Twenty-five minutes is all you need to make this Italian Pepperoni pizza recipe. It is a delicious and wholesome pizza that everyone loves. And the best part is, it is super easy to make!
Friday movie night is incomplete around this part without a pepperoni pizza; make it healthy-ish with some added veggies. Yezzza!
How do you make pepperoni pizza from scratch?
The perfect slice doesn't exist. Go big or go home! 😉
Making a pepperoni pizza recipe from scratch is super easy. Here is everything you need:
- Pizza dough: You can buy pre-made dough or make your own. You can't get a pizza without dough.
- Pizza sauce: a delicious tomatoey and rich pizza sauce brings in the depth of flavor. Again, you can buy pre-made pizza sauce or prepare one at home. Either way, the flavors add so much to the pizza. Speaking of sauces, have you tried my multi-purpose roasted bell pepper sauce? It’s the sidekick for many recipes, and it’s guaranteed to give a bland recipe an added oumph.
- Pepperoni: Who doesn't love pepperoni? You can choose mini pepperonis, smoked or spicy. Whatever suits your tastebuds.
- Cheese: Mozzarella cheese it is! Fresh mini mozzarella balls are stringy, cheesy, and divine.
- Vegetables: red onions, bell peppers, jalapenos, fresh basil topped with olive oil is just yum!
What goes well with pepperoni pizza?
The sky is the limit! Here are a few ideas:
- Sausages: add more meat to your pizza with thinly sliced sausages.
- Pineapple: if you love sweet and savory, then trying pineapple is a must!
- Bell peppers: Bell peppers not just add flavor and texture but bring in color as well.
- Olives: Whether it's green olives or black, they taste delicious!
- Mushrooms: Freshly sliced mushrooms taste so good on pepperoni pizza.
How do you make veggie pizza not soggy?
The best pepperoni pizza recipe has a crusty edge with a soft and creamy center. It should be anything but soggy.
Did your homemade pepperoni pizza get soggy? There can be so many reasons behind the soggy-saster (Definitely trademarking that word 🙂 )
- The vegetables weren’t pat dry properly before topping on the pizza. The excess moisture from vegetables can begin to sip on the pizza in the oven before it starts to cook. So, slice very thin, so it is cooked once the pizza is out of the oven.
- I’ll advise pre-cooking some vegetables with high water content like zucchini, broccoli, mushroom, green bell pepper (unless you slice thin), asparagus, tomatoes, swiss chard, cauliflower e.t.c. Pat dry before topping on pizza.
- The mozzarella balls were wet before adding to the pizza. Make sure to remove excess moisture by placing it on a paper towel for a few minutes before using it.
- Saute hard leafy greens in advance and damp off any excess liquid
- Cook proteins like chicken, beef, sausage, and bacon before adding to the pizza.
Frequently asked questions
Have a few questions in mind? No problem! Here are the most commonly asked questions and their answers.
How to store leftover pepperoni pizza?
Storing leftover pizza is super easy. All you have to do is place it in an air-tight container and store it in the refrigerator. It is good to go for about three days.
How to reheat pizza?
Place it in a preheated oven over an aluminum foil and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes at 350-degree F.
What drinks pair well with pizza?
Martini: Dry vodka martini goes so well with pepperoni veggie pizza.
Mojito: Nothing fancy at all! Serve it with a classic mojito, and enjoy!
Tequila: Tequila is also a fantastic drink and goes so well with
Soda: When you have nothing else, you have soda! It goes so well with every type of pizza.
Can you make gluten-free/dairy-free or low-carb pizza?
The answer is yes! By choosing a gluten-free flour, you can turn it into a gluten-free crust. As for dairy-free is concerned, use vegan products like vegan crust, vegan mozzarella cheese, no/vegan pepperoni, and many vegetables. You can't go wrong here, peeps!
More Delicious Recipes to try:
Looking for more scrumptious veggie recipes to try? Check out these tasty recipes for:
ANCHOVY PIZZA
SWEET POTATO BUDDHA BOWL
TRI-COLOR QUINOA BOWL
DUO BEAN TOMATO BASIL SOUP
CRUSTLESS VEGETABLE AND SAUSAGE QUICHE
TUNA CUCUMBER SALAD SANDWICH (NO MAYO)
I hope you’ll give this easy Italian pepperoni pizza recipe a try. Then, share a bite with us on our social media if you make this recipe using the hashtag worldlytreat(#worldlytreat). We’d love to join the soirée. Also, don’t forget to pin it for later. Chat soon?
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PEACE & LOVE
Maureen
ITALIAN PEPPERONI PIZZA RECIPE (with veggies)
Equipment
- Cast iron, pizza stone, or pizza pan
- Oven
Ingredients
- 1 Pizza Dough (homemade or store bought)
- ⅓ cup Pizza Sauce
- 4 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated
- 16 slices pepperoni
- 4 oz fresh mozzarella balls, drained, halved
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 sweet peppers, seeded, thinly sliced
- 8 deli-sliced jalapenos peppers (optional)
- Pinch of salt and ground black pepper
- 8 fresh basil leaves, torn
- Extra-virgin olive oil (for brushing dough)
Instructions
ROLL OUT THE DOUGH
- Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into 12” diameter or as big as you want depending on how thick you want the pizza crust. Sprinkle a tiny bit of semolina over a pizza pan or cast-iron skillet for an easy release.
- Place the dough on a pizza pan. The dough might retract. Oil the tip of your fingers, and gently stretch the dough pulling outwards towards you. Use the tip of a fork to prick the dough slightly, careful not to poke through the dough. Brush the edge of the dough with extra virgin olive oil Next, preheat the oven to 450°F
ASSEMBLE THE PIZZA
- Using the back of a spoon, spread the pizza sauce onto the dough, leaving about an inch of crust around the edges. Add a tablespoon at a time Add the pepperoni, top with the fresh and shredded mozzarella ( (pat dry any excess liquid). Add the onion, peppers, and jalapenos. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and black pepper.
- BAKE Bake for 12 -15 minutes, or until the crust is browned. Remove from the oven and finish it off with fresh basil leaves. Drizzle with a tiny bit of extra-virgin olive oil. Slice, and serve.
Sue says
My guy LOVES pepperoni but I definitely crave the added veggies - this works for us both!
Maureen Celestine says
So glad to hear that, Sue! I equally like veggies on my pizza.
Ramona says
Absolutely delicious! Will definitely make this pizza again and again.
Angela says
A family favorite! Thanks for sharing!
Maureen Celestine says
The pleasure is all mine, Angela. It's one of our favorites as well.
Brianna says
So easy to make, my family loved it!
Maureen Celestine says
That's music to my ears, Brianna. Thanks for stopping by!
Jamie says
This looks incredible! Homemade pizza is always so much better!
Maureen Celestine says
You can say that again! homemade is always well-made. Thank you!
Nayomi says
I love pizza, especially pepperoni so you know I absolutely love this!
Maureen Celestine says
I hear ya! My son only eats pepperoni pizza
Mama Maggie's Kitchen says
Oh my word! I need this in my life.
Maureen Celestine says
Thank you for stopping by! I hope you get to make it.
lilly says
This pizza is the best!!
Maureen Celestine says
I agree, Lilly. Thank you!