Pesto, Tomato and Mozzarella Pizza
Crisp homemade pizza with a base of fresh basil pesto, melting mozzarella and sweet cherry tomatoes.
Made with Basil pesto and Pizza dough. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time35 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £1.10 a head
- Oven240°C (220°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Put a baking tray or pizza stone in the oven and heat to its highest setting, about 240°C (220°C fan), for at least 20 minutes.
20 min - 2
Divide your ready made pizza dough (see the base recipe) into 2 balls. Stretch each on a semolina dusted surface into a 28 cm round.
- 3
Slide the first round onto a sheet of baking paper. Spread with half of your ready made basil pesto (see the base recipe), leaving a 2 cm border.
- 4
Scatter over half the mozzarella and tomatoes. Drizzle with a little olive oil.
- 5
Slide the pizza, on its paper, onto the hot tray. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the crust is puffed and golden and the cheese is bubbling.
9 min - 6
Scatter with fresh basil, slice and serve. Repeat with the second pizza.
Tips
- Pat the mozzarella very dry with kitchen paper. Wet cheese makes the pizza soggy in the middle.
- Use less pesto than you think. A thin layer bakes into the dough, while a thick layer turns oily.
- For extra fresh flavour, dot a few teaspoons of raw pesto over the pizza after baking.
Storing and freezing
Eat fresh. Leftover slices keep in the fridge for 2 days and reheat well in a hot oven for 8 minutes, or in a dry frying pan.
Questions
Can I make it with a gluten free base?
Yes. Use a good gluten free pizza base and add the pesto, mozzarella and tomatoes as written. The topping is gluten free, but the pizza dough base recipe is not.
Can I freeze it?
Yes. Bake it, cool fully and freeze slices for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in a hot oven until steaming hot all the way through, about 12 minutes.
More made with basil pesto
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.