Caprese Pizza
intro
Bright, fresh Caprese pizza pairs chewy blistered crust with ripe summer tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, fragrant basil, and tangy balsamic glaze for a light, iconic Italian meal.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep Dough and Oven
Place an oven rack in the center position and preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C). Let the 1lb pizza dough rest uncovered at room temperature for 10 minutes on the lightly floured acacia wood cutting board to relax the gluten, so it stretches easily without shrinking back. Lightly dust the surface of the perforated aluminum pizza pan with a pinch of all-purpose flour to prevent the crust from sticking during baking.
Stretch Pizza Crust
Using your fingertips, press the rested dough outward from the center to form a rough 12-inch round, leaving a 1-inch thicker border to form the puffy crust edge. Use the stainless steel rolling pin to gently even out any overly thick spots in the center, taking care not to compress the raised border. The finished crust should be roughly 1/4-inch thick across the center, with small natural air bubbles across the surface. Carefully lift the stretched dough and center it on the prepared floured pizza pan.
Brush Garlic Oil Base
Mince the single garlic clove finely and combine it with 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil in the small stainless steel mixing bowl. Use the silicone pastry brush to spread the garlic oil evenly across the thin center of the pizza crust, leaving the 1-inch raised crust border completely dry (this dry edge will crisp into a golden, chewy crust as it bakes). Avoid pooling oil in the center of the crust, as this will cause sogginess.
Add Cheese Topping
Pat the fresh mozzarella completely dry with paper towels to remove excess whey (critical for avoiding soggy crust) and tear it into rough 1-inch chunks. Distribute the mozzarella chunks evenly across the oiled crust surface, leaving 1/2-inch gaps between pieces to allow heat to circulate and crisp the crust between toppings. Do not overload the pizza with cheese, as fresh mozzarella releases moisture as it melts.
Top with Fresh Tomatoes
Slice the heirloom tomatoes into 1/4-inch thick rounds, patting each slice firmly with paper towels to remove excess seeds and juicy pulp. Arrange the dried tomato slices in a single even layer over the mozzarella, overlapping slightly as needed to cover the cheese. Sprinkle the top with 1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt.
Bake Until Crisp
Carefully transfer the pizza on the perforated pan to the preheated 475°F (245°C) oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pan 180 degrees halfway through baking to ensure even browning. The pizza is done when the crust edge is deep golden and blistered with faint dark char spots, and the mozzarella is fully melted and bubbling across the surface.
Add Fresh Basil
Immediately after removing the hot pizza from the oven, scatter the packed fresh basil leaves evenly across the top. The residual heat from the pizza will gently wilt the basil and release its bright, aromatic oils without turning the leaves brown or bitter. Drizzle the remaining 1 teaspoon of plain extra-virgin olive oil over the basil for a glossy finish.
Finish and Serve
Drizzle the 2 tablespoons of thick aged balsamic glaze in a loose zig-zag pattern across the entire pizza. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt. Use the metal pizza cutter to slice the pizza into 8 even wedges, then carefully slide the whole sliced pizza onto the large cream ceramic serving platter. Serve immediately while warm and crisp.
Tips
2.Let cold pizza dough rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before stretching: cold dough has tight, contracted gluten that will shrink back aggressively as you work, leading to uneven, thick crust or tears in the base.
3.Add fresh basil only after the pizza comes out of the oven: baking basil for 10+ minutes in high heat will turn the leaves black, bitter, and crispy, rather than soft, bright, and fragrant as it should be in a classic Caprese preparation.
OMG this was SO good! I’ve been searching for a quick weeknight pizza recipe that doesn’t taste like takeout disappointment, and this hit every mark. The fresh basil from my windowsill paired perfectly with the mozzarella, and 12 minute cook time? Total game changer for busy school nights.
Made this for my teen son’s post-soccer practice dinner last night and he ate three slices before I even got to sit down. Super easy to throw together even when I’m running on fumes after work. Will absolutely be adding this to our regular rotation.
Brought this to our neighborhood block party potluck last weekend and people were asking for the recipe before I even set the platter down! I added a tiny drizzle of hot honey on half for the folks who like a little kick, and it was chef’s kiss.
As a broke college student with barely any cooking skills, this was so doable! Pre-made crust, a few simple ingredients, 12 minutes in the oven? Way cheaper than ordering delivery and tastes 10x better. Meal prepped two of these for the week and they held up great.
Really tasty base recipe! I swapped in a gluten-free cauliflower crust and it still turned out great, though I had to add 3 extra minutes of cook time to get the crust crispy. Fresh tomato makes all the difference here, don’t skip it!
Loved the flavor of this when I made it last night! Quick question – do you pat the mozzarella dry before putting it on the pizza? I’ve made caprese before and had soggy crust from watery cheese, mine was a little limp last night so I want to get it right next time!
Threw this on my pizza stone on the grill instead of the oven and wow, that wood-fired adjacent taste was unreal. Perfect summer dinner when it’s too hot to turn the oven on inside.
This is way easier than the deep dish recipes I usually mess around with on weekends! I added a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt right when it came out of the oven and it elevated the whole thing. 10/10.
My kids usually turn their noses up at anything with basil on it, but they devoured this pizza last night! I let them sprinkle the cheese on themselves to get them involved, and I think that made them way more excited to eat it.
I have a ton of ripe heirloom tomatoes in my garden right now – can I use those instead of regular roma tomatoes for this? I don’t want them to be too juicy.
Used dairy-free fresh mozzarella for this and you literally could not tell the difference! It was so creamy and delicious, my roommate who eats regular cheese ate half the pie without even noticing.
Made this after a 10 hour work day when I had zero energy to cook, and it was on the table in 20 minutes total including prep. I cannot overstate how much of a lifesaver easy recipes like this are during the school year.
Made this for my at-home date night with my boyfriend last night and he said it was better than the fancy Italian restaurant we went to for our anniversary! We paired it with a bottle of chianti and it felt so fancy for barely any work.
Tried this for the first time last night and my crust got a little soggy – still tasted amazing, but I missed that crispy crunch I love on pizza. Any tips for next time?
Made four of these on Sunday for my work lunches this week, and they reheat so well in the toaster oven! I was worried the basil would get wilty, but adding a little fresh sprig after reheating keeps it tasting totally fresh.
Full transparency, I hate fresh basil – I know that’s a crime for caprese, but I swapped it for a little fresh arugula tossed in balsamic after baking and it was incredible. Don’t @ me.
Pro tip: Add a thick drizzle of thick balsamic glaze right when you pull this out of the oven. It adds that perfect tangy sweetness that makes it taste like restaurant quality. Trust me on this.
I’ve never made homemade pizza in my life and I was so nervous I’d mess it up, but this was so easy! The crust was crispy, the cheese was melty, my whole family raved about it. Even my super picky 4 year old asked for seconds.