Spinach Ricotta Pizza (Printable)

Thin-crust pizza layered with creamy ricotta, wilted spinach, and garlic butter. A light yet satisfying Italian vegetarian main dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 thin pizza crust (store-bought or homemade, 12 inches)

→ Garlic Butter

02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped

→ Toppings

05 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
06 - 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
11 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
12 - Pinch of red pepper flakes

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 475°F. Place a pizza stone or baking sheet inside to heat.
02 - In a skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. Sauté the spinach with 1/4 teaspoon salt until just wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool slightly.
03 - In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in chopped parsley if using. Remove from heat.
04 - Place the pizza crust on a piece of parchment paper. Brush the entire surface with the garlic butter.
05 - Dollop spoonfuls of ricotta cheese evenly over the crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border.
06 - Distribute sautéed spinach evenly on top of the ricotta. Sprinkle with black pepper.
07 - Top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes if desired.
08 - Carefully transfer the pizza on parchment to the preheated stone or baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbling.
09 - Remove from the oven. Let cool for 2 minutes before slicing and serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes fancy but comes together in about half an hour, so you can pull it off on a weeknight without stress.
  • The garlic butter instead of tomato sauce makes the whole thing feel lighter and lets the ricotta really shine.
  • You can sneak in a serious amount of spinach and it just tastes like part of the plan, not like you're trying to be virtuous.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the spinach before adding it to the pizza, or the moisture will make everything soupy and your crust will never crisp up.
  • If your garlic burns even slightly in the butter, it turns bitter and ruins the whole flavor, so keep the heat low and watch it closely.
  • A pizza stone really does make a difference, but if you don't have one, just preheat a heavy baking sheet upside down and it works almost as well.
03 -
  • Use a pastry brush to get the garlic butter into every corner of the crust, that's where the flavor hides and makes every bite worth it.
  • If your ricotta seems watery, drain it in a fine-mesh sieve for 10 minutes before using so it doesn't make the pizza soggy.
  • Don't overload the toppings, less is more here and it keeps the crust crisp and lets each flavor come through clearly.
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