Heart Shaped Vegetable Pizza (Printable version)
Crispy heart-shaped pizza layered with fresh vegetables and gooey mozzarella cheese for any occasion.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pizza Dough
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
03 - ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
04 - ½ teaspoon fine salt
05 - ⅔ cup warm water (approximately 100-110°F)
06 - 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
→ Tomato Sauce
07 - ½ cup tomato sauce or pizza sauce
08 - 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
09 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
10 - ½ teaspoon dried basil
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Toppings
12 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (approximately 4 ounces)
13 - ½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced
14 - ½ yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
15 - ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
16 - ¼ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
17 - ½ cup fresh baby spinach leaves
18 - 4-6 pitted black olives, sliced
19 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish
# How to Prepare:
01 - Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt. Create a well in center and pour in warm water and olive oil. Mix with a wooden spoon until shaggy dough forms.
03 - Transfer dough to lightly floured surface. Knead by hand for 5-7 minutes until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky. Dough should spring back when pressed.
04 - Cover dough with clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes to relax gluten.
05 - On floured surface, roll dough into large heart shape approximately ¼-inch thick. Transfer carefully to prepared baking sheet, reshaping if necessary.
06 - In small bowl, whisk tomato sauce with minced garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper until well combined.
07 - Spread sauce evenly over dough, leaving ½-inch border for crust. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over sauce. Arrange bell peppers, onion, cherry tomatoes, spinach, and olives artistically on top.
08 - Bake for 12-15 minutes until crust is golden brown, cheese is fully melted and bubbling, and vegetables are tender-crisp.
09 - Remove from oven. Scatter fresh basil leaves over hot pizza. Let rest 2-3 minutes before slicing into wedges. Serve warm.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The heart shape somehow makes everything taste better, even when it emerges from the oven slightly asymmetrical
- Fresh vegetables bring such vibrant color that nobody notices if your decorating skills are questionable
- Homemade dough comes together faster than delivery would arrive
02 -
- Rolling dough directly into a heart shape can be tricky; I sometimes roll a circle first, then use my fingers to pinch the top into a heart point and round out the bottom curves
- Spinach burns faster than other vegetables, so tuck it partially under the cheese or add it halfway through baking if you notice it crisping too quickly
03 -
- If your dough keeps springing back when you roll it, let it rest for another 5 minutes and try again—patience pays off
- Pre-cut your vegetables while the dough rests so toppings are ready to arrange immediately after saucing