This pistachio pesto pizza tastes like spring! Buttery, nutty pistachio pesto, creamy ricotta, tender asparagus spears, sweet green peas and bright lemon create a pizza bursting with fresh flavor. Finish with grated parmesan and a handful of greens for an extra flavor lift.
This pizza truly says spring.
A chewy, satisfying crust layered with vibrant pistachio pesto, creamy ricotta, peas, asparagus and a touch of lemon — everything I want when I’m craving spring flavors.
I can almost smell the pesto from the photos.
I love a pizza without tomato sauce. Growing up I often preferred lighter sauce or a white pizza, so a sauceless pie feels nostalgic and endlessly creative. The topping possibilities are practically limitless.
Here’s what we’re doing
Start by spreading the dough with the greenest, most flavorful pesto you can make: pistachio pesto. It’s nutty, buttery and brilliantly bright — a lovely alternative to traditional pine-nut basil pesto.
I use creamy ricotta as a base — those silky bites of ricotta on pizza are irresistible. Add a sprinkle of shredded mozzarella, provolone or an Italian blend to give melty, gooey texture. A good bagged Italian blend works well if you want convenience.
Top with plenty of thin asparagus spears, a scattering of green peas and a generous grating of lemon zest. I like to add a few extra dollops of pesto on top — you can never have too much.
Bake, grill or cook this on a high-heat pizza oven — all methods work great. When the pizza comes out of the heat, finish with lots of freshly grated parmesan, more lemon zest and a handful of fresh greens such as arugula, microgreens or baby spinach.
The result is a vibrant green pizza that’s crisp at the edges, chewy in the middle, creamy from the cheeses and delightfully nutty from the pistachios. Bright, lemony and fresh — perfect for spring.
Light, refreshing and full of contrast — creamy ricotta, crunchy asparagus, melty cheese and a zing of lemon. Happy spring!
Spring Pistachio Pesto Pizza with Asparagus and Ricotta
Pistachio Pesto Pizza
4
people
2 hrs
17 mins
2 hrs 17 mins
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Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup warm water
- 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Flour and coarse cornmeal for dusting
Pizza
- 1 cup shelled pistachios
- 1 ½ cups loosely packed fresh basil, torn
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅓ cup finely grated pecorino romano cheese
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup ricotta cheese, plus extra for topping
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella/provolone/Italian blend
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 10 to 15 asparagus spears, woody stems removed and cut into thirds
- ½ cup green peas
- Parmesan cheese, for topping
- Arugula or microgreens, for topping
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine water, yeast, honey and olive oil. Stir, then let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add the flour and salt and stir until the dough starts to come together but remains sticky. Form into a ball and work in the additional ½ cup flour on a floured surface, kneading a few minutes.
- Rub the bowl with olive oil, return the dough to the bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1 to 1½ hours.
- While the dough rises, make the pesto: pulse pistachios, basil, garlic, lemon juice and pecorino in a food processor until the nuts are coarsely chopped. With the processor running, stream in the olive oil until the pesto is spreadable. Season with salt and pepper. Store any extra pesto in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Lightly dust a 10×15-inch baking sheet with flour or cornmeal.
- After the dough has risen, punch it down and shape it to fit the baking sheet. Spread about ½ cup of pesto over the dough, then dollop ricotta and sprinkle half the lemon zest. Add the shredded cheese.
- Arrange asparagus and peas on top and add additional dollops of pesto if desired.
- Bake on the sheet for 15 to 20 minutes, checking at 15 minutes. When the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly, remove and let cool slightly.
- Finish with the remaining lemon zest, plenty of parmesan, extra ricotta dollops if you like, and a handful of fresh greens. Slice and serve.
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Best way to get in greens.