Tip: Use Fire Roasted Tomatoes

The best way to pack flavor into the broth of this cabbage soup recipe? Fire roasted tomatoes make the best flavor. This type of tomato is roasted over an open flame before canning, which makes a sweet and smoky flavor right out of the can.

Can’t find fire roasted tomatoes? Substitute the best quality crushed tomatoes you can find. If you’d like, you can mimic the flavor by adding an extra 1 teaspoon sugar and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika to the broth.

The Best Way to Cut Cabbage

The one part of this cabbage soup recipe that requires a little technique? Shredding the cabbage! A large head of cabbage can be tricky to cut into thin shreds. But we’ve got a trick that makes quick work of it. Here’s how to cut cabbage:

1. Slice off the root: Remove any outer layers of the cabbage that seem tough or are not fresh, and discard them. With a large chef’s knife, slice off the root of the cabbage.
2. Quarter it: Slice the cabbage in half through the stem. Then cut it into quarters.
3. Slice out the root: Remove the root by cutting it out with two diagonal slices.
4. Slice crosswise: Thinly slice the cabbage in the short direction, using a circular motion with the knife.

What To Serve With Cabbage Soup

This cabbage soup recipe is a hearty soup that can work as a meal in itself. However, you’ll probably want to pair it with a salad or sandwich for a filling meal. Here are some ideas for what to serve with cabbage soup:

• Grilled cheese like Gourmet Grilled Cheese or Grilled Cheese in the Oven
• Salad like Arugula Salad, Watercress Salad, Goat Cheese Salad, Brussels Sprout Salad or Pear Salad
• Crackers and cheese like smoked gouda or Havarti
• Toast with goat cheese
• Muffins like Classic Cornbread Muffins or Popovers

More Cabbage Recipes To Try

Got a big head of green cabbage and not sure what to do with it? Cabbage is a healthy cruciferous vegetable that’s very versatile for using in the kitchen. Here are a few cabbage recipes to try:

• Go for Sauteed Cabbage or Boiled Cabbage
• Opt for Steamed Cabbage
• Make a fresh Cabbage Salad, or add creamy dressing for our Best Coleslaw Recipe
• Fire up the grill for Grilled Cabbage Wedges
• Learn How to Make Sauerkraut

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!

1. Make the pizza dough. Follow my Homemade Pizza Dough recipe: it takes 15 minutes to mix and 45 minutes to reset and rise.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Build the pizza. Spread a thin, even layer of pizza sauce over the dough, then top with the veggies and cheeses.
6. 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.
7. Finish with basil. Let the pizza cool for a minute or two, then scatter fresh basil. Slice and serve.

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.

How to Make Spinach Artichoke Pizza

This pizza comes together simply, and if you’ve made any of my pizza recipes, you’ll know the drill! Or scroll down to the recipe below.

Step 1: Make (or prep) the pizza dough

Follow my best pizza dough recipe: it takes 15 minutes to mix and 45 minutes to rest. If you’re using store-bought pizza dough, make sure to bring it come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before stretching.

Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500°F. Give it at least 30 minutes to fully heat up (the secret to a crispy crust!).

Step 2: Sauté the spinach and artichokes

Sauté the garlic in olive oil for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the spinach and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until it’s fully wilted. Add the chopped artichoke hearts and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and set aside.

Tip: If you’re using frozen spinach, you can add the spinach with the artichoke hearts and skip the spinach saute time.

Step 3: Stretch and top the dough

Dust a pizza peel with semolina flour or cornmeal. (No peel? Use the back of a rimless baking sheet.) Stretch the dough into a circle: see my guide to how to stretch pizza dough. Gently transfer to the peel.

Brush the entire surface with a thin layer of olive oil. Spread the shredded mozzarella cheese, spinach-artichoke mixture, Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, and a few pinches kosher salt.

Step 4: Bake

Slide the pizza off the peel and onto the preheated pizza stone. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes in a standard oven (or about 1 minute in a pizza oven) until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is browned. Slice and serve immediately.

More Pizza Recipes to Try

• Best Margherita Pizza Recipe
• Mushroom Pizza with Fresh Herbs
• White Pizza or Ricotta Pizza
• Perfect Pan Pizza
• Truffle Pizza
• Pizza Marinara
• Breakfast Pizza

Ingredient Notes

Because there are only 5 ingredients in this healthy dip, each one is actually very important to get right. Please read the following carefully:

• Greek yogurt: Use whole milk yogurt, and a brand that is very thick. I like Fage brand. (I find that Stonyfield brand is a little looser in texture and I prefer Fage here.) As a bonus, you’re getting a big hit of protein in every serving. You could also try this with a plain thick vegan coconut yogurt: I have had good results with the brand Cocojune.
• Dark (Dutch process) cocoa powder: This is the secret to that deep chocolate flavor. Dutch process cocoa has a smoother, darker taste compared to natural cocoa powder (which you’ll know if you bake often). Please use the right type here.
• Pure maple syrup: I always buy “Grade A: Dark Color, Robust Flavor” maple syrup here. I’ve found that light or medium maple syrup has a lighter, fruitier flavor that doesn’t work with my chocolate experiments. Trust me :)
• Peanut butter: Just a hint gives the dip a slightly thicker, richer consistency. For nut allergies, you can use sunflower butter.
• Vanilla extract: This adds depth! It’s the only ingredient you can leave out in a pinch.