6 Summer Pizza Recipes to Make Now

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. Summer Squash, Ricotta and Chives

If there’s a food that grows like wild during the summer, it’s summer squash and its sibling, zucchini. Make the best use of the piles of squash on your counter, pair them with creamy ricotta, bracing black pepper, and heady fresh chives, and break out the pizza stone. This pie crisps up vegetarian-friendly and beautiful to behold.

4. Heirloom Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Basil

Every summer passes, and every summer we face the realization that perhaps we did not eat enough tomatoes. So don’t miss out this year: Pair heirlooms with bright basil and creamy mozzarella. Fresh oregano leaves and a final spritz of olive oil make this pie exactly what you’re craving.

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.