Pizza Verde With Pistachio Pesto and Mortadella

Imperial June 3, 2026June 3, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 2 pizzas, 4 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 16 minutes
Total Time: 41 minutes

Quick Ingredients

Dough: 1 pound pizza dough, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons fine cornmeal, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Pistachio pesto: 1 packed cup fresh basil, 1/2 cup shelled unsalted pistachios, 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, 1 small garlic clove, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Toppings: 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, 4 ounces thin-sliced mortadella, 1/4 cup crushed pistachios, 1 cup baby arugula, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Do This

1. Heat the oven to 500°F for 45 minutes with a pizza stone, pizza steel, or inverted baking sheet inside.
2. Blend basil, pistachios, olive oil, Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper into a thick pesto.
3. Divide dough into 2 pieces and stretch each into a 10- to 11-inch round on a floured, cornmeal-dusted surface.
4. Spread each pizza with pesto, then add torn mozzarella.
5. Bake each pizza for 7 to 8 minutes, until the crust is puffed and browned in spots and the cheese is melted.
6. Top hot pizzas with mortadella, lemony arugula, and crushed pistachios.
7. Slice and serve right away while the crust is crisp and the greens are fresh.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fresh, bright, and savory: Pistachio-basil pesto brings vivid green color, nutty richness, lemony lift, and a soft garlicky bite.
Restaurant-style but home-cook friendly: Store-bought pizza dough works beautifully, and the pesto comes together in minutes.
Great balance of textures: Crisp-edged crust, creamy mozzarella, silky mortadella, peppery arugula, and crunchy pistachios all land in one bite.
Flexible for weeknights or entertaining: Make the pesto ahead, stretch the dough when ready, and bake the pizzas quickly in a very hot oven.

Grocery List

Produce: Fresh basil, baby arugula, lemon, garlic
Dairy: Fresh mozzarella, Parmesan cheese
Meat: Thin-sliced mortadella
Pantry: Pizza dough, shelled unsalted pistachios, extra-virgin olive oil, all-purpose flour, fine cornmeal, kosher salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes if desired

Full Ingredients

For the Pizza Dough and Pan Prep

1 pound pizza dough, store-bought or homemade, at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, for shaping
2 tablespoons fine cornmeal, for dusting the peel or baking sheet
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the crust edges

For the Pistachio-Basil Pesto

1 packed cup fresh basil leaves, about 1 ounce
1/2 cup shelled unsalted pistachios, divided if you prefer to reserve a spoonful from this amount for texture
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 to 2 teaspoons more if needed
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, about 1 ounce
1 small garlic clove, peeled
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons cold water, only if needed to loosen the pesto

For the Toppings

8 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn into bite-size pieces and patted dry
4 ounces thin-sliced mortadella, torn into loose ribbons
1/4 cup shelled unsalted pistachios, roughly crushed
1 cup baby arugula, lightly packed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

Pizza Verde With Pistachio Pesto and Mortadella – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Bring the dough to room temperature

Place the 1 pound pizza dough on the counter, covered, for 45 to 60 minutes before shaping. Room-temperature dough stretches more easily and is less likely to spring back. If the dough feels sticky, dust your hands lightly with flour, but avoid working in too much extra flour because it can make the crust tough.

Step 2: Preheat the oven until very hot

Place a pizza stone, pizza steel, or inverted heavy baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Preheat to 500°F for at least 45 minutes. A long preheat is important because it helps the crust puff, brown, and crisp quickly. If your oven only reaches 475°F, use that temperature and add 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time as needed.

Step 3: Make the pistachio-basil pesto

In a food processor, combine 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves, 1/2 cup shelled unsalted pistachios, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, 1 small garlic clove, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Pulse 8 to 10 times, until everything is finely chopped.

With the machine running, stream in 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil and process until the pesto is thick but spreadable, about 20 to 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl and taste. If the pesto is too thick to spread over dough, blend in 1 to 2 tablespoons cold water or 1 to 2 teaspoons more olive oil. The texture should be a little rustic, not completely smooth.

Step 4: Prepare the toppings

Tear 8 ounces fresh mozzarella into small pieces and pat them dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. This helps prevent the pizza from becoming watery. Tear 4 ounces thin-sliced mortadella into soft ribbons and set aside. In a small bowl, toss 1 cup baby arugula with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Keep the arugula aside until the pizzas come out of the oven.

Step 5: Shape the first pizza

Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces, about 8 ounces each. On a lightly floured surface, press one piece into a disk, then stretch it into a 10- to 11-inch round. Keep the rim slightly thicker than the center for a puffy edge. Sprinkle a pizza peel or the back of a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon fine cornmeal, then transfer the shaped dough onto it. Gently shake the peel or baking sheet to make sure the dough can move; if it sticks, lift the edge and add a little more cornmeal underneath.

Step 6: Add pesto and mozzarella

Spread about half of the pistachio pesto over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Use the back of a spoon and keep the layer thin enough that the dough still bakes through. Scatter half of the torn mozzarella over the pesto. Brush the exposed crust edge with about 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil.

Step 7: Bake until crisp and bubbling

Slide the pizza onto the hot stone, steel, or inverted baking sheet. Bake at 500°F for 7 to 8 minutes, rotating carefully after 5 minutes if your oven has hot spots. The pizza is ready when the crust is puffed, the underside is browned, the pesto is fragrant, and the mozzarella is melted with a few lightly browned spots.

Step 8: Finish with mortadella, arugula, and pistachios

Transfer the hot pizza to a cutting board. Immediately drape half of the torn mortadella over the top so it softens from the heat without drying out. Add half of the dressed arugula and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons crushed pistachios. Add a small pinch of red pepper flakes if you like a gentle heat. Repeat shaping, topping, baking, and finishing the second pizza with the remaining dough, pesto, mozzarella, mortadella, arugula, and pistachios.

Step 9: Slice and serve

Let each pizza rest for 1 to 2 minutes, then slice into wedges. Serve warm, while the crust is crisp, the mozzarella is creamy, and the mortadella is just warmed through. This pizza is best eaten right after baking because the fresh greens and pesto taste brightest immediately.

Pro Tips

Pat the mozzarella dry: Fresh mozzarella holds moisture. Drying it well keeps the center of the pizza from turning soggy.
Do not overload the pesto: A thin, even layer gives you big flavor without weighing down the dough.
Add mortadella after baking: Mortadella is delicate and tastes best gently warmed by the hot pizza instead of crisped in the oven.
Use unsalted pistachios if possible: They give you better control over the salt level, especially because Parmesan and mortadella are already savory.
Let the oven fully preheat: A hot surface is the key to a crisp bottom and a nicely blistered crust in a home oven.

Variations

Burrata pizza verde: Replace the mozzarella with 6 ounces torn burrata added after baking. Bake the pesto-topped crust plain, then finish with burrata, mortadella, arugula, and pistachios.
Vegetarian version: Skip the mortadella and add thin ribbons of zucchini before baking, then finish with extra arugula and a little more Parmesan.
Spicy green pizza: Add 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes to the pesto and finish the baked pizza with thinly sliced Calabrian chiles or a small drizzle of chile oil.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Make ahead: The pistachio pesto can be made up to 3 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator with a thin layer of olive oil on top to help preserve its green color. Bring it to room temperature for 15 minutes before spreading. The mozzarella can be torn and patted dry up to 1 day ahead; store it covered in the refrigerator. The pistachios can be crushed up to 1 week ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

Storage: Leftover pizza can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For best texture, remove any large pieces of arugula before storing if possible. Reheat slices 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 5 minutes, until the crust crisps again and the cheese is warm. Add fresh arugula after reheating if you have extra.

Nutrition (per serving)