Greens Pizza Recipe
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This Greens Pizza Recipe is a healthier option to traditional pizza that is delicious enough to impress everyone in the family! Simply bake the crust, top with basil pesto, arugula, olive oil and Parmesan for a sensational flavor combination!
Check out this How to make Homemade Pizza post for even more detailed instructions and recipes for making pizzeria quality pizza at home.
Post updated on February 10, 2022 to add new images using my perfected Italian pizza dough recipe.
🍕Recipe inspiration
I could live on pizza every day of the year, and sometimes I do. This past month has been a flurry of flour and yeast while I try to perfect my Italian pizza dough crust. Weeeeeel, I finally did it and this Greens Pizza is just as amazing as the Greens Pizza that my friend Sandy and I have been ordering from the Lincoln Wine Bar in Mt. Vernon, Iowa.
The wine bar has the added benefit of a true Italian made pizza oven, and a pizza chef that was trained by a true Italian pizza maker! I cannot compete with their toys and skills, but I can get as close as possible to duplicating that pizza at home.
📋 What you will need
- For the most authentic pizza you will need Italian Pizza Dough to make the crust, but you can use regular dough if needed. (recipe link down below)
- High-quality extra-virgin olive oil makes a difference! Choose 100% California grown or a trusted Greek or Italian brand.
- Basil Pesto – homemade if possible, or store-bought for convenience.
- The freshest arugula that you can find!! They are the start of this recipe and they need to be the best tasting available.
- Black pepper adds a layer of flavor to the arugula. Sea salt is optional. Taste you pesto and determine how salty it is first, then decided if you need additional salt or not.
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese gives this pizza a punch of salty flavor.
- Crushed red pepper flakes served on the side are a spicy addition that some of your friends and family member may enjoy.
Be sure to check out the detailed printable recipe card below
How to make Greens Pizza
Place your dough on a piece of parchment paper and pat down into a circle.
Brush with olive oil and slide the parchment paper and dough onto a super hot baking stone.
Bake for 3 minutes and check to see that it is not overdone.
Remove from oven and spread the Basil Pesto over the top.
Toss the arugula with high quality olive oil, season with sea salt (optional) and fresh ground black pepper.
Sprinkle with finely grated Parmesan cheese, slice and serve while warm.
📌 Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Substitute your favorite pizza dough recipe if you like.
- Preheat the oven for at least ONE HOUR before your plan to bake your pizza so it is as hot as possible!
- All ovens cook differently, cooking times are estimates so keep an eye on your pizza!
🥣 Recipes & Tools used to create this recipe
You can see the rest of my favorite kitchen tools and gadgets here in my Amazon Affiliate Page. I earn a small commission when you purchase through my links, at no cost to you, so I can keep bringing you more delicious recipes!
- Italian Pizza Dough using Tipo “00” Flour
- How to Proof Dough in Instant Pot
- Basil Pesto
- Pizza Stone
- Wooden Pizza Peel
- Parchment Paper Sheets
- Cheese Grater
- Tipo “00” flour
- Yeast
🍕More delicious pizza recipes
- Prosciutto-Arugula Pizza
- Sausage and Kale Pizza
- Shrimp Pesto Pizza
- Grilled Peach and Arugula Pizza
- Grilled Pizza Margherita
- Shrimp Scampi Pizza – no greens but insanely delicious!
If you love this recipe, please rate it five stars and help me share on facebook and to help other readers in our community!
Enjoy!!
Greens Pizza
Equipment
- Pizza Baking Stone
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian Pizza Dough (chilled overnight)
- .25 cup basil pesto or more to taste
- 4 cups arugula
- 3 tablespoons high quality olive oil or more as needed
- sea salt & black peper salt optional
- .25 cup Parmesano-Reggiano cheese finely grated
- crushed red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Place baking stone in cold oven and heat to 500 degrees 1 hour before you are ready to cook your pizza.
- Place pizza dough on a sheet of parchment paper. Pat down and shape pizza dough into a circle, 12-inches in diameter.
- Lightly brush the top of pizza dough with olive oil.
- Slide parchment paper and pizza dough onto hot baking stone.
- Bake for 3 minutes until lightly golden brown.
- Remove from oven and spread with basil pesto.
- Toss arugula leaves with olive oil, salt and pepper, then spread over the top of the pizza.
- Finish pizza with finely grated Parmesan cheese, slice and serve while warm.
Notes
- Substitute your favorite pizza dough recipe if you like.
- Preheat the oven for at least ONE HOUR before your plan to bake your pizza so it is as hot as possible!
- All ovens cook differently, cooking times are estimates so keep an eye on your pizza!
- Italian Pizza Dough using Tipo “00” Flour
- How to Proof Dough in Instant Pot
- Basil Pesto
- Pizza Stone
- Wooden Pizza Peel
- Parchment Paper Sheets
- Cheese Grater
- Tipo “00” flour
- Yeast
I appreciate that you are sharing your pizza crust flop. It’s good to know I’m not the only who encounters a disaster in the kitchen every now and then. The pizza looks amazing. My daughter loves arugula, so next time she is home, I’ll make this for her:)
Hahahaa! Love this! I too could live on pizza every day but, alas, I am not Italian either. Me tossing dough in the air would be an epic fail. lol
I am sharing this with Mr. Claire as IS Italian and he kind of has the whole thing down to a science now but believe me…. it took practice just like his homemade pasta!! Thanks for sharing this – pinning!
Wait …. where’s the picture of you tossing it in the air?! 😀 I don’t toss my pizzas because I know it would end up on my head or the floor! This looks great to me! 🙂
I’m not the greatest with homemade pizza crust yet…and I’m definitely not Italian! I love my pizza though, and this Greens Pizza looks fantastic! It’s pizza and salad in one…love it. 🙂
Mmmmm…this looks SO good, Lisa. I l could live on pizza, too, and eating one with arugula would make me feel a lot less guilty. Pinning this!
Great looking pizza Lisa! I love that flour too!
This sounds incredible! I love it when simple things taste amazing…..which is exactly what I’m imagining you have going on here!!
That looks amazing! And I love that you shared your flop with us…I have them all the time! Mostly with baking…I am a walking disaster there. Wish I had a slice of that yummy pizza right now! Pinning!
This looks so incredible! Loving it! Pinned and tweeted. Thanks for being a part of our party. I hope to see you tonight at 7. Lou Lou Girls