Treat yourself to this crave-worthy Caprese Pizza recipe! You are going to love the amazing flavors in this homemade Tomato Basil Pizza, and the fact that it's so quick and easy to make!
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I've been keeping a secret from y'all, and I don't quite know why. Over the years, I've shared so many of my go-to recipes with you, but I've kept one of my all-time favorites to myself.
Well, no more. Meet my homemade Caprese Pizza ... my absolute favorite pizza recipe ever! That may sound dramatic, but this yummy pizza has sooo much going for it. It tastes amazing, it's made with fresh, healthy ingredients, and it's ready fast. If you're a Caprese Salad fan too, then you're going to LOVE this pizza!
This pizza takes the simple ingredients that the salad is known for—tomatoes, mozzarella, basil—and combines them into one scrumptious pizza. Add a little fresh garlic, and soon you'll be in pizza heaven.
Apart from the fabulous flavors, the best thing about this pizza is that it's so simple and easy to make. It's ready in about 30 minutes from start to finish! Which means it's quick enough for dinner tonight, but it's special enough for guests, too. Basically, the perfect pizza recipe, if you ask me!
You're going to want to make this mouthwatering pizza tonight, so keep reading for all the delicious details!
Ingredients
The ingredients for this Tomato and Basil Pizza are simple, fresh, and delicious! Here's what you'll need:
- Tomatoes -This pizza calls for the absolute best tomatoes you can find. Tomatoes fresh from the garden or farmers market are ideal for this recipe. However, I make this pizza all year round (it's so good that I can't resist). In winter, I substitute sweet grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, and they work great.
- Basil - Fresh basil adds tons of flavor to the simple pizza recipe.
- Cheese - I used shredded mozzarella cheese here (full-fat is best), but you can use fresh mozzarella if you'd prefer. Use an 8-ounce ball, and slice it really thin. An Italian cheese blend would work, too.
- Garlic - The semi-secret ingredient here is fresh garlic! While not used in Caprese Salad, it adds so much flavor to this yummy pizza.
- Pizza dough - Use your favorite dough, store bought or homemade.
- Olive Oil - This is a white pizza (no red sauce), and the crust gets brushed with extra virgin olive oil, before baking.
Because this pizza is so simple, make sure to use the highest quality ingredients!
You'll Also Need
You'll also need a sharp knife and some paper towels (or hand towels) to prep the tomatoes, a large pizza pan, and a pastry brush comes in handy for spreading the olive oil over the dough.
How to Make Caprese Pizza
This Tomato Mozzarella Basil Pizza is so quick and simple to make! You'll find a detailed recipe card below, but here's an overview of the steps:
- Stretch dough. Start by spraying your pizza pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray (or brush it with olive oil). Then, use your hands to press the pizza dough out to the edges of the pan. Tip: If the dough shrinks, let it rest for five minutes, then continue stretching.
- Top crust with olive oil + garlic. Brush the pizza crust with the extra virgin olive oil, then spread the fresh garlic evenly over the oil.
- Add cheese. Top the olive oil and garlic with 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese. The cheese creates a barrier between the dough and the tomatoes, which keeps the crust from getting soggy.
- Prep tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes are super juicy, and all the that liquid will make your pizza crust soggy. So before topping your pizza with the tomatoes, you'll remove some of that juice. Start by slicing your tomatoes about ¼-inch thick. Then create a thick layer of paper towels (or dish towels). I usually do about five to six layers. Place your tomatoes on top of that, then place another thick layer of paper towels over the tomatoes. Press gently on the paper towels to remove the excess juice.
- Add tomatoes to pizza. Once you've blotted the tomatoes dry, spread them evenly over your pizza. I used two medium tomatoes for this pie, but depending on the size of your tomatoes, you may need more or less. Sprinkle the tomatoes with a little salt (I prefer kosher salt). The salt really adds a lot of flavor to the tomatoes and pizza, so don't skip it!
- Sprinkle with basil + more cheese. Add a heaping handful of basil over the tomatoes, then follow that with another sprinkle of cheese. Tip: I like to keep this pizza pretty light, so I only use 2 cups of cheese. For an extra cheesy pizza, feel free to add another cup of cheese.
- Bake. Pop your pizza into the oven, then cook it until the crust is golden, and the cheese is starting to brown. It should take about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Add more basil. Finish the pizza with another sprinkle of fresh basil. The more basil, the better, in my book ... it adds so much flavor! You could add a drizzle of balsamic glaze to the pizza for an extra fancy touch.
So there you have it ... my all-time favorite pizza!
The fresh flavors of the juicy tomatoes, fragrant basil, and bold garlic can't be beat. Plus, it's just so easy to make ... perfect for busy weeknights and dinner parties, too.
Give this Caprese Pizza a try and let me know what you think. I bet you'll love it just as much as I do!
Variations
This recipe is pretty perfect as-is ... if I do say so myself! But it's easy to customize, too. Here are some easy ideas:
- Pesto - Brush the crust with Pesto instead of olive oil.
- Tomatoes - Try using different tomatoes, such as grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes. These Roasted Grape Tomatoes would also be delish!
- Garlic - This pizza has a strong garlic flavor that's perfect for garlic lovers! If you'd prefer not to use raw garlic though, saute the garlic in the olive oil until golden. Then, spread the sauteed garlic and oil over your crust. You could also use homemade Roasted Garlic for a milder, slightly sweet flavor.
- Cheese - Experiment with different cheeses (or a blend of cheese), like provolone, parmesan, or fontina. You could also crumble some feta or goat cheese over the top.
- Balsamic - Drizzle the with a balsamic glaze before cutting.
- Spicy - Sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes or a little Calabrian chili paste just before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this tasty pizza with a simple salad, like this Green Salad or this Garden Salad, and dinner is done. This Watermelon Salad would also be delish! Add some homemade Garlic Bread (or Garlic Cheese Bread) if you're craving carbs.
Related Recipes
Craving more tomato-basil flavors? Then you'll love these Burrata Caprese, Caprese Skewers, and Caprese Freekeh Salad recipes, too! If it's pizza recipes you're looking for, check out some of my other favorites next:
- Green Pizza with Pesto, Feta, Artichokes, and Broccoli ... the most popular pizza recipe on Hello Little Home!
- Fresh Plum and Gouda Pizza
- Easy White Pizza
- Gorgonzola Pear Pizza
- Hummus Pizza
- Broccoli Pizza
- Pesto, Feta, and Veggie Pizza
- Summer Veggie Pizza
- Grilled Pizza
Caprese Pizza
Ingredients
- 2 medium tomatoes
- nonstick cooking spray
- 1 ball pizza dough
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- ⅓ cup sliced basil leaves, plus more for serving
- kosher salt
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Slice tomatoes about ¼-inch thick.
- Place sliced tomatoes on a thick layer of paper towels, then cover with another layer of paper towels. Press tomatoes gently to remove excess liquid. Set aside.
- Spray a large pizza pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Top with pizza dough, then use your hands to spread dough across pan.
- Drizzle dough with olive oil, then brush evenly over dough.
- Spread garlic evenly over dough, then sprinkle with 1 ½ cups mozzarella.
- Top cheese with tomatoes, then sprinkle tomatoes generously with salt.
- Spread basil over pizza, then top with remaining ½ cup cheese.
- Bake pizza until crust is golden, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Cut pizza into wedges and serve topped with additional fresh basil. Enjoy!
Nutrition
What are your favorite pizza toppings?
My family LOVED this pizza! We’ve been having a Pizza night each week for about the past 8-10 weeks, and this one topped the rest as our favorite. The basil and garlic smell throughout the house was another huge plus!
Hi, Molly! I'm so glad you and your family enjoyed the pizza. You definitely can't beat that amazing smell as it cooks! 🙂