Summer Lemon Ricotta and Basil White Pizza Recipe
We all know pizza is hands down my favorite food! And every Friday night my undying love is celebrated with pizza night! But what I love most about pizza is coming up with new pizza topping combos. Because I believe everything has the potential to be a pizza, even lemons! Yep, most people make lemonade out of lemons but I make lemon ricotta and basil pizza and it is damn delicious! So if you like being adventurous with your pizza toppings, you have to try this pizza combo! This unique pizza pairing combines the bright, acidic lemons with the sweet and savory taste of fresh basil and creamy ricotta cheese. Trust me, you are going to love it! Full recipe card below.
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Summer Lemon Ricotta and Basil Pizza
I know what you are thinking, “who puts lemons on pizza?” Well me! But also a local pizza restaurant nearby. I have to admit, when I first saw this pizza combination I was instantly intrigued but also a little nervous. Since I love pineapple on pizza, I gave it a try and I was shocked how good it was! This lemon ricotta pizza is the perfect combination of comfort food and fresh flavors that I had to duplicate in my own kitchen. So while it might be a little outside the pizza box, it’s a fancy pizza combo you have to try!
What is white pizza?
White pizza is exactly what it sounds like. Instead of using a traditional red sauce or marinara sauce, white pizza (aka pizza Bianca) uses a white pizza sauce as the base. There are varying opinions as to what really goes on a white pizza, but in my opinion, there are endless options. My normal go to homemade garlic white pizza sauce is similar to an alfredo sauce with fresh garlic and parmesan cheese. But I have also seen a white pie or two done with just white cheeses and a tablespoon of olive oil. No matter how you slice it, a white pizza can have a ton of flavor despite the sometimes minimal looks!
Ingredients
Most pizza recipes have a few basic ingredients that are consistent across the board but this fancy pizza takes pizza making to a whole new level! I will break down what I use and why and give you a few alternatives. Also, I am a pizza enthusiast and take pizza making pretty seriously, but with wine of course! So if you don’t want to do it the same way I do, that’s ok!
Pizza Dough – I almost always make homemade pizza dough. Ever since we got a high heat pizza oven a few years ago, I have been a sucker for homemade pizza crusts. Simply put, it just tastes better. If you have never made pizza dough before, it can be a little nerve racking at first, but I promise it is very easy! There are only a few extra steps and most recipes only require all purpose flour, yeast, warm water, salt, and sugar. I used my cast iron skillet pizza dough for this pizza but you could also use a store-bought dough or try my super easy pizza crust hack!
Pizza Sauce – Because this is a specialty pie, I used a combination of ingredients to create a homemade lemon ricotta basil pizza base.
Lemons – I know this seems like an odd choice, but I promise it’s good! I used fresh lemons and this cannot be substituted since you use the zest of the lemon and the lemon juice. Did you know that most of the flavor in a lemon actually exists in the peel and not the juice? True story. To zest a lemon you will need a zester.
Ricotta – The other key component to the sauce mixture is ricotta cheese. It is a very mild and creamy cheese that takes on other flavors really well. Since ricotta is considered a young cheese and has a high water content, it’s perfect for making sauces. I used an inexpensive packaged ricotta cheese, but you can also use fresh ricotta if you have it.
Fresh Basil – Basil is a key ingredient to developing the fresh flavor in this pizza recipe and fresh basil will have a much greater impact and deeper flavor than dried basil. While you can use dried basil, I highly recommend using fresh basil here if you can.
Garlic – When I cook I almost always use jarred garlic because it’s easy and keeps a long time in the fridge. In this recipe I used jarred garlic but you can definitely use fresh if you prefer. The conversion is a 1:1 ratio of tsp to garlic cloves. This recipe calls for 1 tsp minced garlic so you would use 1 clove of garlic.
Oregano – Oregano adds a little extra herb flavor to this pizza sauce and brings out the Italian flavors. I used dried oregano here but you can also use fresh if you have it.
Salt & Pepper – Like all dishes a little salt and pepper goes a long way with the flavor.
Cheese – You can use whatever type of cheese you would like, but I recommend a blend of mozzarella and parmesan to let the flavors of the lemon ricotta sauce shine through. The mozzarella is a good melting cheese and the parmesan cheese is more potent adding a little extra flavor and salt.
If making your pizza in a high heat pizza oven, I recommend shredding your own cheese. When cooking at high heat shredding real cheese is better because the melting point of bagged cheese is different since they coat it in cornstarch during packaging. If you have a stand mixer you can use this cheese grater attachment to shred your cheese in seconds!
Additional Toppings – If you want to spice it up a little, red pepper flakes are a great addition.
Dipping – Next to eating the pizza itself, dipping the chewy crust is my favorite! If you haven’t tried it yet, try dipping your pizza crust in Mike’s Hot Honey! It is spicy but oh SO good! Dipping pizza crust in honey is a Colorado thing but I promise it’s not as weird as it sounds. And if honey isn’t for you, creamy ranch dressing or garlic butter are great dippers too!
Pizza Equipment – Being a pizza aficionado, I own a lot of tools and gadgets for pizza making. You definitely don’t need anything more than a pizza stone, pizza pan, or sheet pan to make this pizza, but if you have a pizza oven, you will probably want a pizza peel too. These work well to slide pizza into the oven.
Baking Methods
There are multiple options for cooking pizza. I have made this pizza combo both in my pizza oven as well as in my regular oven in a 12 inch cast iron skillet. For skillet pizza I use this dough recipe and for pizza oven pizza I use this dough recipe. Because pizza ovens cook at higher temperatures, I do not recommend using my skillet dough or store bought dough in a pizza oven but you can make either dough in your regular oven on a baking sheet, pizza pan, or pizza stone.
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Summer Lemon Ricotta and Basil White Pizza Recipe
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 pizza slices 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Make pizza night your favorite night of the week with this refreshing summer lemon ricotta and basil white pizza! This pizza is bursting with bright and fresh flavors changing everything you ever thought about pizza! Lemon ricotta pizza is the perfect combination of comfort food and fresh ingredients. If you like being adventurous with pizza toppings, you have to try this unique pizza combo! You will think you are dining at your favorite pizza place!
Ingredients
Pizza Dough (homemade or pre-made dough)
Pizza Sauce
- 1 cup Ricotta Cheese
- 1/4 cup Basil chopped
- 1 tsp Garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/8 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Oregano
- Lemon Zest from one large lemon
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
Pizza Topping
- 1/2 Lemon Slices (thin with seeds removed)
- 1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese
- 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
- 1/2 tbsp Basil chopped
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven according to pizza dough instructions.
- Chop basil and set aside.
- In a 12 inch cast iron skillet or pizza pan, stretch dough into a circular shape.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine ricotta and the other pizza sauce ingredients together until fully mixed. This cream mixture should be about the consistency of an ordinary pizza sauce. Do not skip the lemon zest. This is where all the fresh lemon taste comes from.
- Spoon the lemon ricotta mixture onto the top of the dough and use the back of the spoon to spread it evenly across the pizza leaving about an inch of dough exposed along the edges.
- Add mozzarella, parmesan cheese, and thin slices of lemon to the top of the pizza.
- Sprinkle the top with 1/2 tablespoon of basil.
- Bake pizza in the preheated oven and according to pizza dough instructions or until golden brown and cheese is melted.
Notes
- cook time will vary depending on what pizza dough you choose to use
- depending on the size of your pizza and how saucy you like your pizza you may have leftover sauce
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Pizza
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Storage
In the event you have leftover pizza, you can store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If you try my homemade skillet dough, make sure you follow my instructions for how long dough lasts.
When to Make Lemon Ricotta White Pizza
For me the answer is anytime, but especially in the summer when the grocery store shelves are stocked with fresh produce and herbs. This delicious pizza makes a great light lunch or a summer dinner on the patio. There is nothing quite like the taste of homemade pizza and cooking it can be a fun family affair. No matter the occasion, this is an easy beginner recipe and it will quickly become one of your family favorites!
Looking for more great recipes for your next pizza night? Try my buffalo chicken pizza, garlic white goat cheese pizza, Hidden Valley Ranch veggie pizza, apple blue cheese pizza, or breakfast flatbread pizza.
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