This Mediterranean pizza is loaded with feta, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil for bold, fresh flavor. Easy to customize and perfect for entertaining.
One bite into this veggie-packed pizza and Alex said, “This one is my new favorite!” After years of researching how to make the best homemade pizza, this was music to my ears This pie is topped with salty feta, peppery basil, briny Kalamata olives, and tangy sun dried tomatoes all spread on cheese and my favorite pizza sauce.
This pizza is a celebration of bright Mediterranean flavors to make you think of sunny afternoons in Greece and Italy. It’s perfect for entertaining or a family pizza night. Here are all my tips on how to make it!
Featured Reader Review
“This Mediterranean pizza is a success every time I make it. I wasn’t sure of the combination of ingredients the first time I made it, but it is always the first one to go when I have a couple of different flavors on offer. I have to add that your pizza sauce recipe is also pretty amazing and don’t make any other now that I’ve found it.” -Jane
Ingredients Needed
Here are a few notes on each of the ingredients you’ll need:
- Pizza dough: I usually use this Best Pizza Dough recipe, a reader favorite recipe I’ve relied on for years. If you like thin crust, my Thin Crust Pizza Dough also works well.
- Pizza sauce: My 5-Minute Pizza Sauce is non-negotiable! All you need is fire-roasted tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and oregano, and it comes together in minutes.
- Veggies: For the veggies, I use fresh spinach (which I sauté first), red onion, Kalamata olives, and sun-dried tomatoes. I think you’ll find that the flavor combination just says “Mediterranean”.
- Shredded mozzarella cheese: I like to use whole milk mozzarella for the best melting.
- Feta cheese: Salty feta is another key ingredient for the perfect Mediterranean vibe.
- Fresh basil: Add it after baking for the best herby, pizzeria flavor.
How to Make Mediterranean Pizza
Here’s a step by step breakdown — or just scroll down to my recipe below!
- Make the pizza dough. Follow my Homemade Pizza Dough recipe: it takes 15 minutes to mix and 45 minutes to reset and rise.
- Preheat. Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500°F. This is where your crispy crust comes from! See How to Use a Pizza Stone for more.
- Prep the toppings. For the sauce, blend together fire-roasted tomatoes, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, oregano, and salt. Sauté the spinach for about 2 minutes until wilted, and chop the other toppings.
- Stretch the dough. Dust your pizza peel with cornmeal or semolina flour, then stretch the dough into a circle. See my tips for how to stretch pizza dough.
- Build the pizza. Spread a thin, even layer of pizza sauce over the dough, then top with the veggies and cheeses.
- Bake. Slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.
- Finish with basil. Let the pizza cool for a minute or two, then scatter fresh basil. Slice and serve.
Tips for the Best Results
- Don’t skip the pizza stone. It’s what makes the crust crispy and golden. If you don’t have one, I recommend making my sheet pan pizza instead.
- Go thin on the sauce. I like making pizza the Italian way, with a very thin layer of sauce.
- Add basil after baking, not before. Fresh basil turns dark in a hot oven (which I learned from my margherita pizza). It’s best added after baking.
Easy Variations to Try
I love this Mediterranean pizza recipe as written, but there are a few ways to vary it up that make it just as tasty:
- Add artichoke hearts. Marinated artichoke hearts are a natural fit here! Drain them well, then chop and add a handful with the olives.
- Swap in goat cheese. Goat cheese works well instead of feta; it has a more mild flavor and is creamier. (It’s one of my favorite pizza toppings, like in this goat cheese pizza.)
- Try arugula instead of spinach. Skip the sautéed spinach and add a handful of fresh arugula after baking (I like mixing it with a little olive oil and pinch of salt first).
- Add red pepper or bell peppers. Thin strips of roasted red pepper add sweetness; or you could add finely chopped peppers.
- Make it vegan. Use a vegan mozzarella and skip the feta (or use a vegan feta).
- Use store-bought pizza dough. Of course, you can use this shortcut for weeknights.
- Try pita or naan as the crust. For an even faster weeknight idea, try these toppings on a naan pizza or pita pizza.
What to Serve With It
Here’s how I like to serve this recipe:
- A crisp green salad with Greek salad dressing
- A simple tossed salad with cherry tomatoes and a light vinaigrette, like my favorite chopped salad
- Wine: a light-bodied red like a Pinot Noir or a crisp white like Grillo.
- More pizza: Pair with my Pesto Pizza or a classic Homemade Margherita Pizza.
Storing Leftovers
Store slices in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
The best way to reheat pizza is in an air fryer. If you don’t have one, use a skillet over medium heat, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes. You can also reheat slices in a 375°F oven on a baking sheet until the cheese melts again.
Dietary Notes
This Mediterranean pizza recipe is vegetarian.
Mediterranean Pizza
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This Mediterranean pizza is loaded with feta, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil for bold, fresh flavor. Easy to customize and perfect for entertaining.
- Author: Sonja
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 7 minutes
- Yield: 1 pizza (8 slices) 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients
- 1 ball Best Pizza Dough (or Food Processor Dough or Thin Crust Dough)
- ⅓ cup Best Homemade Pizza Sauce
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup packed baby spinach leaves
- 1 handful red onion slices
- 6 Kalamata olives
- 8 sundried tomatoes, packed in oil
- ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 ounce feta cheese
- 8 fresh basil leaves
- Kosher salt
- Semolina flour or cornmeal, for dusting the pizza peel
Instructions
- Make the pizza dough: Follow the Best Pizza Dough recipe to prepare the dough. (This takes about 15 minutes to make and 45 minutes to rest.)
- Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500°F. OR preheat your pizza oven (here’s the pizza oven we use).
- Make the pizza sauce: Make the 5 Minute Pizza Sauce.
- Prepare the toppings: In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook for 2 minutes until wilted but still bright green. Add 1 pinch salt and remove from the heat.
- Thinly slice the red onion. Slice the olives in half. If the sundried tomatoes are large, you can chop them smaller too.
- Bake the pizza: When the oven is ready, dust a pizza peel with cornmeal or semolina flour. (If you don’t have a pizza peel, you can use a rimless baking sheet or the back of a rimmed baking sheet. But a pizza peel is well worth the investment!) Stretch the dough into a circle; see How to Stretch Pizza Dough for instructions. Then gently place the dough onto the pizza peel.
- Spread the pizza sauce over the dough using the back of a spoon to create a thin layer. Add the shredded mozzarella cheese. Top with the cooked spinach, red onion, olives, sundried tomatoes, and feta cheese.
- Use the pizza peel to carefully transfer the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone. Bake the pizza until the cheese and crust are nicely browned, about 5 to 7 minutes in the oven (or 1 minute in a pizza oven).
- Allow the pizza to cool for a minute or two before adding the basil on top (whole leaves, lightly torn, or thinly sliced). Slice into pieces and serve immediately.
More Pizza Recipes to Try
from A Couple Cooks https://ift.tt/PXelkEK
