Spring Pizza | Kara Lydon Leave a comment

Ready in less than 30 minutes, this spring pizza uses a pesto base and is topped with seasonal vegetables like asparagus, mushrooms, peas, and artichokes, and rich mozzarella.

Why I Love This Recipe

There are endless possibilities when it comes to pizza and what better way to embrace seasonal spring ingredients than to pile them on top?!

That’s right – asparagus, peas, and certain varieties of mushrooms (lookin’ at you morels), are seasonal during the springtime. Buying produce in-season often means it’s going to be more flavorful, more nutritious, and less expensive! 

This ‘za boasts fresh asparagus, peas, mushrooms, and artichokes all top a crispy crust that’s smothered in pesto and shredded mozzarella.

While mozzarella cheese is the classic choice for pizza since it’s mild in flavor and easy to melt, you can also experiment by mixing in other cheeses as well. I think feta, goat cheese or ricotta would all be delicious additions to this recipe.

This pizza is an easy, delicious dinner, perfect for any night of the week. To make it incredibly simple to put together, we’re using store bought pizza dough and store bought basil pesto. If you have more time on your hands, you can certainly make either of these from scratch to take your pie to the next level. 

I don’t know about you, but I love a non-tomato sauce-based pizza every now and again and this one checks all the boxes. It’s cheesy, veggie loaded, and packed with flavor. 

This pizza has springtime written all over it! 

Ingredients You’ll Need

Notes on Ingredients

pizza dough: I like to use store-bought for added convenience. Look for whole wheat or gluten-free options if you prefer.

asparagus: this popular spring veggie has a slightly bitter and earthy taste. 

cremini mushrooms: add savory umami flavor.

peas: I used frozen. They add a mildly sweet flavor. 

salt and pepper: essential flavor enhancers. 

garlic: provides aromatic flavor. 

artichoke hearts: add an earthy, slightly tangy flavor.

pesto: I use store-bought basil pesto to save on time, but you could make your own pesto if you’re feeling ambitious. 

shredded mozzarella: for that creamy, rich texture. You could also add feta, goat cheese, or ricotta cheese.

Equipment You’ll Need (affiliate links – if you make a purchase I receive a small commission)

Pizza stone

Pizza peel

Baking sheet

How to Make Spring Pizza

Prepare oven & sauté veggies. Allow pizza dough to sit out at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before using. While you’re waiting, place your pizza stone inside the oven and preheat to 475 degrees F. Add asparagus, mushrooms and peas to a large pan with olive oil and sauté about 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Roll the dough. Roll dough out on floured surface until it is 1/4 inch thick, then place on parchment-lined pizza peel or back of a baking sheet.
Add pesto. Spread pesto all over dough, leaving 1/2-inch space around perimeter.
Add cheese and veggies. Sprinkle cheese evenly over pesto then top with sautéed vegetable mixture and artichoke hearts.
Bake. Using a pizza peel (or baking sheet), slide your pizza onto the pizza stone. Bake for 7 minutes, remove parchment paper, and rotate pizza. Bake until cheese is bubbling and crust is golden-brown, about another 3 minutes.

Expert Tips

Use a pizza stone for a crispy crust. If you don’t have a pizza stone, you can definitely use a regular baking sheet, but using a pizza stone will help to give your crust a crispy texture.
Make sure to place your cold pizza stone in the oven before preheating your oven. Placing a cold pizza stone in a hot oven can cause the stone to crack. 
This recipe makes one large pizza or you can cut the dough in half and make two smaller (10-inch) pizzas.
Store-bought pesto is a great time-saver. If your grocery store sells fresh basil pesto (as opposed to jarred), that will give the pizza an extra flavor oomph!
Add the vegetables on top of the cheese so they don’t get covered and you can see their colors and textures on the pizza. 
If you buy marinated artichoke hearts, you can add them to the pizza separately from the other veggies. If you buy plain artichoke hearts, you could stir them in with the veggies in the sauté pan and season them all with salt and pepper.

Storage and Preparation

Spring pizza leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat leftover pizza, bake at 425 degrees F for about 5 minutes.

You can also store leftover pizza in the freezer for up to three months. Wrap slices individually in plastic wrap and then store in freezer safe container. 

Recipes That Pair Well

Blackened Scallops

Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

Vegan Asparagus Soup

Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

6 Ingredient Corn and Tomato Salad

For more pizza inspiration, check out my other recipes below!

Buffalo Cauliflower Pizza

Roasted Vegetable Pizza

Chicken Pesto Flatbread

Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts Naan Pizza

If you like this recipe, please be sure to comment and give it a 5 star rating below. If you make it, share it on Instagram and tag me @karalydonrd and I’ll re-share it with my followers! If you want to save this recipe for later, be sure to pin it on Pinterest!

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