Cherry Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil Pizza is a burst of classic Italian flavors. It features juicy cherry tomatoes, melted mozzarella, and fragrant basil ribbons, all baked on a golden crust. This simple, flavor-packed pizza is perfect for weeknight dinners or sharing with family and friends.
Summer means fresh tomatoes! And we are always looking for ways to add them to our dinners. Our Cherry Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil Pizza is like a caprese salad in pizza form. Despite this caprese pizza's exceptional flavor, it is surprisingly simple. We know it will be one your go-to weeknight dinners!
Looking for other classic pizza combos? Try our Margherita Pizza or our Italian Sausage Pizza.
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Why You'll Love This Homemade Pizza
- Taste - The cherry tomatoes are vibrant, the mozzarella is rich, and the basil provides the perfect herby counterpoint.
- Texture - The tomatoes are juicy and the mozzarella is gooey while the dough provides a firm and crisp base.
- Time - It takes just 10 minutes to prep the pizza then about 15 minutes to bake it.
Key Ingredients
- Cherry tomatoes - Cherry tomatoes are ripe, juicy, and bursting with flavor.
- Mozzarella cheese - Fresh mozzarella has a mild taste that compliments the potatoes and rosemary. It also has the perfect consistency for pizza because it stays firm yet soft.
- Basil - Basil adds a fresh aroma.
- Pizza dough - We typically use Trader Joe's pizza dough because it is easy and consistent. For this pizza, we used Trader Joe's garlic pizza dough because the garlic tastes great with the tomatoes and mozzarella.
- Olive oil - Extra virgin olive oil adds flavor and make the bottom of the crust crispy.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions/Variations
- Crispy - Baked the pizza for an extra couple minutes to make it extra crispy.
- Homemade pizza dough - If you have time and/or your own pizza dough recipe, make your own dough from scratch then add our toppings.
- Flavored pizza dough - Add finely minced herbs and garlic to the pizza crust to imbue more flavor.
- Large tomatoes - Use other ripe tomatoes, like Campari, Early Girl, Roma tomatoes, and more!
- Cheese - Add globs on ricotta with the mozzarella, or top with stracciatella or burrata after the pizza is baked for a creamier texture.
How to Make Cherry Tomato Pizza
- Let dough temper - Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven - Place oven rack in the middle tier and preheat oven to 475°F.
- Prepare pizza - Stretch the dough by hand or use a rolling pin to create a 12-inch circle or a 9x13" rectangle. Lightly oil a pizza pan or baking sheet and place the dough on in the pan. (Photo 1 and 2)
- Add toppings - Then top with mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes cut side up, and garlic. (Photo 3)
- Bake pizza - Bake pizza on the middle rack for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is golden and the bottom of the crust is lightly browned. The cheese will be bubbly around the edges. If there is still a lot of moisture from the tomatoes and cheese, bake it longer until the moisture dries up.
- Serve - Remove from the oven and top with basil ribbons. Then cut into 8 slices and serve immediately. (Photo 4)
Pro tip - Dress to impress! If you are making this pizza for a party, use a mix of cherry tomato colors for visual appeal.
What to Serve with This Pizza
We usually enjoy this pizza on its own for a light meal or with our Pear and Rocket Salad or our Burrata Caprese. If you are looking for more appetizers and food like this, check out our other Italian recipes.
Top Tips
- Be sure to dust the dough with flour so it won't stick to the pan while baking.
- Spread the dough slowly and carefully to ensure the dough has an even thickness throughout and there aren't any holes.
- Use a pizza cutter to cut the pizza into slices, it is easier than a knife.
- Use high-quality ingredients so each ingredient shines!
- Use ripe tomatoes to ensure the pizza is as flavorful as possible.
Pizza FAQ
We highly recommend using fresh basil because it has the best flavor.
Try drizzling some hot honey for some spicy sweetness.
Related Recipes
Did You Like This Pizza Recipe?
Love this easy pizza? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card and a comment below.
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📖 Recipe
Cherry Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil Pizza
Equipment
- 1 knife
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour for dusting
- ½ teaspoon olive oil
- 1 lb pizza dough
- 8 oz mozzarella cheese fior di Latte (regular), buffalo, or shredded
- 8 oz cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 1-2 cloves garlic chopped
- 3-4 basil leaves thinly sliced into ribbons
Instructions
- Let dough temper - Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.1 tablespoon all purpose flour, 1 lb pizza dough
- Preheat oven - Place the oven rack in the middle tier and preheat the oven to 475°F.
- Prepare pizza - Stretch the dough by hand or use a rolling pin to create a 12-inch circle or a 9x13" rectangle. Lightly oil a pizza pan or baking sheet and place the dough on in the pan. Top with mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes cut side up, and garlic.½ teaspoon olive oil, 8 oz mozzarella cheese, 8 oz cherry tomatoes, 1-2 cloves garlic
- Bake pizza - Bake pizza on the middle rack for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is golden and the bottom of the crust is lightly browned. The cheese will be bubbly around the edges. If there is still a lot of moisture from the tomatoes and cheese, bake it longer until the moisture dries up.
- Serve - Remove from the oven and top with basil ribbons. Cut into 8 slices and serve immediately.3-4 basil leaves
Video
Notes
- Got leftover pizza? Refrigerate it in an air-tight container or foil for up to 3 days. When you are ready to eat it, enjoy it cold, at room temperature, or heat the oven to 300°F and warm the pizza on a baking sheet for 5 to 7 minutes.
- If you are making this pizza for a party, use a mix of cherry tomato colors for visual appeal.
- Be sure to dust the dough with flour so it won't stick to the pan while baking.
- Spread the dough slowly and carefully to ensure the dough has an even thickness throughout and there aren't thin spots or holes.
- Use a pizza cutter to slice the pizza, it is easier than a knife.
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