This white pizza recipe proves that you don’t need tomato sauce to make a delicious pizza. It’s topped with a flavorful garlic oil and 3 types of cheese!
I’ve been on a white pizza kick lately. Sorry, pizza sauce, but right now, this white pizza recipe has me hooked. It’s loaded with garlicky olive oil, lemony ricotta, and melty mozzarella cheese. I love to top it off with a sprinkle of arugula or fresh basil leaves.
If you’ve never made white pizza at home, I hope you’ll try this recipe. It’s a fun alternative to typical red sauce pizza, and it’s SO delicious. The ricotta creates an amazing creamy contrast with the chewy crust.
Serve this white pizza with a big chopped salad for a perfect pizza night!
What is white pizza?
White pizza, or pizza bianca in Italian, is topped with white cheeses and often olive oil. It doesn’t have a sauce like tomato sauce or pesto.
You can find hundreds of white pizza variations on pizzeria menus in the US, Italy, and beyond. Here’s what I like to use on mine:
- Olive oil and garlic – I mix them together and brush them over the pizza crust to add moisture and garlicky flavor.
- Ricotta cheese – I love its creamy texture on this white pizza. Use whole milk ricotta for the best results.
- Lemon zest and fresh thyme – They add bright, fresh flavor to the ricotta.
- Fresh mozzarella – It creates a delicious melty layer on top of the ricotta.
- Parmesan cheese – For salty, nutty flavor. Pecorino is great here too! For the best texture and flavor, freshly grate the cheese yourself instead of buying it pre-shredded.
- And sea salt – To make all the flavors pop.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make White Pizza
You can find the complete white pizza recipe with measurements at the bottom of this post. For now, here’s a quick overview of how it goes:
First, prep the pizza dough. Store-bought and homemade pizza dough both work here. Whichever one you choose, make sure it’s at room temperature before you stretch it. If it’s cold from the fridge, it can easily tear.
When you’re ready to stretch the dough, dust a baking sheet or pizza pan with cornmeal (in a pinch, all-purpose flour works too). Place the dough ball on the pan and stretch it into a large circle or oval. Use a fork to poke holes all over it. Par-bake the dough for 5 minutes at 500°F.
Meanwhile, prepare the pizza toppings. Stir together the garlic and olive oil and mix the ricotta with the lemon zest, thyme, and salt. Tear the mozzarella into small balls, and grate the Parmesan.
Then, top the pizza crust. Brush it with the garlic oil and spread the ricotta mixture in a thin layer on top. Add the mozzarella, followed by the Parmesan.
Bake the pizza at 500°F until the crust is browned and the cheese is bubbling, about 10 minutes.
I love to top this pizza with arugula or basil and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes after baking. Sprinkle these on, then slice and serve!
Recipe Tips
- Pizza dough requires planning. Whether you’re using store-bought or homemade pizza dough, you’ll need to plan ahead. My pizza dough recipe requires about 1 hour to rise, so factor that into your pizza prep time if you’re making dough from scratch. If you’re using store-bought dough, you’ll need it to be at room temperature before you start cooking. Take it out of the fridge 1 to 2 hours before you make this recipe.
- Par-bake the crust. Fresh mozzarella contains a lot of moisture, so anytime I use it on a pizza, I par-bake the crust. This gives the crust a head start on cooking, so it can still cook through as the cheese releases moisture. No soggy crust here!
- Add fresh toppings. A great white pizza is well balanced. I like to add raw, fresh toppings to mine after it bakes to complement the rich, melty cheese. A handful of fresh basil leaves or arugula tossed with olive oil and lemon juice perfectly does the trick. If you prefer to add toppings that bake on the pizza, a little sautéed spinach or a few sautéed mushrooms would be great.
More Favorite Pizza Recipes
If you love this white pizza recipe, try one of these delicious homemade pizzas next:
White Pizza
Serves 3 to 4
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Prepare the pizza dough according to our recipe, or if using store-bought dough, let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before stretching.
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Preheat the oven to 500°F (or as high as your oven goes).
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In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil and garlic.
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In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, thyme, lemon zest, and salt.
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Dust a baking sheet with cornmeal. Place the pizza dough on the baking sheet and stretch it into a large circle or oval. Use a fork to poke holes all over the dough. Par-bake for 5 minutes.
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Remove the crust from the oven and dock with a fork again to remove any air bubbles.
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Brush the garlic oil over the pizza crust, then dollop the ricotta mixture onto the center. Spread into a thin layer, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Top with the mozzarella followed by the Parmesan.
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Bake for 10 minutes, or until the crust is browned and the cheese is bubbling.
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Remove from the oven and top with basil and pinches of red pepper flakes.
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Slice and serve.
