Basil pesto pizza topped with melted mozzarella and roasted cherry tomatoes. With a simple homemade pesto and an easy pizza dough, you can make pizza night more exciting.
Pizza and pesto are a fantastic combination. I shared my homemade basil pesto recipe earlier this week so you could try this delicious pizza. I use a straightforward basic pizza dough, spread it generously with basil pesto, then add roasted cherry tomatoes and torn mozzarella. The result is pure basil pesto pizza bliss.
Look at that cheesy, golden crust—doesn’t it make your mouth water?
Replacing tomato sauce with fresh basil pesto gives an instant twist to a classic pizza. I love experimenting with different toppings, and spreading basil pesto as the base, then finishing with roasted cherry tomatoes and mozzarella took this pizza straight to the top of my favorites list.
It’s elegant, easy to prepare, and a great vegetarian option. When I make pizza at home I often prepare multiple toppings so everyone can try something different.
Here are some tasty alternative toppings that work well with pesto:
More Pesto Pizza Toppings
- Prosciutto
- Red onion
- Artichoke hearts
- Roasted peppers
- Sausage
- Zucchini
- Extra cheeses (try a four-cheese mix with pesto)
If you enjoy pesto, my chicken pesto ciabatta is another great recipe to try on the weekend.
How To Make Basic Pizza Dough
Making pizza dough is straightforward and becomes easier with practice. Start by adding the yeast to lukewarm water and let it sit for about 5 minutes until bubbly.
Place the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the yeast mixture and begin mixing with a metal spoon. Add the olive oil and continue until a rough dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Shape it into a ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, and coat the surface of the dough with a little oil. Cover with cling film and leave in a warm, dry place for 2–3 hours, or until doubled in size. When risen, gently press the dough to release excess air.
How To Make Basil Pesto Pizza – Step By Step
Preheat the oven for the tomatoes to 180°C (400°F/gas mark 5). Wash and dry the cherry tomatoes, halve them, toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, and spread on a lined baking tray. Sprinkle with salt and roast for about 15 minutes until soft.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/gas mark 7) and place your baking trays inside to get hot.
Divide the dough in half and roll each piece out to fit your trays—either round or rectangular. Dust the trays with semolina or polenta to prevent sticking.
Spread about 3 heaped tablespoons of basil pesto over each base. Top with roasted cherry tomatoes and torn mozzarella. Bake each pizza in the very hot oven for 8–10 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted.
Serve with a glass of wine and enjoy a perfect pizza night.
More pizza recipes to try
- Quattro Stagioni – Four seasons pizza
- Prosciutto cotto and artichoke pizza (with instant dough)
- Burrata pizza with salami, olives and capers
- Cheesy speck and mushroom pizza
Basil Pesto Pizza with Mozzarella & Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
If you try this basil pesto pizza or any other recipe, please rate it and leave a comment to let me know how it turned out—I love hearing from readers!
Step By Step Photos Above
Most recipes include step-by-step photos and helpful tips to help you get it right the first time.
Basil Pesto Pizza with Mozzarella & Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
By Emily
Ingredients
For the pizza dough
- 4 cups 1.1 lb/500g type 0 flour*
- 2 tsp (7g) fast action dried yeast
- 1 1/3 cups (320ml) lukewarm water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
- semolina flour or polenta for dusting
For the topping
- 1.6 lbs (750g) cherry tomatoes
- 8.8 oz (250g) mozzarella
- 6 tbsp homemade pesto
- 1 tbsp olive oil (for roasting tomatoes)
Instructions
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Add the yeast to lukewarm water with 1/2 tsp sugar and let sit for 5 minutes. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre, add the yeast mixture, and begin mixing. Add olive oil and mix until a rough dough forms. Add a little more flour if the dough is too sticky.
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Dust a clean work surface with flour and knead the dough for 5–10 minutes until silky and smooth. The dough should spring back when lightly pressed. Coat a clean bowl with 1 tbsp olive oil, place the dough inside, rub a little oil on top, cover with cling film, and leave in a warm place for 2–3 hours until doubled in size.
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Preheat the oven to 180°C (400°F). Halve the cherry tomatoes, toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, spread on a lined tray, sprinkle with salt, and roast for about 15 minutes until soft.
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When ready to bake, place pizza trays in the oven and increase the temperature to 220°C (425°F) to get the trays hot.
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Divide the dough in half and roll each portion out on a floured surface to fit your trays. Dust the trays with semolina or polenta, place the bases on top, spread 3 heaped tablespoons of pesto on each, top with roasted tomatoes and torn mozzarella, and bake for 8–10 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Notes
This recipe was developed using metric measurements; imperial conversions are approximate.
- Type 0 flour can be substituted with type 00 or all-purpose flour.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I use extra virgin olive oil in recipes unless otherwise stated.
- All vegetables are medium-sized unless noted.
- Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven.
- Nutrition is calculated automatically and should be used as an approximation.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate.