Ready in less than 30 minutes, this spring pizza uses a pesto base and is topped with seasonal vegetables like asparagus, mushrooms, peas, and artichokes, and rich mozzarella.
Why I Love This Recipe
There are endless possibilities when it comes to pizza and what better way to embrace seasonal spring ingredients than to pile them on top?!
That’s right – asparagus, peas, and certain varieties of mushrooms (lookin’ at you morels), are seasonal during the springtime. Buying produce in-season often means it’s going to be more flavorful, more nutritious, and less expensive!
This ‘za boasts fresh asparagus, peas, mushrooms, and artichokes all top a crispy crust that’s smothered in pesto and shredded mozzarella.
While mozzarella cheese is the classic choice for pizza since it’s mild in flavor and easy to melt, you can also experiment by mixing in other cheeses as well. I think feta, goat cheese or ricotta would all be delicious additions to this recipe.
This pizza is an easy, delicious dinner, perfect for any night of the week. To make it incredibly simple to put together, we’re using store bought pizza dough and store bought basil pesto. If you have more time on your hands, you can certainly make either of these from scratch to take your pie to the next level.
I don’t know about you, but I love a non-tomato sauce-based pizza every now and again and this one checks all the boxes. It’s cheesy, veggie loaded, and packed with flavor.
This pizza has springtime written all over it!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Notes on Ingredients
pizza dough: I like to use store-bought for added convenience. Look for whole wheat or gluten-free options if you prefer.
asparagus: this popular spring veggie has a slightly bitter and earthy taste.
cremini mushrooms: add savory umami flavor.
peas: I used frozen. They add a mildly sweet flavor.
salt and pepper: essential flavor enhancers.
garlic: provides aromatic flavor.
artichoke hearts: add an earthy, slightly tangy flavor.
pesto: I use store-bought basil pesto to save on time, but you could make your own pesto if you’re feeling ambitious.
shredded mozzarella: for that creamy, rich texture. You could also add feta, goat cheese, or ricotta cheese.
Equipment You’ll Need (affiliate links – if you make a purchase I receive a small commission)
Prepare oven & sauté veggies. Allow pizza dough to sit out at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before using. While you’re waiting, place your pizza stone inside the oven and preheat to 475 degrees F. Add asparagus, mushrooms and peas to a large pan with olive oil and sauté about 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Roll the dough. Roll dough out on floured surface until it is 1/4 inch thick, then place on parchment-lined pizza peel or back of a baking sheet.
Add pesto. Spread pesto all over dough, leaving 1/2-inch space around perimeter.
Add cheese and veggies. Sprinkle cheese evenly over pesto then top with sautéed vegetable mixture and artichoke hearts.
Bake. Using a pizza peel (or baking sheet), slide your pizza onto the pizza stone. Bake for 7 minutes, remove parchment paper, and rotate pizza. Bake until cheese is bubbling and crust is golden-brown, about another 3 minutes.
Expert Tips
Use a pizza stone for a crispy crust. If you don’t have a pizza stone, you can definitely use a regular baking sheet, but using a pizza stone will help to give your crust a crispy texture.
Make sure to place your cold pizza stone in the oven before preheating your oven. Placing a cold pizza stone in a hot oven can cause the stone to crack.
This recipe makes one large pizza or you can cut the dough in halfand make two smaller (10-inch) pizzas.
Store-bought pesto is a great time-saver. If your grocery store sells fresh basil pesto (as opposed to jarred), that will give the pizza an extra flavor oomph!
Add the vegetables on top of the cheese so they don’t get covered and you can see their colors and textures on the pizza.
If you buy marinated artichoke hearts, you can add them to the pizza separately from the other veggies. If you buy plain artichoke hearts, you could stir them in with the veggies in the sauté pan and season them all with salt and pepper.
Storage and Preparation
Spring pizza leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat leftover pizza, bake at 425 degrees F for about 5 minutes.
You can also store leftover pizza in the freezer for up to three months. Wrap slices individually in plastic wrap and then store in freezer safe container.
If you like this recipe, please be sure to comment and give it a 5 star rating below. If you make it, share it on Instagram and tag me @karalydonrd and I’ll re-share it with my followers! If you want to save this recipe for later, be sure to pin it on Pinterest!
Ready in less than 30 minutes, this spring pizza uses a pesto base and is topped with seasonal vegetables like asparagus, mushrooms, peas, and artichokes, and rich mozzarella.
1 lb store-bought pizza dough
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup cut asparagus (cut into 1-inch pieces)
3/4 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
1/4 cup peas (I used frozen)
Salt and pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 cup pesto
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
Optional: red pepper flakes and/or grated parmesan cheese for topping
Let pizza dough sit out at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before using.
With pizza stone inside oven, preheat to 475 degrees F. Place parchment paper on pizza peel or back of a baking sheet.
In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium-low. Add asparagus, mushrooms and peas, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are browned and asparagus is slightly tender, about 5-7 minutes. Season vegetables with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Roll dough out on floured surface until it is 1/4 inch thick. Place dough on parchment-lined pizza peel or back of a baking sheet.
Spread pesto all over dough, leaving 1/2-inch around perimeter.
Sprinkle cheese evenly over pesto. Top with vegetable mixture and artichoke hearts.
Using a pizza peel (or baking sheet), slide your pizza onto the pizza stone. Bake for 7 minutes, remove parchment paper, and rotate pizza. Bake until cheese is bubbling and crust is golden-brow, about another 3 minutes.
Let pizza cool slightly before serving. Top with red pepper flakes and/or grated parmesan as desired!
Notes
I like to add the vegetables on top of the cheese so that they aren’t covered and you can see their colors and textures on the pizza!
This recipe makes one large pizza or you can cut the dough in half and make two smaller (10-inch) pizzas.
Store-bought pesto is perfect for this recipe and a great time-saver. If your grocery store sells fresh basil pesto, that will give the pizza an extra flavor oomph!
If you don’t have a pizza stone, you can also bake your pizza on a baking sheet!
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:16 minutes
Category:Pizza
Method:Oven
Cuisine:American
Keywords: spring pizza, spring vegetable pizza, spring veggie pizza
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