Barbecue Pizza Sauce is one of the most frequently referenced recipes on this blog. It makes waaaaaaay more than you need for one pizza—about 5 cups!—but you'll see why once you taste it. With a less sugary and more tomato-y flavor than traditional barbecue sauces, it's a versatile flavor enhancer for everything from grilled meats to sandwiches and even pasta. This BBQ Bacon pizza is one of my favorite ways to use the sauce, topped with thick-cut bacon and a few of my favorite summer veggies.
Try whatever leftover grilled meats you have on hand, and swap in zucchini, green beans, and/or eggplant. For heat, add chopped fresh chiles. For creaminess, add sliced avocado after baking. BBQ Bacon Pizza is just the beginning!
BBQ Bacon Pizza with Corn and Green Pepper
This BBQ bacon pizza is #summergoals, slathered with Barbecue Pizza Sauce and topped with fresh sweet corn, bell pepper, Cheddar, and scallions.
Makes: 1 (12-inch) pizza
Cost: $10
Ingredients
- 4 or 5 slices thick-cut smoked bacon chopped
- 1 (14- to 16-ounce) ball pizza dough
- ¾ cup Barbecue Pizza Sauce (or your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce)
- 1 ear sweet corn kernels cut off, cob discarded
- ½ medium green bell pepper seeded and very thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon crushed urfa pepper or red pepper flakes
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- 3 or 4 scallions chopped, for finishing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500°F (if using a baking sheet) or as high as it will go (if using a baking stone/steel; place the stone/steel in the oven before you start preheating).
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until it renders its fat and just begins to brown at the edges. (Be careful not to let it get crispy. Remember: It will continue cooking in the oven!) Remove the skillet from the heat and use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Reserve the bacon grease in the skillet.
- Stretch or roll out your dough to a 12-inch circle, then transfer it to an oiled baking sheet or a floured pizza peel (if using a baking stone/steel).
- Brush a little of the reserved bacon grease on the edges of the dough, then spread the sauce evenly, leaving a ½-inch border all around. Scatter on the bacon, corn, and bell peppers, and season with the pepper flakes. Top with the cheese.
- Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake until the crust is golden and the cheese has browned in spots, 8 to 10 minutes on the baking sheet, 6 to 8 minutes on the baking stone/steel.
- Remove the pizza from the oven. Top with the scallions; slice and serve.
Will says
Step 2 says "Reserve the bacon grease in the skillet." But I don't see it used later in the recipe. Is the idea to use it to grease the baking sheet?
Peggy Paul Casella says
Hi Will -- great catch! I like to use the bacon grease to brush the edges of the stretched-out dough before I add sauce and toppings. I'll update the post now!