Pesto Swirl Margherita Pizza

Imperial June 1, 2026June 1, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 2 10-inch pizzas, 4 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, including oven preheating

Quick Ingredients

1 pound pizza dough, divided into 2 balls and brought to room temperature
3/4 cup canned crushed tomatoes or passata
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus 1 tablespoon more if needed for pesto
2 small garlic cloves, divided
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 packed cup fresh basil leaves, plus 1/4 cup small leaves or torn basil for finishing
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts or walnuts
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, patted very dry and torn into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, for dusting
2 tablespoons semolina flour or fine cornmeal, for launching
Optional: 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Do This

1. Place a pizza stone, pizza steel, or inverted heavy baking sheet in the upper third of the oven; preheat to 500°F for 45 minutes.
2. Make pesto by blending basil, pine nuts or walnuts, 1 garlic clove, 1/4 cup Parmesan, lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 cup olive oil until spoonable.
3. Stir crushed tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 grated garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper.
4. Stretch one dough ball into a 10- to 11-inch round on a floured surface, then transfer to a semolina-dusted peel or inverted sheet pan.
5. Top with 1/3 cup tomato sauce, 4 ounces mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and 2 tablespoons pesto swirled over the cheese.
6. Bake at 500°F for 6 to 8 minutes, until puffed, browned in spots, and bubbling; repeat with the second pizza.
7. Finish each hot pizza with 1 tablespoon fresh pesto and basil leaves, rest for 2 minutes, slice, and serve.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Classic flavor, extra basil punch: You get the simple tomato-mozzarella magic of Margherita pizza with a bright pesto swirl for added freshness.
Home-oven friendly: A very hot pizza stone, steel, or inverted baking sheet helps create a crisp, browned crust without a pizza oven.
Balanced, not heavy: The pesto is swirled in measured spoonfuls, so the pizza tastes herby and rich without turning oily.
Flexible and weeknight-ready: Use store-bought pizza dough and a quick homemade pesto for a pizza that feels special but is still approachable.

Grocery List

Produce: Fresh basil leaves, 2 small garlic cloves, 1 lemon
Dairy: 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, Parmesan cheese
Pantry: 1 pound pizza dough, canned crushed tomatoes or passata, extra-virgin olive oil, pine nuts or walnuts, all-purpose flour, semolina flour or fine cornmeal, kosher salt, black pepper, optional red pepper flakes

Full Ingredients

For the Basil Pesto Swirl

1 packed cup fresh basil leaves, washed and thoroughly dried, plus 1/4 cup small leaves or torn basil for finishing
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts or walnuts
1 small garlic clove, roughly chopped
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus up to 1 tablespoon more to loosen if needed

For the No-Cook Tomato Base

3/4 cup canned crushed tomatoes or passata
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small garlic clove, finely grated or very finely minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Pizzas

1 pound pizza dough, divided into 2 equal 8-ounce balls
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, for dusting the work surface
2 tablespoons semolina flour or fine cornmeal, for dusting the pizza peel or inverted sheet pan
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, patted very dry and torn into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the crust edges
Optional: 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, for finishing

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven and relax the dough

Place a pizza stone, pizza steel, or heavy inverted baking sheet on a rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 500°F for 45 minutes. A long preheat is important because the baking surface needs to be very hot before the dough hits it.

While the oven heats, place the 2 dough balls on a lightly floured counter or plate. Cover them loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Relaxed dough stretches more easily and is less likely to tear.

Step 2: Make the basil pesto

In a food processor or small blender, combine 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves, 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts or walnuts, 1 roughly chopped garlic clove, 1/4 cup Parmesan, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Pulse 5 to 7 times, until everything is finely chopped.

With the machine running, stream in 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil and blend for 20 to 30 seconds, just until the pesto is spoonable. It should be loose enough to swirl but not watery. If it is too thick to drizzle from a spoon, blend in up to 1 tablespoon more olive oil, 1 teaspoon at a time. Set aside 6 tablespoons pesto for topping the pizzas.

Step 3: Mix the tomato base and prepare the cheese

In a small bowl, stir together 3/4 cup crushed tomatoes or passata, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 grated garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. The sauce should taste bright and lightly seasoned; it will concentrate a bit in the oven.

Pat the fresh mozzarella thoroughly dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel, then tear it into bite-size pieces. Removing extra moisture helps prevent a soggy center and gives you a cleaner, better-textured Margherita-style pizza.

Step 4: Stretch the first pizza dough

Lightly flour your counter with some of the 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Place one dough ball on the flour and press from the center outward with your fingertips, leaving a 1/2-inch rim around the edge for the crust. Gently lift and stretch the dough into a 10- to 11-inch round. If the dough springs back, let it rest for 5 minutes, then continue stretching.

Dust a pizza peel or the back of an inverted sheet pan with 1 tablespoon semolina flour or fine cornmeal. Transfer the stretched dough to the prepared peel or pan. Give it a gentle shake to make sure it moves freely before adding toppings.

Step 5: Top the first pizza with tomato, mozzarella, and pesto

Spread about 1/3 cup tomato sauce over the dough, leaving the 1/2-inch rim uncovered. Scatter 4 ounces of the torn mozzarella over the sauce, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmesan.

Spoon 2 tablespoons pesto over the mozzarella in a loose spiral or a few curved streaks. Do not cover the whole pizza with pesto; the swirl should be visible and should leave patches of tomato and cheese showing. Brush the exposed crust edge with 1 teaspoon olive oil.

Step 6: Bake the first pizza

Carefully slide the pizza onto the preheated stone, steel, or inverted baking sheet. Bake at 500°F for 6 to 8 minutes, rotating once after 4 minutes if your oven has hot spots. The pizza is ready when the crust is puffed and browned in spots, the underside is crisp, and the mozzarella is melted and bubbling.

Use a pizza peel or a wide spatula to transfer the pizza to a cutting board. Let it rest while you assemble the second pizza.

Step 7: Repeat with the second pizza

Stretch the second dough ball into another 10- to 11-inch round and transfer it to the peel or inverted sheet pan dusted with the remaining 1 tablespoon semolina flour or cornmeal. Top with the remaining tomato sauce, 4 ounces mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and 2 tablespoons pesto. Brush the crust edge with the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil.

Bake the second pizza at 500°F for 6 to 8 minutes, until the crust is browned, the cheese is melted, and the pesto swirl has darkened slightly in spots.

Step 8: Finish, slice, and serve

While the pizzas are still hot, drizzle each one with 1 tablespoon of the reserved fresh pesto. This final pesto swirl keeps the basil flavor bright and fresh. Scatter the pizzas with the 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves and, if you like a little heat, a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Let each pizza rest for 2 minutes before slicing. Cut each 10-inch pizza into 4 slices and serve right away while the crust is crisp and the mozzarella is soft.

Pro Tips

Pat the mozzarella very dry: Fresh mozzarella carries a lot of moisture. Drying it well is one of the easiest ways to avoid a watery pizza.
Use less sauce than you think: About 1/3 cup sauce per pizza is enough for a 10- to 11-inch round. Too much sauce can weigh down the crust.
Keep the pesto in swirls: Pesto is rich, so a few spooned ribbons give you big basil flavor without making the pizza greasy.
Reserve pesto for after baking: Baking some pesto gives a roasted basil flavor, while adding a little fresh pesto at the end keeps the color and flavor lively.
Let stubborn dough rest: If the dough keeps shrinking as you stretch it, walk away for 5 minutes. The gluten will relax and the dough will become easier to shape.

Variations

Burrata finish: Replace half the mozzarella with 4 ounces burrata. Bake the pizza with the regular mozzarella, then tear the burrata over the hot pizza after baking.
Cherry tomato pesto pizza: Add 1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes on top of the mozzarella before baking. Place them cut-side up to reduce moisture on the crust.
Nut-free pesto swirl: Skip the pine nuts or walnuts and use 2 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds instead, or leave the nuts out entirely for a lighter basil sauce.

Storage & Make-Ahead

This pizza is best right after baking, but leftovers keep well. Store cooled slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on a preheated baking sheet at 425°F for 6 to 8 minutes, or warm slices in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, covering the skillet for the final minute to soften the cheese.

For make-ahead prep, the pesto can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator with a thin layer of olive oil on top to help preserve the color. The tomato sauce can be mixed up to 4 days ahead. Pizza dough can usually be refrigerated for 24 to 72 hours, depending on the dough recipe or package directions. If freezing baked slices, wrap tightly and freeze for up to 1 month; reheat from frozen at 425°F for 10 to 12 minutes.

Nutrition (per serving)