Pesto
First created in Colombia, this Pesto pizza is a delicious vegetarian pizza that’s worth making.
Made well, the following pizza enjoys a appetizing flavor, matching the pure smell.
Always make time to choose high quality ingredients and complement them with a perfect base for you to enjoy a delicious pizza feast.
If you crave Vegetarian pizza with a Pesto pizza sauce then I am positive you will like this.
Making pizza at home can be such a rewarding experience! One reason is that you have complete control over the ingredients and can make it to your liking, whether that means using whole wheat crust, homemade sauce, or adding extra veggies for a healthier option. You can also get creative and try new topping combinations that you might not find at a restaurant.
Another reason is that it can be a fun activity to do with friends and family. Gather around the kitchen, roll out the dough, and let everyone create their own personal pizza with their favorite toppings. It’s a great way to bond and make lasting memories.
Additionally, making pizza at home can save you money and also it’s a more healthier option than ordering out or getting takeout. You can choose the quality of ingredients and you can use fresh and healthy ingredients. It’s also a great way to show off your cooking skills and impress your guests and loved ones. All in all, making pizza at home is a fun, delicious, and satisfying way to enjoy one of the world’s favorite foods. Give it a try, you won’t regret it!
Pizza in Colombia
In Colombia, you will find that most meals include Chicken, Beef or Pork, rice, and a vegetable regardless of the time of the day.
Take a look at some of the other pizzas from Colombia here.
| Origin | Colombia |
| Type | Vegetarian |
| Sauce | Pesto |
Pesto Pizza Recipe
Below we’ve put together a recipe for you to make your own homemade Pesto Pizza whether it be in your pizza oven or your kitchen oven.
| Dough | 2 hours |
| Assembly | 10 minutes |
| Baking | 12-20 minutes |
Pesto Pizza Ingredients
Get enough of the toppings that you will need for the amount of pizzas you plan to make. The pizza sauce and dough ingredients below are designed for 3-4 pizzas, so scale up or down, based on your requirements.
Simple Pizza dough
- 2 2/3 cups (400 grams) pizza flour
- 1 cup (250 ml) luke-warm water
- 2 tsps (7 g sachet) dried yeast
- Two tsps salt
- 3 tbsps (1/4 cup) virgin olive oil
Pesto Pizza Toppings
Toppings used in this pizza recipe, are;
- Mozzarella
- Parmesan
- Tomato
Pesto
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (approx 1 tablespoon)
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Want to try a different sauce? See our article on the different types of pizza sauces.
TIP
You can click on any of the tags at the bottom of this page, to find other pizzas besides Pesto Pizza, that use that topping.
Pizza Dough Method
Purchase a premade pizza base at your local store, or if you have time, make your own homemade dough following the simple steps below. Some shops even carry pizza dough balls.
- Whisk yeast and lukewarm water in glass or plastic container. Let stand for approximately 5 minutes.
- Add flour and salt in a large bowl. Create a well in the centre of the flour. Pour in the liquid yeast mixture and the oil.
- Using your hands or a mixer, mix the dough until smooth. Pour dough on a lightly floured work surface and then knead by hand for five minutes.
- Place dough into lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Sit in a warm place for roughly 30 minutes to an hour, to rise until it doubles in size.
- Fold the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently by hand for around five minutes or until smooth.
- Spread some flour on kitchen bench before rolling, in order to prevent sticking.
- Divide the dough roughly into equal amounts. Roll out pizza bases for the desired size.
TIP: We have other dough recipes if you would like to try your hand at sourdough, poolish or more.
Pesto sauce
Here’s a very easy to make pesto.
- Place pine nuts and basil leaves into food processor or blender and pulse several times.
- Add Parmesan cheese and garlic then pulse several more times.
- Stir in half the olive oil and blend until smooth.
- Stir in remaining olive oil and blend or pulse again.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
For a spicy pizza sauce, mix in some chilli or sweet chilli sauce to this recipe.
Preparing Pesto Pizza
Start by heating your oven to at least 450 degrees.
Spread out your dough on a well floured surface.
If you have a pizza peel, flour the peel and create your pizza on it.
Start by spreading the sauce all over the base. This pizza uses Pesto. Spread the Pesto Thinly yet evenly, leaving a margin for the crust.
Add the largest toppings first – typically meat or seafood, then the smaller toppings.
Add cheese last, and sprinkle it all over to help keep the toppings in place when it melts.
This pizza has the following toppings:
- Mozzarella
- Parmesan
- Tomato
Whilst this pizza is perfect as is, or you could enjoy it with a simple side dish?
Baking
Put the Pesto pizza on the middle shelf of the oven and wait for approximately 10 minutes.
In 10 minutes, open oven door and check.
The pizza should take roughly 15 minutes to cook, adjust time to cook to personal taste.
About Pesto
Originating during ancient Roman times from Genoa, Italy, Pesto is traditionally made with fresh Basil Leaves, crushed garlic, coarse salt, pine nuts and a hard cheese like Parmesan.
The Pesto name comes from the Genoese word ‘pestare’, which means ‘crush’ or ‘to pound’. It became popular among Genoa’s sailors, as garlic was known to ward off illnesses.
Pizza Tools
When making Pesto Pizza, I always recommend that you use whatever kitchen items you have. My basic pizza tools are…
Pizza Peel
Sometimes called a paddle or shovel, a pizza peel is a vital tool for those who make pizza regularly.
Wooden Rolling Pin
Many people prefer hand stretching, however every cook really should have a good wooden roller nearby too.
Mesh Sieve
You will find having a seive such a useful element for pizza making as well as all your baking. It’s great to filter all flours through a fine mesh sieve, to make sure they’re ready for use.
Parmesan
Parmesan is a translation of the Italian words, Parmigiano-Reggiano. The two terms refer to the same cheese. Often referred to as the “King of Cheeses”, Parmesan is an Italian hard, granular cheese produced from cows’ milk, which is then Aged for at least 12 months.
Parmesan was praised as far back as 1348 in the writings of famous Italian writer, Boccaccio, in his works, the Decameron. October 27 is designated the International “Parmigiano Reggiano Day” by The Consortium of Parmigiano Reggiano.
Keeping Pizza
Leftovers after the meal? Here are some tips.
Chill in the fridge
You can keep pizza in plastic wrap or a container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Can you freeze pizza?
You can freeze pizza for up to three months, however I’d suggest consuming it within the first few weeks, ideally.
How to reheat
There are many ways to reheat pizza. We cover seven of them in this article.
Vegetarian Pizzas
Keen on seeing more than Pesto pizza? We have plenty of other Vegetarian pizza recipes to look at, as well. Enjoy!
Pizza making FAQ
Want to know how to make fantastic pizza at home? Here are some helpful answers to the most frequently asked questions.
What to serve with pizza at a party?
Pizza goes really well with garlic bread, salads and pasta. In fact, you can serve just about any party food with pizza, and it would work.
How long to let pizza dough rise?
Some pizza dough recipes suggest only a few hours, whereas you can also use long fermentation techniques to make it go for 3-5 days.
Which pizza was created to represent the italian flag?
The Pizza Margherita was created in 1889, when Margherita di Savoia, the new queen of Italy, visited Naples. A famous local chef created a pizza using ingredients to match the new flag and named it Margherita.
Have you made Pesto Pizza?
We’re eager to hear what you thought of Pesto Pizza , share your experience with us! Tag us on our Pinterest, Facebook or Twitter and let us know what you thought of it! I’d love to know.
Featured image: Source
