Summer squash, juicy tomatoes, and bunches of basil so bounteous they look like bouquets are all among the charms of summer pizzas. Yes, you have to get that oven ripping-hot, but these pizzas all cook in 10 minutes or less. Plus, you’ll delight both the children and the adults in your life when you pull one out of the oven.
Here are a few of our favorite pizza recipes for the summertime.
1. Pepperoni, Artichoke Hearts and Arugula
Sure, you could do a pizza margherita, which is so delicious, but you could also go for this tasty pie layered with pepperoni, olives, peppery seasonal arugula and fat artichoke hearts. Mozzarella is just the thing to bind those disparate elements together. A final drizzle of olive oil lends a savory, unctuous note to the whole thing.
2. Cherry Tomatoes, Mushrooms and Red Onions
Cherry tomatoes are juicy, sprightly and plentiful come this time of year, and they’re ideal for a pizza. (Their circular shape echoes the crust, so it’s extra-delightful to look at.) This pie eschews traditional tomato sauce in favor of the fresh stuff, but you won’t miss the former. There’s mozz, Parmesan, fresh oregano, button mushrooms and a ton of flavor.
3. Zucchini Pizza with Basil
Four simple ingredients are all that’s needed for this summery pie. Any easy mix of summer squash, mozzarella, ricotta salata and fresh basil show that simplicity can be king when it comes to pizza. If you can’t find ricotta salata, a mild Italian sheep’s milk cheese, pecorino romano makes a good substitute.
4. Summer Vegetable Grilled Pizza
This grilled flatbread is the perfect answer to a pizza craving on a hot day when you’d rather not turn on the oven. With grilled sweet onions, heirloom tomatoes and peppery arugula mounded on top, this pizza is summer on a plate.
5. Prosciutto with Arugula
Salty, unctuous prosciutto meets perhaps its perfect foil in peppery seasonal arugula in this pie. Since this pizza has so few ingredients, we suggest buying the best prosciutto you can, and snapping up your arugula from a local farm stand if possible.
6. Spicy Pizza Margherita
A spicy triple-whammy of cayenne, red pepper flakes, and Calabrian chiles take this dreamy margherita number into impressive territory. It’s just the thing to serve the heat-seeker in your life, and it’s none too spicy, either.