Pesto pizza recipe with step by step pics. Pesto pizza is one of our favorite pizzas. Pesto is a basil and nut based sauce from Italy. You can even call it as basil chutney in Indian language. The flavors and aroma of the pesto sauce in a vegetarian pizza takes it to a new level. If you like pesto, then you will also like pizza made with pesto.
Many years back I had shared the recipe of Pesto made with almonds. I still use this recipe to make pesto with almonds, cashews or walnuts. You can check the recipe here – Pesto sauce.
Adding homemade pesto in the pizza tastes always good, but you can even use store brought bottled pesto.
For the pizza base, I have used my Whole wheat pizza dough. In the step by step pictorial, I have mentioned in detail on making the wheat pizza dough. You can even make this pizza with your favorite pizza dough. If you have your pizza dough prepared ahead of time, the whole recipe takes just 20 minutes to get on the table.
The whole wheat pizza dough recipe is a simple and easy method made from 100% whole wheat flour or atta. This dough gives a soft textured pizza base – one which is crisp from the outside after getting baked. There is no denseness or chewiness felt in the pizza bread.
Also do note that I have used a stand mixer to knead the dough, But its also easy to knead the pizza dough with hands. just make sure that the dough is kneaded till smooth, soft and supple.
Use any variety of chopped veggies you like! The best thing about making pizza at home is you can make it to your exact specifications. Swap in any toppings that make you smile.
You can make regular pizzas or thin crust pizzas with the dough, though we typically prefer thin-crust pizza. One recipe will make 7 thin crust pizzas, so you’ll have plenty for more than one meal!
How to make Pesto Pizza
A) making pizza dough
1. Take 1 teaspoon instant yeast (3 grams) in a mixing bowl or in the stand mixer bowl.
2. Add ½ teaspoon sugar.
3. Add 1 cup water and mix well.
4. Next add 3 cups whole wheat flour and 1 teaspoon salt.
5. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil. If you do not have olive oil, use any neutral flavored oil.
6. Then add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. You can also use 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar instead of lemon juice.
7. Attach the bowl to a stand mixer with the hook attachment. On a medium-high speed knead the dough. If kneading with hands, then mix everything very well and then knead for at least 8 to 10 minutes.
8. The dough should be smooth, pliable and soft. If the dough looks dry, then you can add some water while kneading. If the dough looks sticky, then you can sprinkle some flour.
9. Spread some water all over the dough.
10. Cover with a lid or a kitchen towel and allow to leaven for 45 minutes to 2 hours till the dough increases in volume and doubles up.
If using dry active yeast, then keep for 2 hours to 3 hours or more. Timing varies with the temperature conditions in your city.
10. The pizza dough will nicely increase in volume and double up.
11. Knead the dough lightly again and then you can directly make pizzas from these. Or you can keep them covered in a tight box or pan. Spread some olive oil all over the dough before placing them in the box.
Cover the box or pan with a tight-fitting lid. Keep in the refrigerator or freeze the whole wheat pizza dough. In the refrigerator, this dough stays good for 4 to 5 days. In the freezer, you can store for a couple of weeks.
Other preparations
13. Chop 1 medium onion, 1 medium tomato, 1 medium capsicum (green bell pepper) in 1 cm cubes. Keep the veggies aside. I have also added ⅓ cup steamed sweet corn and 8 olives (sliced). You can add your choice of veggies in the pizza.
Also preheat oven to its maximum temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before baking. my oven has 250 degrees celsius as the highest temperature.
14. Grease a 9 inch pan or tray with some extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle some flour all over. You can even use cornmeal or semolina for sprinkling.
Making pesto pizza
15. Take a medium to large-sized pizza dough ball and sprinkle some flour on it.
16. Roll to a thin pizza having 0.3 to 0.5 cm thickness.
18. Carefully lift and place the pizza in the greased baking pan or tray.
19. Spread pesto sauce all over the pizza. You can add less or more as per your needs.
20. Now top with mozzarella cheese or pizza cheese as required.
21. Place the mix vegetables, steamed corn and olive slices. Do not add too much of the raw veggies as then the pizza can become moist & soggy due to the juices from the vegetables.
Baking pesto pizza
22. Keep the pizza pan in the center rack using both the top and bottom heating elements in the preheated oven.
Also keep your oven’s highest temperature. My oven has 250 degrees celsius as the highest. You can also keep the pizza pan in the center rack.
23. After cheese got golden, I kept the pizza pan on the lowest tray and kept only the bottom heating element on. This is to make the pizza base crisp and crusty.
In case the cheese does not turn golden, then keep the tray either in the centre or top rack and keep only the top heating element on. But do keep a check as this way the cheese gets browned faster and the pizza sides can burn also.
24. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes till the base gets golden and the cheese also melts and gets golden.
25. Before serving, add some dried oregano or red chili flakes or fresh or dried basil if you want. You can also drizzle some extra virgin olive on the pesto pizza before serving. Serve pesto pizza hot.
Few more tasty pizza varieties
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Pesto Pizza (Whole Wheat)
Ingredients
for pizza dough
- 3 cups whole wheat flour or 360 grams whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast or 3 grams of instant yeast
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup water – you can also add 1.25 cups water or add as required depending upon the quality of wheat flour
for pesto pizza toppings
- 1 medium onion , cut in 1 cm cubes
- 1 medium capsicum cut in 1 cm cubes
- 1 medium tomato, seeds removed and cut in 1 cm cubes
- ⅓ cup boiled corn or steamed corn kernels
- 7 to 8 black olives , sliced or add as required
- ½ cup pesto sauce or as required
- mozzarella cheese or pizza cheese as required
- dried oregano as required
- dried or fresh basil as required, optional
- red chili flakes as required, optional
Instructions
making pizza dough
- Take 1 teaspoon instant yeast (3 grams) in a mixing bowl or in the stand mixer bowl.
- Add ½ teaspoon sugar and 1 cup water and mix well.
- Next add 3 cups whole wheat flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons olive oil.
- If you do not have olive oil, use any neutral flavoured oil.
- Then add 1 tablespoon lemon juice. You can also use 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar instead of lemon juice.
- Attach the bowl to a stand mixer with the hook attachment. On a medium-high speed knead the dough. If kneading with hands, then mix everything very well and then knead for atleast 8 to 10 minutes.
- The dough should be smooth, pliable and soft. If the dough looks dry, then you can add some water while kneading. If the dough looks sticky, then you can sprinkle some flour.
- Spread some water all over the dough.
- Cover with a lid or a kitchen towel and allow to leaven for 45 minutes to 2 hours till the dough increases in volume and doubles up. If using dry active yeast, then keep for 2 hours to 3 hours or more. Timing varies with the temperature conditions in your city.
- The pizza dough will nicely increase in volume and double up.
- Knead the dough lightly again and then you can directly make pizzas from these. Or you can keep them covered in a tight box or pan. Spread some olive oil all over the dough before placing them in the box.
- Cover the box or pan with a tight fitting lid. Keep in refrigerator or freeze the whole wheat pizza dough. In the refrigerator this dough stays good for 4 to 5 days. In the freezer, you can store for a couple of weeks.
other preparations
- Chop onion, tomato and capsicum (green bell pepper) in 1 cm cubes.
- Keep the veggies aside. I have also added ⅓ cup steamed sweet corn and some olives. You can add your choice of veggies in the pizza.
- Also preheat oven to its maximum temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before baking.
- Grease a 9 inch pan or tray with some extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle some flour all over. You can even use cornmeal or semolina for sprinkling.
making pesto pizza
- Take a medium to large sized pizza dough ball and sprinkle some flour on it.
- Roll to a thin pizza having 0.3 to 0.5 cm thickness.
- Carefully lift and place the pizza in the greased baking pan or tray.
- Spread pesto sauce all over the pizza. You can add less or more as per your needs.
- Now top with mozzarella cheese or pizza cheese as required.
- Place the mix vegetables, steamed corn and olive slices.
baking pesto pizza
- Keep the pizza pan in the center rack using both the top and bottom heating elements in the preheated oven. Also keep your oven’s highest temperature. My oven has 250 degrees celsius as the highest. You can also keep the pizza pan in the centre rack.
- After the cheese got golden, I kept the pizza pan on the lowest tray and kept only the bottom heating element on. This is to make the pizza base crisp and crusty. In case cheese does not turn golden, then keep the tray either in the centre or top rack and keep only the top heating element on. But do keep a check as this way the cheese gets browned faster and the pizza sides can burn also.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes till the base gets golden and the cheese also melts and gets golden.
- Before serving, add some dried oregano or red chili flakes or fresh or dried basil if you want. You can also drizzle some extra virgin olive on the pesto pizza before serving. Serve pesto pizza hot.
Notes
- Dissolve the yeast in 1 cup warm water + ½ teaspoon sugar solution. Cover the bowl and let the yeast proof for 10 to 15 minutes.
- The water should be warm and not on the cooler side or hot. Or else the yeast solution will not get proofed or activated.
- When the yeast solution has become bubbly and frothy, then mix it with the whole wheat flour, olive oil, salt and lemon juice. Knead to a smooth dough.
- Spread some water or olive oil all over the dough. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to leaven for 2 to 3 hours or more (depends on the temperature conditions in your city).
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Pesto Pizza post from the archives, originally published in May 2018 has been updated and republished on February 2023.
