Okay, friends. Here. We. Go. My love for pizza shouldn’t be a secret at this stage in our relationship. However, if you’re just tuning in, don’t be shy! You can read more here. It’s been a pizza-bonanza at our house lately. I’m on a righteous quest to find (make, eat, etc.) the best homemade pizza. It’s been a tough, tasty battle thus far, but somebody’s gotta do it. Emphasis on the tasty. Taystee. (Speaking of Taystee: we so loved the latest Orange is the New Black season, didn’t you? SO GOOD.) Okay, okay back to pizza. Beet Pesto Pizza specifically.
Let’s hold off on admiring the edible beauty of this pizza for just a quick second because the toppings are where it’s at. You’ve got this earthy, decadent beet pesto that’s just heated through and provides a perfect foundation for salty, briny and wonderfully charred feta. They work so well together, I can’t even. Just try it, trust me. And then there’s a pop of fresh dill balancing each bite like a champ. We topped our “beetza” (heh) with an extra drizzle of olive oil, some freshly grated parm and a sprinkle of flaked sea salt. My mouth is watering just thinking about this pizza all over again…
I haven’t quite 100% nailed the perfect homemade crust just yet, I’m getting pretty, pretty close guys. Recipe forthcoming, you have my word.
So, while I’m noodling around with different pizza dough recipes in the kitchen (I am so bad good at food puns, btw), I give you complete permission to use your favorite store-bought variety of dough here.
PS. You will most likely have extra beet pesto. We did. It’ll keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 6 days. Toss the leftovers with some fresh pasta and call it a day. You’re welcome.
Enjoy!
Beetza! A simple, no-fuss Beet Pesto Pizza recipe that'll have you reaching for another slice. Beet pesto, feta, and dill make this pizza unique and tasty.
Ingredients
- 4-5 small to medium beets, scrubbed clean and sliced into 1/2" rounds (use the greens for chermoula!)
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- 1/4 cup cashews
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta
- 2 tbsp fresh dill
- store bought pizza dough
Instructions
- Cook the Beets: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 2 baking sheets with 1 tbsp olive oil each. Spread beet rounds evenly on both sheets. Roast in the oven until tender for about 35 minutes, flipping beets once in between. Set aside and let cool.
- Make the Beet Pesto: Arrange oven racks so that one rack is close to the top of the oven. Raise oven temp to 475. Once the beets have cooled, add them to a food processor along with the garlic, lemon juice, parmesan and cashews. Pulse until everything is well-combined but still chunky. Turn on the processor and drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto comes together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Make the Pizza: Roll pizza dough onto prepared baking sheet or pizza stone. Pre-cook dough for about 3-5 minutes (until starting to bubble and slightly brown). Remove from oven and spread on a healthy amount of Beet Pesto. Top evenly with crumbled feta. Put pizza back in the oven and cook, in the top of the oven, until feta starts to char (about 5-7 minutes more). Once pizza is cooked to your liking, remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh dill. Top with another drizzle of olive oil, fresh grated parm, flaked sea salt and serve.