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3-cheese broccoli pizza
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5 from 1 vote

3-Cheese Broccoli Pizza

The creamy, lemony white sauce on this pizza is the perfect complement to al dente broccoli florets, sliced spicy-sweet peppers, and, of course, crunchy crust. If you want to amp up the heat, add extra dried red chile flakes, swap in a hotter preserved pepper, and/or drizzle the finished pizza with your favorite hot sauce.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian, Mediterranean
Keyword: Vegetarian Pizza
Makes: 1 (12- to 14-inch) pizza
Cost: $10

Equipment

  • Cutting board and knife
  • Pot for blanching broccoli
  • Large rimmed baking sheet or baking stone/steel
  • Pizza peel (optional)
  • Rolling pin (optional)

Ingredients

  • 2 to 2½ cups bite-size broccoli florets (from 2 small to medium heads)

For the sauce

  • ¼ cup whole-milk ricotta
  • ¼ cup heavy (whipping) cream
  • 1 small (or ½ large) garlic clove, pressed, grated, or minced
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Zest of 1 lemon, divided

For the pizza

  • 1 (14- to 16-ounce) ball pizza dough
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup jarred hot or spicy-sweet peppadew or cherry peppers, thinly sliced
  • 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, diced
  • ¼ cup finely shredded aged/farmhouse cheddar cheese
  • Kosher salt
  • Dried red chile flakes (optional)
  • Hot honey (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 in the top third or place the 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.

To blanch the broccoli

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice water and place it near the stove. Carefully add the broccoli florets to the boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then immediately drain and transfer them to the ice water. This will lock in their bright green color.
  • Wait a few minutes, then drain the broccoli and pat it dry with paper towels.

To make the sauce

  • In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, cream, garlic, salt, and half of the lemon zest. Taste and add a little more salt if desired.

To assemble and bake the pizza

  • 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).
  • Prick the dough all over with a fork and brush the edges with a little oil. Spread the sauce across the dough, leaving a ½-inch border all around, then top with the peppers and broccoli. Finally, add the diced mozzarella and cheddar.
  • 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, 5 to 8 minutes on the baking stone/steel.
  • Take the pizza out of the oven and top with the rest of the lemon zest, a sprinkle of salt, and a pinch or two of dried red chile flakes (if using). Let it rest for 3 to 5 minutes, then cut it into slices.
  • Serve the broccoli pizza with extra dried red chile flakes and hot honey, if desired.