Zesty Summer Lemon Pizza (Printable)
Bright lemon and creamy cheese pizza topped with fresh arugula and basil for a refreshing summer meal.
# What You Need:
→ Dough
01 - 1 ball fresh pizza dough, about 10.5 oz (store-bought or homemade)
→ Cheese & Sauce
02 - 4.2 oz crème fraîche or ricotta cheese
03 - 1 garlic clove, minced
04 - 4.2 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
05 - 1 oz grated Parmesan cheese
→ Toppings
06 - 1 unwaxed lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed
07 - 1 tsp lemon zest
08 - 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 1.8 oz arugula
10 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
11 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
12 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 475°F or as hot as it will go. If using a pizza stone, place it in the oven during preheat.
02 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pizza dough to your desired thickness. Transfer onto a sheet of parchment paper.
03 - In a small bowl, combine the crème fraîche or ricotta with the minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth.
04 - Spread the garlic-cream mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border. Arrange the mozzarella slices on top and sprinkle with grated Parmesan.
05 - Lay the thin lemon slices over the cheese in a slightly overlapping pattern. Drizzle with olive oil and scatter crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
06 - Carefully transfer the pizza on the parchment paper onto the preheated stone or baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling.
07 - Remove from the oven and immediately top with fresh arugula, lemon zest, and torn basil leaves. Slice and serve hot.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The lemon slices caramelize in the oven and turn into something halfway between a vegetable and candy, which sounds strange until you taste it and understand everything.
- Using crme fraiche or ricotta instead of tomato sauce makes this pizza feel light enough for a hot evening when a heavy meal sounds unbearable.
02 -
- The lemon slices soften dramatically in the oven but they are still distinctly lemon, so anyone expecting sweetness alone will be surprised by the tang, and that is exactly the point.
- If your mozzarella is very fresh and wet, press it between paper towels for a minute before slicing or you will end up with a swimming pool on your pizza.
03 -
- If you can find a Meyer lemon, use it here because its floral sweetness turns this pizza into something that makes people close their eyes when they take the first bite.
- Toasted pine nuts scattered on top at the very end add a buttery crunch that elevates the whole dish from great dinner to the thing your friends will not stop asking you to make.