print icon
Print This Recipe

Three-Cheese Pesto Pizza

SUBMITTED BY: Ann Bridges 

"Creamy pesto adds flair to this thick crust pizza created by Ann Bridges of Albuquerque, New Mexico. 'The homemade crust is so simple,' Ann notes. 'It also freezes nicely.'"
RECIPE RATING:
This recipe has been rated 4 times with an average star rating of 3.5
Read Reviews (3)
PREP TIME  30 Min
COOK TIME  30 Min
READY IN  1 Hr

SERVINGS

 (Help)
    
Servings
 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water (110 degrees to 115 degrees)
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 4 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, divided
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cubed
  • 1/2 pound bulk Italian sausage
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup spaghetti sauce
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced ripe olives, drained
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar; let stand for 5 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons oil, salt and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a firm dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, bout 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
  2. Meanwhile, for pesto, place basil and garlic in a blender or food processor; cover and process until smooth. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add cream cheese and remaining oil; beat until smooth. Set aside. In a skillet, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Set aside.
  3. Punch dough down. On a lightly floured surface, roll into a 15-in. x 10-in. rectangle. Transfer to a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. build up edges slightly. Spread with pesto. Layer with the spaghetti sauce, Parmesan cheese, sausage mixture, mushrooms, olives and Monterey Jack cheese. Bake at 400 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.
ADVERTISEMENT

REVIEWS

The reviewer gave this recipe 4 stars. This recipe averages a 3.5 star rating.
Reviewed on Apr. 14, 2008 by Caroline C 
Gotta admit I used Tiseo's frozen pizza dough (it's SO good) instead of making my own. Also... MORE
The reviewer gave this recipe 5 stars. This recipe averages a 3.5 star rating.
Reviewed on Jul. 20, 2008 by Avocat 
I've been looking for a pizza with creamy pesto and chicken, so i'm going to omit the sausage... MORE
The reviewer gave this recipe 4 stars. This recipe averages a 3.5 star rating.
Reviewed on Mar. 31, 2009 by sugarspice 
I guess I based a pizza very loosely on this recipe? I used prepared crust (Napolitina), with... MORE


 
ADVERTISEMENT
 
Select Your Version:  United States  |  Canada  |  United Kingdom & Ireland  |  Australia & New Zealand  |  Germany  |  France  |  China  |  Japan  |  Frequently Asked Questions What's this?