With 3 simple ingredients, iron and vitamin C in the sauce, this Mozzarella and Pesto Pizza is a favorite kid-friendly meal. It’s a fast kids lunch or dinner that parents will enjoy, too!
We’ve been having pesto pizza for as long as I’ve had kids because I love the flavor and it’s such a delicious way to serve a green food to kids.
Plus, pizza is always a win!
This Mozzarella and Pesto Pizza recipe requires just 3 simple ingredients, it’s straightforward to make, and it has a nice mix of nutrients.
Since it’s easy to keep pesto on hand in the pantry, fridge, or freezer, this is a weeknight family dinner I can make when I’m short on time and energy.
Why this Recipe Works
Pesto tends to be rich in vitamin C and is a kid-friendly way to serve greens. It’s also a super easy way to vary the flavor of pizza from the classic tomato sauce with homemade or purchased pizza dough.
(We also love my Pesto Pizza Roll version of this idea, my Pesto Pasta Salad, quick Pesto Pasta with Peas, and my Pesto Meatballs.)
Table of Contents
Ingredients You Need
To make this easy Mozzarella and Pesto Pizza recipe, you’ll need to have the following ingredients on hand.
- Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough: Homemade, the kind that comes in a ball of dough, or even a premade flat crust would work, too. You can also use my Greek Yogurt Pizza Dough.
- Shredded mozzarella cheese: We use classic pizza cheese in this recipe. You can also use an Italian shredded cheese blend.
- Pesto: You can use any kind of pesto you like or find. I often use Spinach Pesto, Basil Pesto Sauce, Nut-Free Pesto, or Kale Pesto, but purchased basil pesto works well, too.
- Optional: Parmesan to top, if desired.
- Parmesan to top, if desired.
Featured Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Yum! Our 20-month-old couldn’t get enough!!” —S
Step by Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the simple process involved in making this Mozzarella and Pesto Pizza recipe. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full information, including the amounts and timing.
Step 1. Decide if you want to make small personal pizzas or one big one and spread out the dough accordingly using your hands or a rolling pin.
Step 2. Top the pizza dough with a thin layer of pesto. (You can use store-bought or homemade pesto.)
Step 3. Top the pesto with shredded mozzarella cheese almost, but not quite, to the edges.
Step 4. Bake on a baking sheet or preheated pizza stone until the cheese is golden brown and the crust is firm.
TIP: If you have the dough ready, this meal comes together super fast. I’m showing this recipe being baked on a pizza stone, which preheats in the oven and makes a crispier crust, but you can also just bake it on a sheet pan.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Sure, either assemble and cover and refrigerate to use within 24 hours or make the full recipe and plan to reheat to serve.
You can add cooked broccoli, pepperoni, cooked Italian sausage, olives, or any other topping your family likes. You can place it under the mozzarella cheese.
You can cut the cooled pesto pizza into thin strips or into tiny cubes so it’s easy to chew.
Pizza Dough for Pesto Pizza
I make this with homemade Whole Wheat Pizza Dough, but you can use store-bought fresh dough or even a pre-baked crust. They all work fine and will give you options according to what you have on hand or can find at the store. You can also use my Greek Yogurt Pizza Dough or Cottage Cheese Pizza Dough.
(This dough also works well in my homemade Pizza Pockets.)
How to Store
Store any leftovers, once cooled, in an airtight container or wrapped in foil in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm briefly to serve.
Best Tips for Success
- Use any store-bought pesto or my Spinach Pesto or Kale Pesto.
- You can make these as little personal pizzas or as a larger classic pizza.
- Cut into sticks or cubes for younger toddlers to make the meal easy for them to chew.
- If using a pre-baked crust from the store, follow the baking directions on the package.
- Dairy-free: Use a favorite dairy-free cheese.
- Find all of my favorite pizza recipes for kids and my popular Pizza Rolls.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your family’s feedback on this recipe, so please comment below to share. I appreciate each and every comment!
Mozzarella and Pesto Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Whole Wheat Pizza Dough or 13-16 ounces fresh store-bought pizza dough
- 1 tablespoon cornmeal
- ¾ cup store-bought or homemade pesto
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Grated Parmesan (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- To make small personal pizzas: Divide the dough into 6-8 sections. Stretch to make circles that are about 6-8 inches in diameter and about 1/4-½ inch thick. Place onto a pizza stone or baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. (You may need to use more than 1 pizza stone or baking sheet.)
- Top each round with 2 tablespoons pesto and ⅓ cup mozzarella.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown and the crust sounds hollow when you tap it.
- Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Cut into wedges or sticks and serve warm topped with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
- Store any leftovers, once cooled, in an airtight container or wrapped in foil in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm briefly to serve.
- Use any store-bought pesto or my Spinach Pesto.
- To make as one large pizza: Spread into a 14-16-inch-diameter circle on a pizza stone or baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. You can also stretch it into a rectangle, aiming for it to be about 1/4-½ inch thick. Bake for 10 minutes before you add the cheese. Remove from the oven, add the mozzarella, and bake for 4-6 minutes or until the cheese is melted and lightly golden brown. Baking this way will ensure the center of the dough is cooked through, which takes a little longer with a large pizza.
- Dairy-free: Use a favorite dairy-free cheese.
Nutrition
This post was first published June 2020.
We love this recipe! We use your spinach pesto, although we mix in some pine nuts with the sunflower seeds (in a 1:1 ratio). We also use the dough recipe from you and everyone in the family loves it. My son said “Thank you for not putting veggies on this pizza!” 😉 I have made this regularly for my family probably once or twice a month. It is one of our favourites!
I make a version of these with store bought naan bread (it keeps well in the freezer!). The last few times I added a few dallops of ricotta cheese and it took it up a notch!! My husband and I also like to top ours with crushed red pepper.
Used all whole what flour, made it for today and added the extra yeast (used instant yeast) it turned out perfect. Thank you for the recipe. 🙂
Hi can the leftovers be frozen? Thanks!
Sure, wrap well or store in a zip top freezer bag. You can reheat in the oven or a toaster oven.
Yum! Our 20 month old couldn’t get enough!!
I’m so glad!