Crispy and Delicious Pepperoni Pepper Pizza Recipe Is a Quick-Prep Weeknight Meal
Store-bought pesto stands in for tomato sauce in this twist on a classic that’s even easier with refrigerated dough
If you’re like us, when it comes to weeknight meals, sometimes you just want to call for take-out. But preparing a home-cooked supper doesn’t have to be a chore. In fact, our Pepperoni Pepper Pizza recipe is so easy, you may never order from the local pizza parlor again.
These days, most grocery stores carry pizza dough in the refrigerator section, so you can skip making your own. To ensure an extra-crispy crust, brush the dough with oil and pre-bake until golden. Then, for a fun twist, spread the crust with basil pesto instead of tomato sauce. The condiment adds bright herby flavor that pairs perfectly with the toppings. Now for the surprise ingredient — chopped sun-dried tomatoes. They deliver a tart-tangy pop that puts our Pepperoni-Pepper Pizza recipe over the top. It’s so simple yet so tasty. Best of all, it’s even better than take-out! Give it a try and send us a comment below.
Related: Need a side salad? Check out these 12 fresh ideas.
Yields
Total Time
Prep Time
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 1 (15–16 oz.) pkg. refrigerated pizza dough, at room temp.
- 1 Tbs. olive oil
- ⅓ cup basil pesto sauce
- ½ cup thinly sliced yellow pepper
- 1⅓ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup sliced pepperoni
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained, chopped
- Fresh basil
Instructions
Place oven rack in lower third of oven; heat to 450°F. Grease 14"-round pizza pan. Roll out dough to 14" round. Transfer to pan; brush with oil. Bake until starting to brown, 8 min. (press dough down if it bubbles up).
Spread crust with pesto, leaving ½" border around edge. Top with pepper, 1 cup cheese and pepperoni. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until cheese melts and crust is baked through, about 15 min. Top with tomatoes. Garnish with basil.
Nutrition
- Calories: 610
- Fat: 35 gram
- Saturated Fat: 10 gram
- Protein: 20 gram
- Carbohydrate: 56 gram
- Fiber: 3 gram
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
- Sugar: 5 gram
- Sodium: 1,320 mg
