This goat cheese pizza is bursting with tangy, creamy goodness, and it's way easier to make than you'd think. Just whip up some goat cheese and milk, slice a juicy, ripe tomato, and dinner's on the table in about 20 minutes.
Goat Cheese Pizza, Step by Step
Time needed: 20 minutes
Here are the basic steps for making the goat cheese pizza of your dreams.
- Preheat your oven.
Get your oven super hot. If you're using a baking sheet, preheat to 500°F. Or, if you're using a baking stone or steel, preheat to the highest possible temperature (my oven goes up to 550°F).
- Make the goat cheese sauce.
Crumble the goat cheese into a medium bowl or the bowl of a small food processor, pour in some milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream, and mix until smooth. If the consistency is too thick, add more milk or cream, a tablespoon at a time, until it looks like a creamy sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Stretch and top your dough.
If you're using a baking stone or steel, switch the oven to Broil on high. Next, stretch or roll out the pizza dough to a 12- to 14-inch round. Spread the sauce evenly on the dough, add sliced tomato, drizzle with olive oil, and season with a little salt and pepper.
- Bake the pizza and enjoy!
Transfer the topped dough to the oven. Bake until the crust is golden and evenly browned on the bottom. Finally, remove the pizza from the oven, top it with fresh mint and a drizzle of balsamic glaze, and slice it up! You, my friend, are in for some serious deliciousness.
FAQs
Not really. You can use a ball of store-bought dough (just make sure it comes to room temperature before you try to stretch it). Or, of course you could make your own. My favorite choices for this recipe are my weeknight dough, beer dough, overnight dough, and Neapolitan dough. If you can't tolerate gluten, check out my gluten-free pizza dough recipe.
Yep! I like how slices of fresh tomato brighten up this simple pizza, but feel free to use any other toppings you like. For example, why not sliced strawberries, bacon and figs, or caramelized onions?
A super-creamy, super-fresh goat cheese will be the most flavorful, but don't stress if the only one you can find is in the grocery store's deli section. You can always improve the flavor of your goat cheese sauce with salt and pepper and even a sprinkle of dried herbs. Mix the goat cheese with milk, half-and-half, or cream, as instructed below, then taste. If your sauce is too bland or doesn't taste yummy to you, mix in some dried Italian seasoning, fresh lemon zest, a drizzle of flavored olive oil, or your favorite spice blend.
Goat cheese pizza won't brown on top the same way other cheese pizzas do, so go by the crust. Your pizza is done baking when the crust is golden all the way around and the bottom is evenly browned. (Use an offset spatula to peek underneath the pizza at the 6- or 8-minute mark.)
Balsamic glaze can be difficult to find at some grocery stores. The good thing, though, is that it takes just a few minutes to make your own from basic balsamic vinegar. Still not convinced? You can certainly swap out the glaze for a little more olive oil, or even finish the pizza with a drizzle of hot honey. That added tangy-sweetness really makes the goat cheese flavor shine.
Goat Cheese Pizza with Tomato and Mint
Equipment
- Bowl
- Cutting board and knife
- Large rimmed baking sheet or baking stone/steel
- Pizza peel (optional)
- Rolling pin (optional)
Ingredients
- 4 ounces soft goat cheese (chevre), at room temperature
- ¼ cup milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (14- to 16-ounce) ball pizza dough
- 1 large ripe tomato, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon (or more) chopped fresh mint
- Balsamic glaze (or high-quality aged balsamic vinegar), for finishing (optional)
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 bottom third of the oven before you start preheating). Let the oven preheat for at least 30 minutes. Then, if you’re using a baking stone or steel, switch the oven to Broil on high.
- In a small food processor, or in a bowl with a fork or wooden spoon, mix together the goat cheese and milk or cream until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Stretch or roll out your dough to a 12- to 14-inch circle, then transfer it to a baking sheet / pizza pan or a lightly floured pizza peel (if using a baking stone/steel).
- Spread the sauce on the dough, leaving a ½-inch border all around. Tile on the tomato slices, then drizzle with olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and a grind or two of black pepper.
- Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake until the crust is golden around the edges and evenly browned on the bottom—8 to 10 minutes on the baking sheet, 6 to 8 minutes on the baking stone/steel.
- Remove the pizza from the oven and top it with the fresh mint and a drizzle of balsamic glaze (if using). Let rest for a few minutes; slice and serve.
Looking for more goat cheese pizza recipes? Here are a few to check out next:
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