Description

This homemade veggie pizza recipe features a crisp, golden crust topped with vibrant baby spinach, mozzarella cheese, black olives, marinated artichoke hearts, red bell pepper, and red onion. Baked to perfection on a pizza stone at 450ºF, this flavorful and colorful pizza offers a delightful balance of fresh vegetables, melted cheese, and savory pizza sauce, perfect for a wholesome and satisfying meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Pizza Base

1 pizza dough (enough for 1 pizza)
¼ cup cornmeal, divided
flour for dusting

Toppings

½ cup pizza sauce
1 cup baby spinach
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup sliced black olives, drained
¼ cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained
¼ cup red bell pepper, diced (about 1/4 of the pepper)
¼ cup sliced red onion (about 1/4 of the onion)

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Instructions

Preheat Oven and Heat Pizza Stone: If using a pizza stone, place it on the middle rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 450ºF. This ensures the stone is hot and ready for baking the pizza to a crisp crust.
Prepare the Dough: On a floured surface, stretch or roll out the pizza dough into a large circle. If the dough becomes sticky while working with it, sprinkle additional flour to make it easier to handle.
Dust Pizza Peel with Cornmeal: Sprinkle about half of the cornmeal onto the pizza peel to prevent sticking. Reserve the other half for the pizza stone.
Transfer Dough to Peel: Lay the stretched dough carefully over the cornmeal on the pizza peel. Gently shake the peel to ensure the dough can slide off easily when transferring to the oven.
Spread Sauce and Spinach: Using the back of a spoon, evenly spread ½ cup of pizza sauce over the dough, leaving a small border for the crust. Arrange the baby spinach leaves in a single layer on top of the sauce.
Add Cheese and Vegetables: Spread the shredded mozzarella evenly over the spinach and sauce. Then distribute the sliced black olives, marinated artichoke hearts, diced red bell pepper, and sliced red onion evenly across the cheese.
Prepare Pizza Stone and Transfer Pizza: Carefully sprinkle the remaining cornmeal onto the hot pizza stone. With caution, slide the pizza off the peel and onto the stone in the oven.
Bake the Pizza: Bake the pizza for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and starting to turn golden brown, and the crust is crispy.
Finish and Serve: Carefully remove the pizza from the oven using a peel or spatula. Transfer to a cutting board, let it rest for at least one minute to set, then cut into slices and enjoy your homemade veggie pizza!

Notes

Using a pizza stone helps achieve a crispier crust but is optional. If not using, a baking sheet can be used instead.
Make sure the pizza peel is well dusted with cornmeal or flour to prevent sticking.
For added flavor, you can drizzle olive oil or sprinkle dried herbs like oregano or basil before baking.
Let the pizza rest briefly after baking to allow the cheese to set and avoid burning your mouth.
Feel free to customize toppings based on your preferences and seasonal vegetables.