Pesto Pizza Recipe

This easy pesto pizza recipe comes together fast with a crisp crust, melty cheese, and bold, fresh flavor. It’s perfect for pesto lovers and pizza night at home.

As a homemade pizza expert, there’s something I’ve realized: the simplest pizza toppings are the best. You can go super fancy, but it’s never better than something simple like a great Margherita pizza.

The same goes for pesto! A really great homemade basil pesto, a handful of mozzarella cheese, a few slices of tomato, and a shower of Parmesan: that’s it! Throw it in a hot oven on a good homemade pizza dough, and it’s absolutely sublime. It’s even more of a breeze to make if you already have pizza dough in the freezer

Watch the Video!

This video walks you through the full process: from stretching the pizza dough to pulling a steaming pesto pizza out of the oven.

Featured Reader Review

“Had an abundance of basil and found this recipe: we invited our neighbors on this maiden voyage and all of us loved the result. I use Campari tomatoes and it was a perfect match.” -Ira

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s what goes into this pesto pizza:

Pizza dough: I use my classic pizza dough recipe, which takes about 15 minutes to mix and 45 minutes to rest. My thin crust pizza dough is another great option, or you can use store-bought pizza dough in a pinch. This sheet pan pizza is even easier and makes a big pan of 3 pizzas.
Basil pesto: Homemade pesto is the absolute best. Make a batch of fresh basil pesto if you can. You can also try cashew pesto, walnut pesto, or vegan pesto as a dairy-free option. If you can’t find it, try refrigerated tubes of pesto in the produce section.
Mozzarella cheese: Shredded mozzarella or a pizza blend melts evenly; fresh mozzarella also works. I like to tear it into small pieces and then blot it with paper towel first so the pizza doesn’t get soggy.
Roma tomatoes: Romas are less watery than other large tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes (halved) are another great swap.
Parmesan cheese: This is optional, but it adds a nice salty finishing flavor.

My Purchased Pesto Tip

I don’t always have lots of basil, but I’ve found that pesto in jars can often have a strong flavor and a bitter aftertaste.

I’ve found that refrigerated fresh pesto, which can be found in the produce section and is often sold in tubes, usually tastes better. I try to find this when I can!

Feel free to weigh in in the comments below if you have a great pesto brand you love.

How to Make Pesto Pizza

Step 1: Make the dough. Prepare your pizza dough recipe and let it rest for 45 minutes. (This step can be 3 days in advance and refrigerated: or use dough from the freezer, thawed overnight in the fridge.)

Step 2: Preheat your oven and pizza stone. Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500°F. This high heat is key for a crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside crust.

Step 3: Stretch the dough. Dust a pizza peel (or rimless baking sheet) generously with cornmeal. Stretch it into a round: see my guide of how to stretch pizza dough.

Step 4: Assemble quickly. Spread the basil pesto in a thin, even layer, then add cheese, tomato slices, Parmesan cheese, and a pinch of salt.

Step 5: Bake. Use the pizza peel to slide the pesto pizza onto the preheated stone. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown. (In a pizza oven, this takes about 1 minute.)

Easy Variations & Topping Ideas

Of course, you can vary the cheeses and veggie toppings a bit. This is my classic pesto pizza but here are some other fun options:

Cheese swaps: Feta cheese is especially tasty: you can even add kalamata olives for a Mediterranean pizza vibe. Ricotta dolloped over the pesto base is another fun idea.

Veggie add-ins: You can add other veggies like sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, thinly sliced red onion, or arugula. If using other veggies, you’ll want to sauté them (like sauteed mushrooms).

Protein options: Prosciutto would be absolutely perfect here. You could also add grilled chicken or sausage.

Pesto variations: Swap in arugula pesto, cashew pesto, or sun dried tomato pesto for different flavors.

Cheater variation: Try my Pita Pizza or Naan Pizza with these toppings: it’s a much quicker way to pizza!

Storage Tips

Pesto pizza is best eaten right out of the oven, but leftover slices will last 2 to 3 days refrigerated.

Reheat slices in a dry skillet over medium heat, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes. The bottom crisps back up and the cheese re-melts nicely. A 375°F oven also works: place slices directly on the rack to crisp them up.

Dietary Notes

This pesto pizza recipe is vegetarian.