We’re eating so much green lately, and this absolutely counts.
Pistachios. Basil. Pistachios and basil together. So much green, and honestly I feel great about life right now.
This is the second post in a row with photos of something I actually grew. Maybe it’s just lavender and basil — simple things — but give me a minute. I spent three years trying (and failing) to grow basil. It wasn’t just laziness; something kept causing the herb to collapse. Finally, this summer things have taken off.
No gardening secrets here: everything is thriving because we’ve been getting heavy rain. Not that I’m thrilled about flooding, but the basil is loving it. And while I’m imagining a yard big enough for a full vegetable garden and a bright white kitchen to match, I’m also getting pumped for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale this weekend. Summer has its perks.
Spread a generous layer of pistachio pesto over this dough and it almost looks like dessert — maybe a little like baklava — but it’s savory and irresistible. Right now I can’t stop thinking about this pizza.
We try to share a new pizza recipe every few weeks; it makes the universe feel balanced. We’re still obsessed with thin crust — it’s so easy and we’ve mostly stopped ordering delivery. Well, except that one night I was out for work and Eddie ordered a pizza and ate the whole thing before I got home. Rude, but understandable.
I absolutely love this flavor combination. Think of it as a white pizza, but without fresh tomatoes. Pesto supplies brightness, a drizzle of honey adds a hint of sweetness, crushed pistachios bring texture, and fresh mozzarella (or burrata) finishes it off perfectly.
Burrata is ideal here if you can find it — it’s the richer option and what inspired this version — but fresh mozzarella works beautifully too. If you’re planning to make this often, consider making burrata at home or finding a reliable source locally.
This pizza feels like a Friday night meal, but there’s no reason not to make it any day of the week. It’s simple, fast, and satisfying — good enough to eat frequently.
Pistachio Pesto Pizza with Honey and Fresh Mozzarella
Yield:
2
45 mins
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Ingredients
Dough
- 1/2 cup lukewarm water
- 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Pistachio Pesto
- 1 cup shelled pistachios
- 3/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/3 cup finely grated pecorino romano cheese
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Pizza
- 12 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces
- 2 ounces pecorino romano, finely grated (plus more for topping)
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons crushed pistachios
- A few basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Place a pizza stone on the middle rack and preheat the oven to 500°F. Use a pizza peel or another tool to transfer the pizza to the stone.
- In a large bowl, mix the water, yeast and honey. Let it sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. While it rests, gather and measure the toppings — this dough doesn’t need to rise, so you’ll want everything ready to go.
- Stir the flour and salt into the yeast mixture. Mix until the dough comes together, first with a spoon and then with your hands. If it’s very sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until silky. Knead a few times and let rest 5 minutes.
- Roll the dough as thin as possible, at least 10 inches. If it springs back, rest another 5–10 minutes. Flour the peel well. To transfer the thin dough, fold quickly into quarters, pick it up, and unfold it on the floured peel. Spread the pistachio pesto over the dough and top with mozzarella and pecorino.
- Slide the pizza from the peel onto the stone and bake 10–15 minutes, watching closely. It’s done when the crust is crisp and the cheese is golden.
- Remove the pizza, drizzle with honey, sprinkle extra pecorino, crushed pistachios, and garnish with basil leaves. Slice and serve.
Pistachio Pesto
- Combine pistachios, basil, mint, garlic and pecorino in a food processor. Pulse until the nuts are coarsely chopped. With the processor running, stream in 1/3 cup olive oil, adding more if you want a looser spread. Taste and adjust salt. Store any extra pesto in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week.
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