Hello, my favorite friend. What does it mean if pizza becomes your BFF?
I’m officially calling this the pizza of the summer. The flavor is unbelievable — bright, tangy, cheesy and just spicy enough. We keep making it again and again, and now my brother and sister-in-law are hooked too.
I didn’t even like hot peppers or spicy foods much before this, and yet here we are.
There’s a reason it stole our hearts.
When I was developing recipes for a summer project, I considered adding mild jarred peppers to a pizza because I love briny, tangy flavors. But then I wondered: what if I paired sweet peppers with hot ones? I was told the oven takes off some of the heat from peppers, so I tried a jar of dilly, spicy jalapeños on top of the sauce and cheese. It was a great call.
That first time this pizza came together, it hooked us. The toppings are incredibly simple, but the combination of cheeses and peppers is perfectly balanced. You can use fresh garden peppers, but they won’t deliver the same vinegary, briny bite that jarred peppers do. I don’t skip any of the cheeses — provolone, fresh mozzarella and fontina work so well together — and I always include both hot and sweet peppers. If you want, add a bit of pepperoni for extra meatiness; sometimes I do.
Now about the crust. I’m a little obsessive about pizza crust — I’ve made my own for years. If I don’t have time, I’ll use a good store-bought dough. Before my son was born, I made whole wheat doughs and froze them, but I often forgot to defrost them in time. Dough can be easy to make at home: I use honey, rarely have issues with yeast, and it’s forgiving even if you’re not an experienced baker.
My partner once brought home a fresh dough kit, which was a lifesaver on busy nights. It rises quickly and makes a thick, fluffy crust similar to my garlic bread-style crust. If you need a shortcut, a quality pre-made dough is an excellent solution.
These toppings are so good that if you don’t have time for a whole pizza, pile them onto toasted bread or a flatbread. The mix is sweet, salty, cheesy and spicy — honestly addictive. I can’t stop thinking about it.
Hot and Sweet Triple Pepper Pizza
2
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 batch of pizza dough (homemade or store-bought)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups marinara or your favorite pizza sauce
- 8 ounces sharp provolone, freshly grated
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn
- 6 ounces fontina, freshly grated
- 2/3 cup sliced hot banana peppers
- 2/3 cup sliced hot jalapeño peppers
- 1 jar tri-color or cherry peppers (pepperazzi or pimentos)
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for topping
Instructions
- Prepare the dough and roll it out on a well-floured surface when it’s ready to bake.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (if using a pizza stone, preheat oven and stone to 475°F).
- If using a baking sheet, sprinkle fine cornmeal on it before placing the dough. Rub the dough with olive oil and spread on the tomato sauce. Add half of the cheeses (provolone, mozzarella and fontina). Evenly distribute the peppers over the cheese — jarred peppers give a briny tang that fresh peppers lack. Top with the remaining cheeses, reserving the Parm for after baking.
- Bake 20–25 minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, then sprinkle with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, slice and serve.
Did you make this recipe?
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I could happily hide out in that spicy little pepper cave up there.