Easy Bruschetta Pizza Recipe
Bruschetta Pizza is a delicious, refreshing twist on traditional pizza! Fresh ingredients, vibrant colors, and satisfying textures, this bruschetta pizza is sure to become a new favorite! The best part is, it can be made in less than 30 minutes!
One of my favorite things to do on Friday night is make homemade pizza. “Homemade” can mean a variety of things….sometimes my husband whips up fresh homemade pizza dough and sometimes it’s everyone having fun making their own french bread pizzas or pizza toast!
I mean, with pizza, sky’s the limit, and everyone is happy! Mix up the toppings, the crust (try these super Easy Tortilla Pizzas!), or even go crustless with these Pizza Bowls!
This Bruschetta Pizza recipe is a fun, fresh take on traditional pizza. Fresh ingredients are piled onto a store-bought crust (making this recipe super quick and simple!) and drizzled with an addicting balsamic glaze!
Pour yourself a nice glass of wine and let’s cheers to pizza!
What you’ll love about this recipe:
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this delicious Bruschetta Pizza Recipe:
INGREDIENT NOTES
Pesto: You can use your favorite store-bought brand or whip up this quick homemade Basil Arugula Pesto!
Mozzarella Pearls: Look for fresh mozzarella pearls in the specialty cheese case. If you can’t find, them, you can use any fresh mozzarella (just slice or cut it into pieces) or use shredded mozzarella.
Balsamic Glaze: One of my favorite items ever!!!! It can be found in most grocery stores near the vinegar. This is a thick, reduced version of balsamic vinegar.
HOW TO MAKE BRUSCHETTA PIZZA: STEP BY STEP
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with exact ingredients will be in the recipe card below!
Step 1: Start by whipping up the bruschetta! Combine cherry tomatoes, olive oil, basil garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss gently and set aside.
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Step 2 & 3: Next, roll out your pizza crust and spread a thin layer of pesto onto the crust. Top with mozzarella.
Then, bake pizza for 15-18 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
Step 4: Top the baked pizza with your delicious bruschetta topping and drizzle generously with balsamic glaze. Cut into wedges and enjoy!
RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS
- Use a thin layer of pesto, especially if your pesto contains a lot of oil. If you put on a super thick layer, your pizza will become oily.
- Do not bake the pizza with the bruschetta already on top. The tomatoes will release a lot of excess liquid and will make your crust soggy. Add the fresh bruschetta mixture when the pizza comes out of the oven.
Confidence Tip
Use a pizza peel to confidently take your pizza out of the oven!
STORAGE & REHEATING
- Storage: Unfortunately, because of the water content in the tomatoes, this pizza (baked and assembled with the bruschetta topping) does not keep very well. It’s better consumed ASAP when it comes out of the oven.
The bruschetta topping can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for 24 hours. Be sure to drain off any excess moisture before adding the topping to your pizza!
Additions & Substitutions
ADDITIONS:
- Extra toppings: Additional fresh herbs such as oregano or fresh arugula are delish! I also like sliced red onions and kalamata olives.
- Protein: Leftover grilled chicken breasts add some bulk and protein to this bruschetta pizza. Chop it up and layer it on with the cheese and bake.
- Spice: Sprinkle on some red pepper flakes for a little spice!
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- Pizza Crust: There are so many options these days for store-bought pizza dough! You can use the Pillsbury kind that you just roll out, or most larger grocery stores now sell a ball of fresh pizza dough.
- If you don’t want to use dough, make flatbread pizzas using these Stonefire Flatbreads (or similar)–they even have a garlic version!
- Cheese: I love the taste of fresh mozzarella, but regular shredded mozzarella cheese is a good option. You can even use creamy burrata cheese or even feta cheese!
- Tomatoes: Multi-colored cherry tomatoes make this pizza super fun and colorful! You can also use heirloom tomatoes or Roma tomatoes–just make sure you seed them and squeeze out any excess liquid.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
A hearty salad like this Caesar salad or this tossed salad is great to serve on the side. A grilled protein such as chicken also works well.
Here are my favorite easy, store-bought pizza “bases:”
1. Refrigerated Dough such as this one from Pillsbury
2. Premade Crusts like this one from Boboli
3. Large flatbreads like these from Stonefire
You can also use a good loaf of crusty French bread and make French bread bruschetta pizzas!
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TOOLS FOR THIS RECIPE
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Pizza Stone (optional)
Pizza Peel: Optional, but handy for removing hot pizza from the oven.
I hope you love this Bruschetta Pizza! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Easy Bruschetta Pizza Recipe
Ingredients
For the bruschetta
- 12 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped about 10 large leaves
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced the best garlic chopper
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt or sea salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper
For the pizza
- 1 thin, store-bought pizza crust See Note 1
- 3-4 tbsp prepared basil pesto try this quick homemade Basil Arugula Pesto!
- 8 oz. mozzarella pearls you can also use fresh mozzarella cut into small pieces
- 1 tbsp balsamic glaze, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Make the Bruschetta: In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, basil, garlic, and olive oil. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Prepare Pizza: Roll out the prepared pizza crust (if necessary). Spread pesto in a thin, even layer over the crust. Dot the pizza with mozzarella pearls.
- Bake: Bake the pizza in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, or according to instructions on the pizza crust package. The pizza is ready when the crust is starting to turn golden brown, and the cheese is hot and bubbly!Note: If you are using fresh pizza dough, you can bake the pizza on a baking sheet or use a pizza stone. If you are using a Boboli-type crust or flatbread, you can place the pizza directly onto the oven rack.
- Finish: Top the hot pizza with the tomato mixture, and drizzle with lots of balsamic glaze. Cut into wedges and serve!
I love all the ingredients separately and together! thanks for the recipe!
Your cookbooks are a staple in my kitchen! I’m excited to try this new product you mentioned. Thanks for the recommendation.
We do love a home made pizza and this one looks and sounds so good.
This pizza looks so good! I bet it’s great as an appetizer!
I have everything I need for this dish, can’t wait to make it this weekend! My family is going to love this!
The flavors of the this pizza are amazing. I love how it is a combination of pizza and bruschetta, one of my favorite appetizers. Delicious!
This was fantastic! So fresh tasting and that balsamic drizzle was *chef’s kiss*
it looks a wonderful with all those topped tomatoes. love that it’s made in less than 30 minutes.