Three-Cheese Arugula Pizza

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Delightfully cheesy pizza made with fresh ingredients that you can feel good about!

Our three-cheese pizza makes a great appetizer, lunch, or dinner!

Ever wonder how your neighborhood brewpub creates its three-cheese arugula pizza? They make a salad atop a restaurant-made pizza covered in cheese and sauce look natural and easy. As if we always top a pizza with greens! This recipe unpacks the secret to making a fancy restaurant-style pizza into something ordinary mortals can accomplish. 

Key Ingredients to Three Cheese Arugula Pizza

This homemade pizza can satisfy your craving in a much healthier way than ordering in!

First and foremost, pizzerias keep a couple tricks in their chef hats. Herb- or spice-infused oils invisibly dress a regular pizza up to create otherworldly taste sensations. Take heart if you’ve yet to discover this little-known hack. In fact, some menus don’t even mention it, and honestly, why should they? Part of the fun in dining out is in figuring out what on earth that amazing mouth sensation is and how it was created. Am I right or am I right?

So, to make your own infused oil, first decide upon the flavor you’re going for. In the case of this restaurant-style pizza, we want a little bit of heat to balance out the natural acidity of arugula. For that reason, we chose a mild crushed red pepper chili infusion.

Our recipe should serve as a springboard of inspiration for you. If you already love dried or fresh chili peppers, then, by all means, increase the quantity to bring up the heat. If spice is on your “do not do” list, then pick a favorite herb that’s more mild, such as garlic. Even basil or tarragon in their fresh states can pack a delightful little taste punch in an oil infusion, so don’t discount them. 

Herbed Ricotta Adds Flavor Without Detracting From The Star Of The Dish

Three delicious cheeses combine with marinara and fresh arugula to create a wonderfully simple yet delicious pizza!

Among all things cheesy, ricotta has a nice mild creamy texture that takes on any green herb particularly well. If you have fresh oregano and basil in your arsenal, now is the time to finely chop them. However, a lesser amount of dried Italian seasoning will still give this three-cheese arugula pizza the required vibrancy. Now add your low fat mozzarella and sharp parmesan, and the cheese medley becomes transformative.

Dress Arugula With A Simple Lemon Vinaigrette

Serve this simple Three-Cheese Arugula Pizza with a side salad for a super nutritious meal!

After the restaurant style pizza bakes, top the pie with dressed arugula. Dry greens are extremely boring and don’t marry well with the strength of flavors already present. Another level of acid in the form of a light and lively lemon vinaigrette serves you well and is a cinch to make. 

This pizza is a really fun conversation piece because it totally resembles the Italian flag. To that end, you really can do no wrong here. The combination of red, green and white creates such a pretty pizza that even the hardest core carnivore will try a bite. Just be prepared to provide a side of prosciutto if such a guest appears at your table. You might be surprised to see a finicky little eater dive in as well. Vegetables when presented with flair, seem exotic and alluring. Who says you can’t have salad on top of your pizza?!

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Three-Cheese Arugula Pizza

Who says you can't have salad on your pizza?
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Yield 4 people
Serving Size 3 slices
Course Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian

Ingredients

Chili Oil

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

Pizza Dough

Lemon Vinaigrette

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 shallot minced (or one tablespoon red onion)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 pinch salt

Pizza Toppings

  • 1 cup ricotta cheese low-fat
  • 1 tablespoon basil
  • 1 tablespoon oregano
  • 1 cup marinara sauce no sugar added
  • 1 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup parmesan

Instructions

Chili Oil

  • In a small saucepan, combine olive oil with crushed red pepper flakes. Heat to 180 degrees or five minutes under low temperature. Set aside for at least an hour. Strain chili flakes prior to using.

Pizza Dough

  • Prepare the dough according to instructions within the link.

Lemon Vinaigrette

  • Combine all ingredients. Dress the arugula and chill in refrigerator until ready for assembly.

Pizza Ingredients

  • Blend ricotta, basil, and oregano in a small bowl. On top of pizza dough, spoon the marinara sauce evenly, followed by clumps of the ricotta spaced sporadically, then the mozzarella and parmesan.
  • Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
  • Drizzle the chili infusion on top of the pizza, and then arrange the arugula evenly on top.

Notes

If you are looking to shave off extra calories, then reduce the amount of chili oil and vinaigrette applied to the top.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 3slices | Calories: 820kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 60g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 1084mg | Potassium: 385mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1414IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 535mg | Iron: 2mg |
SmartPoints (Freestyle): 28
Keywords Vegetarian

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Try making this honey wheat pizza crust or chickpea thin crust pizza dough. Another great alternative to try is pizza zucchini crust

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Alison Borel

Alison Borel came into the culinary world by owning and operating three family restaurants with her husband in San Diego. During that time, she tested, wrote, and taught all the recipes used by her team. She also led cooking classes for small groups. Familiar with vegan and vegetarian cuisine from working in an organic cafe and camp, her preference lies in a plant-based whole foods diet. Alison knows eating for longevity and nutrition not only tastes good, but feels good too.

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