Heart Shaped Vegetable Pizza (Printable version)
A colorful heart-shaped pizza with fresh vegetables on a crispy crust, perfect for festive sharing.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 packet instant dry yeast
03 - 1 teaspoon sugar
04 - ¾ cup warm water
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1 teaspoon salt
→ Sauce
07 - ¾ cup pizza sauce or marinara
→ Cheese
08 - 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
09 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Vegetables
10 - ½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced
11 - ½ yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
12 - ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
13 - ½ zucchini, thinly sliced
14 - ¼ cup black olives, sliced
15 - ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
16 - 2 tablespoons corn kernels
17 - 1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, torn
→ To Finish
18 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
19 - Freshly ground black pepper
# How to Prepare:
01 - Preheat oven to 475°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit 5 minutes until foamy. Add flour, salt, and olive oil. Mix, then knead for 5–7 minutes until smooth.
03 - Divide dough in half. On a floured surface, roll each piece into a heart shape about ¼ inch thick. Place on prepared baking sheets.
04 - Spread sauce evenly over each heart-shaped crust, leaving a ½-inch border.
05 - Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over the sauce.
06 - Arrange the vegetables artfully on top: bell peppers, onion, zucchini, olives, cherry tomatoes, and corn.
07 - Drizzle with olive oil and season with black pepper.
08 - Bake for 12–15 minutes until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbling.
09 - Remove from oven, garnish with fresh basil, slice, and serve warm.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The combination of sweet bell peppers, savory olives, and fresh basil creates layers of flavor that make every bite interesting.
- You get the satisfaction of homemade dough without needing advanced skills or special equipment beyond what is already in your kitchen.
02 -
- Do not overload the vegetables or your crust will become soggy in the middle, no matter how hot your oven runs.
- Let the dough rest for 10 minutes if it keeps springing back when you try to roll it out, making shaping much easier.
03 -
- Place a baking sheet or pizza stone in the oven while it preheats to create an extra-hot surface that gives your crust an immediate head start on crisping.
- Brush the very edge of the crust with a little olive oil before baking to encourage even more golden color and extra crunch.