Roasted Garlic and Mushroom White Pizza

Imperial June 3, 2026June 3, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 2 medium pizzas, 4 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Quick Ingredients

Dough: 1 pound pizza dough, room temperature; 2 tablespoons flour or fine cornmeal for dusting
Roasted garlic base: 1 large head garlic, 3 tablespoons olive oil divided, 1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Mushrooms: 12 ounces mixed mushrooms, sliced; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter; 1 small shallot, thinly sliced; 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Cheese: 6 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, shredded; 4 ounces fontina, shredded
Finish: 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan, black pepper, and flaky salt to taste

Do This

1. Roast 1 trimmed head of garlic with 1 tablespoon olive oil at 400°F for 40 to 45 minutes, until soft and sweet.
2. Increase the oven to 500°F and preheat a pizza stone, steel, or inverted baking sheet for 30 minutes.
3. Mash the roasted garlic with ricotta, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper to make the white garlic base.
4. Sauté mushrooms and shallot in 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter for 7 to 9 minutes; stir in thyme and salt.
5. Divide dough into 2 pieces and stretch each into a 10- to 11-inch round.
6. Spread each crust with garlic purée, then top with mozzarella, fontina, mushrooms, thyme, and Parmesan.
7. Bake pizzas one at a time for 9 to 12 minutes each, until the crust is browned and the cheese is bubbling; rest 2 minutes before slicing.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Deep, mellow flavor: Roasted garlic turns soft, sweet, and buttery, making a rich white pizza base without needing a heavy sauce.
Big mushroom payoff: Sautéing the mushrooms first keeps the pizza from getting watery and gives the topping a savory, earthy flavor.
Cheesy but balanced: Mozzarella gives you the classic stretch, while fontina melts smoothly and adds a gentle nutty taste.
Home-kitchen friendly: Use store-bought dough and everyday equipment, with clear timing so the pizza comes together confidently.

Grocery List

Produce: 1 large head garlic, 12 ounces mixed mushrooms such as cremini, shiitake, oyster, or baby bella, 1 small shallot, fresh thyme
Dairy: Whole-milk ricotta, low-moisture mozzarella, fontina, unsalted butter, Parmesan
Pantry: Pizza dough, olive oil, all-purpose flour or fine cornmeal, kosher salt, black pepper, flaky salt

Full Ingredients

For the Roasted Garlic White Base

1 large head garlic, outer loose papery skin removed
1 tablespoon olive oil, for roasting the garlic
1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta
1 tablespoon olive oil, for the purée
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Mushrooms

12 ounces mixed mushrooms, cleaned and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small shallot, thinly sliced, about 1/3 cup
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Pizza

1 pound pizza dough, at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes before shaping
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or fine cornmeal, for dusting
6 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, shredded, about 1 1/2 cups
4 ounces fontina, shredded, about 1 cup
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil, for brushing the crust edges
Flaky salt, to taste, for finishing
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste, for finishing

Roasted Garlic and Mushroom White Pizza – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Roast the garlic until sweet and soft

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice about 1/4 inch off the top of the garlic head to expose the tops of the cloves. Place the garlic on a small piece of foil, drizzle the cut side with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then wrap it tightly in the foil.

Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, until the cloves are deeply softened and lightly golden. Let the garlic cool for 5 to 10 minutes, just until it is comfortable to handle. The cloves should squeeze out easily and mash into a smooth paste.

Step 2: Preheat the oven for pizza baking

After the garlic comes out, increase the oven temperature to 500°F. Place a pizza stone, baking steel, or sturdy inverted baking sheet on the middle rack and let it preheat for 30 minutes. This strong heat helps the crust brown quickly before the cheese overcooks.

If your oven runs very hot or you are using parchment paper, keep the rack in the middle position instead of the very bottom. Trim any excess parchment close to the dough so it does not scorch.

Step 3: Make the roasted garlic white base

Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into a small bowl, discarding the papery skins. Mash the cloves with a fork until mostly smooth. Stir in 1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.

The mixture should be soft and spreadable, like a thick creamy purée. If your ricotta is very firm, stir in 1 teaspoon of water or olive oil at a time until it spreads easily.

Step 4: Sauté the mushrooms and shallot

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. When the butter melts and the pan is hot, add the sliced mushrooms in an even layer. Cook for 5 minutes without stirring too much so the mushrooms can brown instead of steam.

Add the sliced shallot, then cook for another 2 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushroom liquid has evaporated and the edges are browned. Stir in 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly while you shape the dough.

Step 5: Shape the pizza dough

Lightly flour your work surface and divide the 1 pound pizza dough into 2 equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, gently press the dough from the center outward, leaving a slightly thicker rim. Stretch each piece into a 10- to 11-inch round.

Transfer the first dough round to a lightly floured pizza peel or to a sheet of parchment paper set on the back of a baking sheet. If the dough springs back, let it rest for 5 minutes, then continue stretching. A slightly uneven round is completely fine and will bake up rustic and delicious.

Step 6: Assemble the first white pizza

Spread half of the roasted garlic ricotta base over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella and half of the fontina. Scatter half of the sautéed mushrooms and shallots over the cheese.

Brush the outer crust lightly with olive oil. Finish the pizza with a small pinch of the remaining fresh thyme and a light sprinkle of Parmesan. Avoid overloading the center; a lighter hand helps the crust stay crisp.

Step 7: Bake until the crust is browned and the cheese is bubbling

Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone, steel, or baking sheet. Bake at 500°F for 9 to 12 minutes, rotating once halfway through if your oven has hot spots. The pizza is ready when the crust is puffed and browned in spots, the cheese is melted, and the mushrooms look lightly roasted on top.

Transfer the baked pizza to a cutting board and let it rest for 2 minutes. This short rest helps the cheese settle so the slices hold together better.

Step 8: Repeat, finish, and serve

Assemble and bake the second pizza the same way, using the remaining garlic base, cheeses, mushrooms, thyme, and Parmesan. Just before serving, add a pinch of flaky salt and a few grinds of black pepper over each pizza.

Slice each pizza into 4 pieces. Serve warm, while the crust is crisp at the edges and the cheese is still soft and stretchy.

Pro Tips

Use room-temperature dough: Cold dough is tight and difficult to stretch. Let it sit covered at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes before shaping.
Do not skip sautéing the mushrooms: Mushrooms release a lot of moisture. Cooking them first gives better browning and prevents a soggy pizza.
Shred your own cheese if possible: Freshly shredded mozzarella and fontina melt more smoothly than pre-shredded cheeses, which often contain anti-caking starches.
Go light in the center: Keep the heaviest toppings away from the middle of the pizza so the crust bakes evenly.
Roast the garlic ahead: Roasted garlic can be made up to 3 days in advance, which turns this into a much faster weeknight pizza.

Variations

Truffle mushroom white pizza: Add 1 teaspoon truffle oil after baking, not before, so the aroma stays delicate and fresh.
Greens and mushroom pizza: Add 1 packed cup baby spinach to the skillet during the final 30 seconds of mushroom cooking, just until wilted.
Extra-herby version: Add 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary to the mushroom mixture and finish with a little chopped parsley after baking.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store leftover pizza slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 400°F oven for 6 to 8 minutes, or in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4 to 6 minutes, until the bottom is crisp and the cheese is warmed through. Avoid microwaving if you want to keep the crust from turning soft.

To make parts ahead, roast the garlic up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate it in a covered container. The mushroom topping can be cooked up to 2 days ahead; cool completely and refrigerate. Bring both the garlic base and mushrooms close to room temperature before assembling the pizzas so the dough bakes evenly.

Nutrition (per serving)