Easy Caprese Pizza

Overhead shot of Caprese Pizza cut into slices.

5 from 21 votes

Caprese pizza isn’t just Caprese-salad-on-dough. It’s peak summer in slice form. Juicy tomatoes, torn basil, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze for that sweet, sharp finish that makes it feel intentional. It’s the perfect patio dinner for family pizza night.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: people

Author: Dana Sandonato

Ingredients

1 lb ball of fresh pizza dough, homemade or store-bought
1 cup marinara sauce
8 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced (drain it if in water)
2 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 TBSP balsamic glaze, give or take *See notes
fresh basil leaves, torn

Instructions

If you’re making dough from scratch, plan ahead so it’s ready when you are. My one-hour no-knead pizza dough is easy and reliable, but store-bought is fine. Let a store-bought dough come to room temp and rise as directed so it stretches out nicely.
Preheat the oven to 550ºF and set a rack in the center.
Generously coat a large pizza pan with olive oil and scatter some cornmeal (optional; it adds great texture). Transfer the dough to the center of the pan and gently press it outward, working toward the edges. You want it evenly stretched and relaxed.
Ladle about 1 cup’s worth of sauce into the middle of the pizza with a ladle and gently spread it out towards the edges in a circular motion, leaving enough space for the crust. Top the sauce with thinly sliced mozzarella and sliced tomatoes.
Optional: Before adding the sauce, brush olive oil over the top of the pizza, then sprinkle some garlic salt and corn meal over the crust area for extra texture and flavor.
Pop the pizza into the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Drizzle the balsamic glaze over the entire pizza in zigzag motions and, finally, tear up the basil and scatter it all over.
Let the pizza sit for about 5 minutes before slicing.

Notes

To make balsamic glaze from scratch: Bring 1 cup of balsamic vinegar to a boil over the stovetop and simmer until it has reduced to about 1/4 cup. The liquid will become much thicker, stickier, and sweeter. Stir in a tsp of honey if you'd like it a bit sweeter.

Nutrition