January 7, 2025

Pesto Pizza with Cherry Tomatoes and Spinach

Today’s pizza combines pesto, cherry tomatoes, and spinach, finished with a touch of chilli flakes for a gentle kick.

Pesto, a rich blend of basil, garlic, pine nuts, and cheese, brings a nutty and herbaceous base to this pizza. It pairs beautifully with the sweetness of cherry tomatoes, which burst with fresh, tangy juiciness in every bite. Spinach adds a mild, earthy note and a pop of vibrant green, while the chilli flakes provide a subtle warmth that ties the flavours together beautifully.

The combination of these fresh, simple ingredients creates a pizza with a balanced and refreshing flavour profile. We used a 6-day dough (though you don’t need to wait that long), which delivered a a crust with an airy texture that is both crispy and tender, an ideal canvas for this vibrant pizza.

Pesto Pizza with Cherry Tomatoes and Spinach

Pesto, cherry tomatoes, spinach and a fiery kick of chilli flakes. Together, these simple toppings create a vibrant and refreshing vegetarian pizza that’s anything but ordinary.

To make this pesto, tomato, and spinach pizza pie, you'll need a few simple ingredients and a little bit of time to prep the dough and toppings. Follow our step-by-step instructions and you'll be indulging in a slice of this exciting and flavourful pizza in no time. Bon appétit! And don't forget to check out some of our other pizza recipes for inspiration for your next pie day!

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Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American, Australian, Italian, Pizza

Servings people

Equipment

Outdoor Pizza Oven, Pizza Steel, or Stone (if using a home oven)
1 Pizza Peel
1 wooden chopping board or peel for prep and serving

Ingredients

1 pizza dough ball
5 tbsp pesto sauce
Low moisture mozzarella cheese
Spinach leaves
5 – 6 cherry tomatoes
Chilli flakes

Instructions

Prepare Dough: Follow any of our dough recipes. You will need to prepare the dough at least 24 hours ahead of time.
Prepare Pesto Sauce: We followed this recipe which worked really well for us. Alternatively, a high-quality store-bought pesto is perfectly fine.
Prepare Cheese: Tear low moisture mozzarella cheese into medium-sized pieces. Set aside.
Prepare Cherry Tomatoes & Spinach: Halve cherry tomatoes and finely chop a handful of fresh spinach leaves. Set both aside.
Preheat Oven:
If using an outdoor pizza like an Ooni pizza oven, aim for a temperature of 450-500°C at the center of your pizza stone. Use an infrared thermometer to ensure accuracy. It should take around 25-30 minutes to reach temperature.
For a home oven, using a pizza steel or stone, place the stone or steel inside the oven and preheat to the highest temperature for at least 30 minutes.
Prepare Base: On a lightly floured surface, stretch out the dough by hand according to the steps outlined in our dough recipe. Once you're happy with the shape of the base, lightly dust your pizza peel and transfer the dough onto the peel.
Assemble Pizza: Start by spreading an even layer of pesto over the dough. Distribute low moisture mozzarella pieces, ensuring they’re evenly spaced. The cheese pieces should be around 2 cm in diameter and at least 1.5 cms apart. Sprinkle chopped spinach over the cheese, scatter cherry tomatoes across pizza, and finish with a light sprinkle of chilli flakes. Ensure toppings look nice and balanced.
Bake Your Pizza:
If you're using an outdoor pizza oven, launch the pizza into the oven and bake for 60-90 seconds. Keep an eye on the pie and rotate every 10-15 seconds to ensure even cooking and to avoid burning.
For a home oven with a pizza steel or stone, the bake time should be around 7-10 minutes.
Serving: Once done, remove the pizza from the oven and place it on a serving board. Now it's time to enjoy your hot, flavourful homemade pesto pizza with cherry tomatoes, and spinach!