Caprese pizza is a delicious treat I have been making lately. These are quick, easy, and delicious, which makes them a refreshing choice in the middle of winter and fall. They also feel special whether you’re at home or on the weeknight. These Caprese Pizzas are a great idea for movie and pizza night. You won’t have to do much extra work making the extra night special.
What is CAPRESE PIZZA?
The Caprese pizza uses fresh tomato, mozzarella and basil to create a pizza inspired by Caprese Salad. However, the balsamic glaze doesn’t usually make it into Caprese salads (it is a great flavour combination that adds an extra dimension to the pizza’s taste and colour contrast)).
Do I need fresh balsam?
Both yes and no. You’ll miss a lot if you don’t add fresh basil to these pizzas. However, I would not refuse melted cheese on bread, so I would still make this pizza even if fresh basil were unavailable. It can be sprinkled with dried basil, but the flavour is different from dried basil.
CAN I MAKE A WHOLE CAPRESE PIZZA INSIDE MINIS?
This is a super simple recipe that can be made as a whole pizza instead of individual ones. You can use your favourite pizza dough or a pre-baked store-bought crust. They will take slightly longer to bake because they are larger. However, it is worth keeping an eye on them until the cheese melts. You don’t want the mozzarella to be brown on this pizza, so I recommend baking any raw pizza crust first, then adding the cheese and tomatoes later.
CAPRESE PIZZA: WHAT TO SERVE
This pizza’s simplicity is what makes it so appealing. I recommend a simple side dish like a Simple Salad. It should be light and fresh, with delicate greens and a light vinaigrette. You may also add a few extra vegetables like artichoke hearts and olives. You might also want to add garlic bread, as garlic bread can be paired with almost everything. 😉
EASY CAPRESE PIZZAS
This Caprese pizza is a delicious combination of creamy mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, basil, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS
BALSAMIC GLAZE
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar ($1.08)
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.08)
CAPRESE PIZZAS
- 4 mini naan ($2.00)
- 2 Roma tomatoes ($0.52)
- 4 oz. mozzarella, shredded ($0.83)
- 4 fresh basil leaves ($0.90
- One teaspoon of salt and pepper ($0.05).
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 400oF. In a small saucepan, combine the balsamic vinegar with the brown sugar. Stir the sugar into the saucepan on medium heat. Let the vinegar come to a boil. Turn the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 10 minutes, stirring until it thickens. Set aside.
- Place the mini naan onto a parchment-lined baking tray. The mini naan should be pre-baked for five minutes in the preheated oven.
- Each Roma tomato should be cut into eight pieces. Place 1/4 cup of the shredded mozzarella on each slice of naan and four slices of tomato.
- Bake the pizzas topped with cheese in the oven for 7 minutes or until they are bubbly and melted.
- After the pizzas have been baked, slice the basil thinly. Before you serve, sprinkle each pizza with salt, pepper, fresh basil, and drizzle some balsamic glaze.