Pesto Pizza Recipe with Cherry Tomatoes

The classic combination of cherry tomatoes and basil creates a tasty pizza topping for a Pesto Pizza Recipe. A burst of flavor awaits you in every bite!

Summer is a great time to take advantage of fresh herbs and produce easily available in farmers’ markets. 

The spotlight today is cherry tomatoes and basil.

If you are lucky enough to have a backyard garden, you probably know that one cherry tomato plant can produce dozens and dozens of fruit.

Without a doubt, they are a great addition to any salad. Two of my favorite summer salads are Arugula Cherry Tomato Salad and this Italian Potato Salad (made without any mayonnaise).

These naturally sweet, small round tomatoes also make a great topping for focaccia bread or a pizza when sauteed with basil pesto.

Let me show you how easy it is to make this wonderful pizza topping!

Ingredients

As usual, the printable recipe card, found at the bottom of the page, has the specific amounts for each ingredient.

• Pizza Dough. Store-bought or homemade.
• Olive Oil. Use high-quality extra virgin olive oil for best results.
• Basil Pesto. Homemade or store-bought.
• Cherry Tomatoes. Garden fresh and sliced in half. Any variety will do.
• Garlic. A necessary ingredient when making pizza.
• Oregano. This herb is a must with Italian pizza toppings.
• Mozzarella Cheese. If possible, grate your cheese.
• Grated Cheese. Use either Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese or Pecorino Romano Cheese.
• Basil Leaves. Fresh. Just a few leaves to garnish our pizza.

Instructions

The first thing we need to do is preheat the oven to 500 °F (260 °C).

Place the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven. When it’s time to bake the pizza, we will lower the heat to 450 °F (230 °C).

Next comes the pizza dough.

Naturally, I use my family recipe since, in my humble opinion, it is the best homemade pizza dough. Feel free to use whatever dough is convenient for you.

The pizza dough recipe and all of the details on How to Make Pizza Dough can be found by simply clicking on the highlighted link. As an alternative, this whole wheat pizza dough can also be used. 

Since I already have some in my refrigerator, I transfer the bowl of pizza dough to the counter. Always leave the dough covered with the plastic film; otherwise, the surface of the dough will form a crust.

The pizza dough needs to be at room temperature before I can even think about stretching it. This can take a couple of hours, so plan. 

Prepping the pesto pizza ingredients

While we wait, let’s prepare our cherry tomatoes.

You now have 2 options.

You can either use the procedure for oven-roasted tomatoes found in this post for Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce, or you can use this stovetop method.

Place about 4 cups (2 pints) of tomatoes in a colander and give them a good rinse. Blot them dry with a clean tea towel.

Cut them in half and place them in a large bowl.

Next, let’s prep the rest of the ingredients. The recipe requires Traditional Basil Pesto (4 tablespoons), finely chopped garlic (2 tablespoons or about 4 cloves), dried oregano (1 teaspoon), and olive oil (2 tablespoons). Please note you can use either homemade or commercial pesto for this recipe.

Heat the olive oil (1 tablespoon) in a large pan over medium-high heat; add the chopped garlic (2 tablespoons or about 4 cloves) and sauté for about 30 seconds. 

Add the basil pesto (2 tablespoons) and sauté for another 30 seconds or so.

It’s now time to add the chopped cherry tomatoes (2 pints or 4 cups) and quickly stir to combine.

Finally, add the dried oregano (½ teaspoon) and saute for a couple of minutes or until the cherry tomatoes begin to soften—season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer this pesto pizza sauce to a bowl and allow it to cool down to room temperature.

Let’s assemble the pesto pizza

When the dough is at room temperature, gently pick up the dough and reshape it into a ball to evenly redistribute the air bubbles. Rotate and pull the dough towards the bottom of the ball. Cut in half and make 2 balls if making smaller pizzas.

Place the dough ball in a lightly greased bowl and roll the dough in the bowl to lightly coat the entire surface. Cover and allow the dough to rest for 10-15 minutes. This will make stretching the dough a lot easier.

After this wait time, gently transfer the dough ball to a pizza pan that has been lightly brushed with oil or butter. With lightly oiled fingertips, gently stretch out each of the two pizza balls into a 10-12 inch circle.

For a thin crust pizza, spread toppings and bake immediately. For a thicker crust, allow the dough to rise for about 20-30 minutes. The longer the waiting period, the thicker the pizza crust. Experiment for yourself to suit your personal preferences.

With a pastry brush or the back of a spoon, spread about 1 tablespoon of basil pesto over the surface of each pizza. If making a larger pizza, spread the rest of the basil pesto, that is to say, 2 tablespoons.

Add the sauteed cherry tomatoes. Please make sure they are at room temperature before spreading over the pizza dough.

Spread about a ⅓-½ cup of grated mozzarella cheese and 1 tablespoon of Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese or Pecorino Romano cheese over the top of the sauteed cherry tomatoes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C) and bake for about 20 minutes or until the pizza’s bottom crust is golden brown.

The only thing left to do is top with a little more grated cheese and garnish with torn basil leaves, dried oregano, and a drizzle of olive oil. 

Pesto mozzarella pizza tips

• For a great-tasting pizza crust, make and refrigerate the pizza dough at least 3 days before you plan on making your pizza. This is referred to as a cold rise.
• Always preheat your oven. Make sure the oven stays at 500 °F (260 °C) for about one hour before lowering the oven temperature slightly and baking your pizza. 
• NEVER use a rolling pin to stretch out the dough, as these will break all of the wonderful air pockets responsible for a light, airy pizza crust. 
• For an extra crispy bottom crust, use a pastry brush to spread a thin layer of room-temperature butter on the pizza pan.
• Cherry tomatoes have high water content. Always sautée or roast before topping your pizza to allow evaporation of excess moisture.

Why do you reduce the oven temperature when baking the pizza?

Every oven is different. This is the oven temperature that works for my particular oven. Experiment and feel free to adjust your oven temperature to get the best homemade pizza.

Can I make this with a different kind of pesto?

Yes, all variations of pesto can be used. Go ahead and create the best pizza toppings combo! 

Easy pesto recipes 

• Garlic Scape Pesto 
• Parsley Pesto
• Avocado Pesto

Recipe inspiration

During my career as a dietitian, I had the privilege of working with so many dedicated individuals.

The recipe for this wonderful pizza was shared by one of my colleagues, Carlo. He is a professional chef with over 40 years of experience.

If you are looking for more easy pizza recipes? Make sure to visit my Pizza page!

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THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

Ciao for now,

Maria

★★★★★ If you have made this Basil Pesto Sauce Pizza, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!