the oven. Easy as pie! Pizza pie, that is.

One last note: there’s a specific method to baking this sheet pan focaccia pizza:

  • First, bake the crust without toppings for 10 minutes. This is similar to baking up the focaccia bread! It makes it nice and crispy on the edges.
  • Then bake with toppings (another 10 minutes). Pull it out of the oven and add the toppings. Take care since the pan will be hot at this point!
Focaccia pizza

This recipe is equivalent of 3 pizzas in 1!

Another great feature of this focaccia pizza: it’s the equivalent of 3 pizzas in 1! That means you don’t have to make separate pizzas for the family. Just make this one sheet pan, and it’s enough for everyone. You also may want to split up the toppings, so you get a few different topping options. Speaking of that…

Topping ideas for focaccia pizza

There are many ways to top a focaccia pizza! In the recipe below, we shared what we did. We used our amazing Easy Pizza Sauce, which we guarantee you’ll be obsessed with. Then we topped it with smoked mozzarella cheese and fresh mozzarella, which is an irresistible combination. (Try it! Let us know what you think). But if you prefer, go free form or we’ve got some other ideas:

Focaccia pizza recipe

This focaccia pizza recipe is…

Vegetarian. For vegan, top with Vegan Pizza toppings.

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Focaccia pizza

The Best Focaccia Pizza (Fast!)

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (6 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
  • Yield: 12 squares (about 6 servings)
  • Diet: Vegetarian
Print Recipe

Description

Here’s how to make focaccia pizza! This recipe makes a deliciously thick crust for all your favorite toppings: ready in just a few hours.

Ingredients

For the focaccia

  • 562 grams (4 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon instant or active dry yeast
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 355 grams (1 1/2 cups) warm water
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

For the pizza

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, for brushing the sheet pan
  • 1 1/4 cups Easy Pizza Sauce
  • 3/4 cup shredded smoked mozzarella
  • 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Kosher salt, for sprinkling
  • Fresh basil, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Make the dough: In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, yeast, kosher salt, oregano and garlic powder. Add the warm water and olive oil and stir until flour is incorporated.
  2. Knead the dough: Knead the dough by pushing with the base of your palm, then reforming it into a ball. Continue kneading for 8 minutes until the dough feels pillowy and has a smooth, stretchy exterior. If the dough is very sticky, add a small amount of flour while kneading. Alternatively: attach the dough hook to a stand mixer and start the mixer on medium-low speed, then allow the mixer to knead for 8 minutes.
  3. Rest the dough (45 minutes): Using floured hands, gently shape the dough into a boule (ball shape) by folding the dough under itself. Place it in a covered bowl and allow it to rest for 45 minutes, until doubled in size.
  4. Rest the dough in a sheet pan (15 minutes): Brush 3 tablespoons olive oil on the bottom and sides of a standard 13″x 18″ sheet pan. Add the dough and press it with oiled fingers until it evenly covers the pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and rest for 15 minutes to relax the dough. 
  5. Rest the dough again (1 hour): Press the dough back into the corners of the pan. Dot the entire surface with finger indentations (see the photo above; this helps the thickness to stay even). Brush top of the dough with a bit of olive oil and rest for 1 hour.
  6. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 515 degrees Fahrenheit.
  7. Bake the pizza dough without toppings: After the 1 hour rest, place the sheet pan in the oven and bake the pizza dough for 10 minutes without the sauce and toppings.
  8. Add the toppings and bake again: Remove the dough from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the pizza sauce, smoked mozzarella, fresh mozzarella (torn into pieces), and Parmesan cheese, and top with a few pinches of kosher salt. Take care, since the pan will be hot! Bake an additional 8 to 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Sprinkle with torn basil. Cut into pieces with a knife (a pizza cutter doesn’t get all the way to the pan edges) and serve immediately. 

Notes

*For vegan, top with Vegan Pizza toppings.

  • Category: Pizza
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Italian

Keywords: Focaccia pizza, Sheet pan pizza

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Pizza Supreme Mac and Cheese.

Get ready for pizza mac and cheese! I can’t tell you how often I call this “max and cheese,” because ever since Max was around 1.5 or 2 years old, he would ask for “max and cheese.” So in other words, please enjoy this pizza supreme max and cheese!  No but really. Pizza flavors + […]

The post Pizza Supreme Mac and Cheese. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Get ready for pizza mac and cheese!

white pizza supreme mac and cheese

I can’t tell you how often I call this “max and cheese,” because ever since Max was around 1.5 or 2 years old, he would ask for “max and cheese.”

So in other words, please enjoy this pizza supreme max and cheese! 

peppers and olives

No but really. Pizza flavors + mac and cheese? I need nothing else in the world. This is ridiculously delicious, creamy, flavorful, satisfying and a huge crowd pleaser. It’s customizable and exactly what you want to eat this weekend! 

At least, I’m hoping it is. Pizza mac and cheese is what I want to eat all the time. 

white pizza supreme mac and cheese before baking

I find it funny that I like to make “pizza supreme” flavored dishes because for most of my life, if I was ever served a pizza supreme, I would run away!! If you’re not familiar, the idea of pizza supreme means that it’s loaded with alllll the toppings. Well, most of them. Peppers, mushrooms, pepperoni, sausage, olives, etc.

Things like that!

I’m sure it differs depending on location, but these are the ones that nostalgically stick out in my mind.

white pizza supreme mac and cheese

Even since I made a pizza supreme cauliflower crust pizza, I’ve been in love with this version of pizza supreme. I skip the sausage because I just don’t love sausage (it’s the fennel seeds. no thanks!) and stick to pepperoni and mostly veggies. I love anything tart and briney, so roasted red peppers and banana peppers both make their way in. Eddie loves those too and they are toppings that we use often on pizza anyway. 

This whole dish was a mishmash of a few of my recipes. My white pizza recipes – which have always been a staple because I grew up not loving tomato sauce. My pizza gnocchi in The Pretty Dish, which is SO delish and comforting. And then that cauliflower crust pizza mentioned above.

white pizza supreme mac and cheese

I just knew that some sort of hybrid of those ideas would be fantastic as a mac and cheese.

And I was right!

So I made this as a baked mac and cheese. Of course, you can use whatever toppings you want and love. You could throw the toppings in a stovetop mac and cheese, but I did find in my testing that baked is best because it also roasts the toppings, like regular pizza does. 

white pizza supreme mac and cheese

Obviously I skipped the tomato sauce here, but if you’re feeling it, you could always add in some roasted tomatoes or even diced tomatoes. Or even dollop some pizza sauce on top! 

When it comes to cheeses, I kept the sauce somewhat traditional with parmesan and mozzarella. But I did throw in some cheddar for sharpness and flavor and it made the entire dish POP.

It’s also your call if you would like to stir more toppings into the mac and cheese for extra texture or just leave them on top. There is no wrong way here, it’s just your preference and what you like best. For example, I stir the roasted red peppers into my mac and cheese, but that is it. The rest goes on top and I find we love it that way. 

white pizza supreme mac and cheese

Now what toppings are first on your list?! (more…)

The post Pizza Supreme Mac and Cheese. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Favorite Veggie Pizza

Do you do a weekly pizza night? I feel like every week needs pizza. We always look forward to homemade pizza night. It’s so much fun and SO delicious. We usually do “build your own pizza” so everyone is happy and this Veggie Pizza is …

Do you do a weekly pizza night? I feel like every week needs pizza. We always look forward to homemade pizza night. It’s so much fun and SO delicious. We usually do “build your own pizza” so everyone is happy and this Veggie Pizza is my favorite. I love loading on sauce, cheese, and a…

The post Favorite Veggie Pizza appeared first on Two Peas & Their Pod.

Easy Pizza Sauce

Homemade Pizza Sauce We love making homemade pizza. Sure, it takes a little effort to make pizza dough from scratch, but it is well worth it. And if you are going to take the time to make homemade pizza dough, PLEASE make homemade pizza sauce. To make …

Homemade Pizza Sauce We love making homemade pizza. Sure, it takes a little effort to make pizza dough from scratch, but it is well worth it. And if you are going to take the time to make homemade pizza dough, PLEASE make homemade pizza sauce. To make a really good pizza you need to start…

The post Easy Pizza Sauce appeared first on Two Peas & Their Pod.

Easy Pizza Dough

Homemade Pizza Dough We make homemade pizza every week, usually on Friday night or Sunday evening. Our boys LOVE pizza night. They love helping make pizza and of course eating pizza! Josh takes the lead and makes the pizza dough, but the boys help stre…

Homemade Pizza Dough We make homemade pizza every week, usually on Friday night or Sunday evening. Our boys LOVE pizza night. They love helping make pizza and of course eating pizza! Josh takes the lead and makes the pizza dough, but the boys help stretch out the dough and top the pizzas with pizza sauce…

The post Easy Pizza Dough appeared first on Two Peas & Their Pod.