Pizza with Pesto, Burrata, and Crispy Prosciutto

4.67

Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Take your homemade pizza game up a notch with this surprisingly easy pizza with fresh pesto, crisp prosciutto, and creamy burrata

a homemade pizza sliced on a grey countertop

Let’s make our own fancy pizza at home, but let’s do it the easy way. Buy some store-bought pizza dough, top it with a few special ingredients, pour yourself a glass of wine, and 15 minutes later, slice and enjoy. No prep required. This is the type of pizza that you’ll want to eat sitting around the kitchen counter, dragging golden crust through every last bit of creamy cheese. It’s great for summer nights, date-night-in, or any old Tuesday when you want something special that doesn’t take special-level amounts of work. 

Want to save this recipe?
Get it emailed to you directly! Enter your email below.

Ingredients

  • Pizza Dough – Keep things simple and grab store-bought pizza dough for this “fancy” pizza. I love the whole grain pizza dough from Whole Foods, but any type will work. If you want to make homemade dough, I’ve been loving this Rachel Ray version
  • Pesto – If you happen to have access to loads of fresh basil, make homemade pesto, or just grab some pre-made pesto at the grocery store. Any pesto that’s sold fresh in the chilled section will likely be better than the shelf-stable versions sold in with other canned goods. 
  • Prosciutto – Buy thinly sliced prosciutto pre-packaged or ask for it at your deli counter. The thinner the better because it will crisp up more quickly. This salty cured Italian meat pair so well with the other Italian ingredients in this pizza.
  • Baby Arugula – Use a small handful of fresh baby arugula to add some color and peppery spice to the finished pizza. A few leaves of fresh basil would be great if you prefer them over arugula.
  • Black Pepper and / or Red Pepper Flakes – I love some fresh black pepper or red pepper flakes (for spice) over the top of this pizza. Feel free to skip this if you prefer, but it adds some nice finishing flavor.
a container of burrata cheese on a grey countertop

What is Burrata?

Burrata is an Italian-style fresh cheese that resembles fresh mozzarella. It is white and comes in balls, but unlike mozzarella, burrata has a firm outer shell of mozzarella and a center that is very creamy and spreadable. 

Burrata is really having a moment in the food scene right now but it used to be difficult to find. Now many grocery stores sell it in small tubs, packed in liquid just like mozzarella. Look for it in single large balls or in smaller balls – any type will be great on pizza.

Pin this now to save it for later

Pin It Now
overhead image of a raw homemade pizza on a wooden pizza peel

Can you cook Burrata cheese?

Burrata is best served fresh, not cooked. If you cook it you will lose that creamy, spreadable center filling that is what makes this cheese so special.

overhead image of a slice of homemade pesto pizza on a countertop

More Pizza Night Favorites

overhead image of a homemade pesto pizza on a grey countertop

Pin this now to save it for later

Pin It Now
a homemade pizza on a grey countertop
4.67 from 6 votes

Pizza with Pesto, Burrata, Crispy Prosciutto, and Basil

Take your homemade pizza game up a notch with this surprisingly easy version topped with fresh pesto, crisp prosciutto, and creamy burrata.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 4

Equipment

  • Pizza Stone
  • Pizza Peel
  • Parchment Paper

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound Pizza Dough (use your favorite store-bought or homemade)
  • 1/3 cup Pesto, store-bought or homemade, plus more for serving
  • 4 ounces thinly sliced Prosciutto
  • 8 ounces Burrata Cheese (see note)
  • 2 ounces Baby Arugula
  • Black Pepper or Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

Instructions 

  • If using store-bought or homemade dough that has been refrigerated, set it out on a lightly floured surface and let it rest for 30 minutes before making pizza. (The gluten in the dough will relax as it comes to room temperature, making the pizza easier to shape.)
  • Heat oven: Preheat oven to 500°F / 260°C. If using a pizza stone, be sure it is in the oven as the oven heats up.
  • Prepare pizza dough by stretching it out on a piece of parchment paper.
  • First bake (5 minutes): Transfer the parchment paper with the pizza dough to a sheet pan or slide it onto the hot pizza stone (if using). Bake for 5 minutes. (This gives the crust a head start and helps it to hold up to the toppings.)
  • Add toppings: Spread the dough with a thin layer of pesto. Top with prosciutto in a single layer.
  • Second bake (10 minutes): Bake pizza until crust is golden brown and prosciutto is crisp, about 10 minutes.
  • As soon as the pizza comes out of the oven, top it with burrata cheese and arugula.
  • Slice pizza, cutting through the burrata and spreading it loosely over the slices of pizza. (It will be messy and imperfect, but will taste great!) Top the pizza with fresh cracked black pepper or red pepper flakes (for some spice) if you’d like. Enjoy!

Notes

Burrata – You can use one large ball of burrata that will be added to the center or several smaller balls that can be scattered over the entire pizza. Burrata should never be cooked, so be sure just to add it after the pizza is fully cooked. If you can’t find burrata, try this with fresh mozzarella. If using mozzarella, thinly slice it and add it to the pizza before cooking.

Nutrition

Calories: 622kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 1205mg | Potassium: 108mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1160IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 358mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
Cost: $8.00
Calories: 622
Keyword: easy dinner, easy, weeknight-friendly, family friendly, homemade pizza, pizza
Like this? Leave a comment below!Jump to Comments

Want to save this recipe?
Get it emailed to you directly! Enter your email below.

About Jess Smith

Jess is the recipe creator and photographer at InquiringChef.com. She spent nearly a decade as the Chief Recipe Developer for the award-winning meal planning app Cook Smarts. Her colorful, healthyish recipes have been featured in popular online publications including Parade, Hallmark, and HuffPost.

4.67 from 6 votes (5 ratings without comment)

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

1 Comment