This Mediterranean Pizza is bursting with fresh, herbaceous, and zesty flavors! Topped with homemade pesto, succulent artichokes, tender olives, and lemony arugula, it’s a savory escape to the sun-kissed shores of the Mediterranean. Serve it with your favorite salad or grilled vegetables and a glass of vino.
Jump to RecipeWhy You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fresh & healthy: This Mediterranean pizza is loaded with vegetables, meaning you get both flavor and health benefits in every bite.
- Quick to prepare: Whether you’re using store-bought or homemade dough, this pizza comes together quickly so you can start eating right away!
- Customizable: Feel free to add more or less toppings to fully customize your pizza-eating experience.
- Crowd-Pleaser: Mediterranean pizza is perfect for gatherings! Everyone will be asking you for the recipe.
Summery Mediterranean Pizza
Whenever I’m craving a taste of the Mediterranean, I often turn to dishes like chicken pesto pasta salad, grilled bruschetta chicken, and this Mediterranean pizza recipe.
That crisp crust? It’s the perfect platform for showcasing vibrant toppings like basil pesto, zesty garlic, tangy artichokes, briny olives, and fresh toppings.
Plus the oven-baking technique ensures all the flavors meld beautifully, offering a summery taste of the Mediterranean in every bite. Enjoy this pizza right out of the oven with your favorite side dishes like salad, dips, grilled veggies, and more.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pizza dough ball: Makes up the foundation of the pizza. You can try making my easy bread flour pizza dough or use store-bought dough for more convenience. Substitute it with gluten-free dough if needed.
- Flour: For dusting and preventing the dough from sticking. You can also use cornmeal as a gluten-free alternative.
- Olive oil: Imparts a rich, fruity flavor, which is essential for that Mediterranean touch. Replace it with avocado oil for a lighter taste.
- Pesto: You can use store-bought or homemade basil pesto for the base of your Mediterranean pizza. For a different flavor, try sun-dried tomato pesto or tomato sauce.
- Garlic: Adds a robust and aromatic undertone. Garlic powder will work in a pinch if fresh isn’t available, but I highly recommend fresh garlic for this recipe.
- Red pepper flakes: Adds a hint of spiciness. If you’re sensitive to spice, reduce or omit the red pepper flakes altogether.
- Oregano: Imparts a peppery bite and a sweet, almost minty aroma. If you don’t have oregano on hand, dried basil or Italian seasoning will also work.
- Mozzarella: Provides a mild, creamy topping that ties everything together. Alternatively, experiment with Gouda, goat cheese, or provolone.
- Artichokes: Bring a tangy and tender taste and texture to the pizza. I prefer artichokes packed in oil, but you can also use artichokes packed in water.
- Red onion: Adds a sweet crunch and a burst of savory, zesty flavors. You can also try shallots for a milder onion taste.
- Kalamata olives: Impart a briny, rich, and tender element. You can play around with black olives, green olives, or a mix of your favorites!
- Fresh toppings: Once the pizza comes out of the oven, I like to top it with cherry tomatoes, arugula, crumbled feta, and parsley for a juicy, salty, and colorful finish.
How to Make Mediterranean Pizza
- Preheat the oven: Begin by setting your oven to 450F. Getting the right temperature is key to a perfectly crispy crust.
- Prepare the dough: If you’ve bought pizza dough, let it come to room temperature. For those making it fresh, follow my homemade pizza dough recipe.
- Layer the base: Gently spread your pesto on the pizza dough, but remember to leave a small border for the crust.
- Add the toppings: Spread mozzarella evenly over the pesto, then layer artichokes, red onion slices, and olives on top of the cheese.
- Bake to perfection: Pop the pizza in the oven for around 10-12 minutes, or until you see a golden crust and bubbling cheese.
- Add the final Touches: Once baked, garnish your Mediterranean pizza with arugula, tomatoes, feta, and parsley. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Complement your Mediterranean pizza with side dishes like these:
- Salad: Pair it with a chopped Greek salad, roasted beet and burrata salad, or Mediterranean chopped salad.
- Veggies: Add a side of grilled zucchini and squash or roasted potato salad.
- Dips: Serve some tzatziki or hummus with your Mediterranean pizza.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can make this Mediterranean pizza gluten-free. Simply use gluten-free pizza dough and make sure any additional toppings you use are also gluten-free.
Definitely! Grill it on high heat, keeping an eye on it until the dough is fully cooked and the cheese is melted.
Yes, just store them separately in the fridge until you’re ready to make your pizza.
Storage & Reheating
Storing and reheating this Mediterranean pizza is a breeze! Here’s what to do:
- Fridge: Store leftover slices in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer: You can freeze this pizza for up to a month. Thaw individual slices in the fridge overnight before reheating them.
- Reheating: If you prefer warm leftover pizza, heat the slices in an oven at 350F until hot.
Variations
- Proteins: Add grilled chicken, prosciutto, or shrimp.
- Spicy: Add jalapeños or chili oil for an extra kick!
- Greens: Try using spinach or kale in place of arugula.
- Sweet contrast: Add figs or pomegranate seeds for bursts of juicy sweetness.
- Crunchy: Sprinkle some pine nuts or walnuts on top for a crunchy element.
- Mushrooms: Try adding sautéed mushrooms for an earthy touch.
- Creamy: Swap pesto with a ricotta base to create a creamy base.
Top Tips
- Warm the dough: Allow store-bought dough to come to room temperature so it’s more pliable and easier to work with.
- Uniform slices: For even baking, cut the toppings into similar sizes.
- Bake it at high heat: This ensures a perfectly crispy crust and melty cheese.
- Use a baking stone: If you have one, it’s great for baking pizza!
Looking for More Mediterranean Recipes?
If you enjoyed this Mediterranean pizza recipe, take a peek at some more classics like these:
- Mediterranean meatballs
- Mediterranean radicchio salad with olives
- Creamy Tuscan chicken meatballs
- Mediterranean chopped salad
If you try this Mediterranean Pizza recipe, let me know what you think! Rate and review this recipe in the comments below. Don’t forget to take a picture and tag me on Instagram @lenaskitchenblog!
Quick & Easy Mediterranean Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 ball pizza dough, homemade or store bought
- 3 tablespoons pesto, homemade or store bought
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella
- 1 cup artichokes, quartered
- ¼ medium red onion, sliced
- ¼ cup Kalamata olives, sliced
- 1 cup arugula, for topping
- ¼ cup grape tomatoes, halved for topping
- ¼ cup crumbled feta
- 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- If using store bought dough, bring the dough to room temperature then shape on a pizza peel or baking sheet. Or make my homemade dough, recipe here.
- Top the pizza dough with pesto (homemade or store bought), leaving a ½ inch border for the crust.
- Sprinkle with mozzarella, then top with artichokes, red onion slices, and olives.
- Bake the pizza on the top rack of the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted and bubbling.
- Remove the pizza from the oven, top with arugula, halved tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese and parsley. Slice and serve. Enjoy.
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