Sweet, nutty, peppery Fig, Pesto, & Arugula Pizza has an incredible match of flavor pairings to make your palette sing. This can be made with store-bought or homemade pizza dough, whatever you prefer. It’s a great change from a regular tomato-base pizza.
Ingredients & Recipe
For this recipe, you will need pizza dough, arugula, figs, mozzarella, red onion, and pesto.
For homemade pesto: basil, garlic, toasted pine nuts, salt, and olive oil.
If you’re making homemade pesto, add 4 oz. fresh stemmed basil, 1 clove garlic, 1/4 cup of toasted pine nuts, and salt to taste to a food processor. Drizzle in up to 1/2 cup of olive oil while it is running until the desired consistency is achieved.
Preheat the oven to 500F. In the meantime, get your pizza ready.
If using a baking sheet: Lightly oil the baking sheet. Spread the dough by pressing from the center. Add the pesto, fig slices, onion, and cheese. Transfer to the oven, bake for 6-7 minutes, then broil on high for a couple of minutes until the cheese is bubbly.
If using a pizza peel: Flour the surface of your pizza peel so the dough doesn’t stick. Flour, then shape your dough, and place it on the pizza peel. Working quickly (so the dough doesn’t end up sticking) add the pesto, fig slices, onion, and cheese. Transfer to the oven, bake for 6-7 minutes, then broil on high for a couple of minutes until the cheese is bubbly.
Immediately garnish with the toasted pine nuts and fresh arugula. Serve immediately!
Pizza Equipment and Tips
You can use store-bought or any recipe for pizza dough in this recipe. Here are some tips & methods:
- If you can plan 3 days, make this 72-hour pizza dough. It’s easy, just takes time to sit and develop flavors. Makes 4 individual pizzas.
- If making focaccia pizza, similar to Roman-style pizza, you can use this Bon Appetit recipe for No-Knead Focaccia (link opens in new tab). Bake the focaccia for 20 minutes, then add the sauce and toppings, bake an additional 8-10 minutes, and finally, broil on high for 2 minutes to get the cheese bubbly.
- Use baking steel to prevent a soggy pizza bottom. Preheat your oven with the baking steel inside. Here is a link to purchase one.
- You can bake the pizza on the baking steel directly, or place a baking sheet on the steel. If you are new to making pizza and not very adventurous, I recommend using a baking sheet your first few times.
- If you are baking directly on the baking steel, use a pizza peel to transfer the pizza in and out of the oven. Here is a link to purchase the pizza peel (and cutter) that I love. It has a thin lip, making it much easier to use.
More Delicious Pizza
I love making pizza at home, and here are some of my favorite combinations.
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Fig, Pesto, & Arugula Pizza
Print Recipe SaveIngredients
- 2 lbs. pizza dough split into 4 individual pizzas
- 1.5 cups arugula packed
- 16 oz. mozarella 4 oz. per pizza
- 1/4 cup pine nuts toasted
- 1 lb. fresh figs thinly sliced
- 1 batch pesto or 2 jars
- 1 red onion thinly sliced on a mandoline
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 500 degrees, preferably with a baking steel.
- If using a baking sheet: Lightly oil the baking sheet. Spread the dough by pressing from the center. Add 1/4 of all the following: pesto, fig slices, onion, and cheese. Transfer to the oven, bake for 6-7 minutes, then broil on high for a couple minutes until the cheese is bubbly. Repeat for the other 3 pizzas.
- If using a pizza peel: Flour the surface of your pizza peel so the dough doesn't stick. Flour, then shape your dough, and place it on the pizza peel. Working quickly (so the dough doesn't end up sticking) add 1/4 of all the following: pesto, fig slices, onion, and cheese. Transfer to the oven, bake for 6-7 minutes, then broil on high for a couple minutes until the cheese is bubbly. Repeat for the other 3 pizzas.
- Sprinkle the arugula and pine nuts while still hot and serve immediately.
Notes
- If you can plan 3 days in advance, make this 72-hour pizza dough. It’s easy, just takes time to sit and develop flavors. Makes 4 individual pizzas.
- If making focaccia pizza, similar to Roman-style pizza, you can use this Bon Appetit recipe for No-Knead Focaccia (link opens in new tab). Bake the focaccia for 20 minutes, then add the sauce and toppings, bake an additional 8-10 minutes, and finally, broil on high for 2 minutes to get the cheese bubbly.
- Use a baking steel to prevent a soggy pizza bottom. Preheat your oven with the baking steel inside. Here is a link to purchase one (affiliate link opens in new tab).
- You can bake the pizza on the baking steel directly, or placing a baking sheet on the steel. If you are new to making pizza and not very adventurous, I recommend using a baking sheet your first few times.
- If you are baking directly on the baking steel, use a pizza peel to transfer the pizza in and out of the oven. Here is a link to purchase the pizza peel (and cutter) that I love (affiliate link opens in new tab). It has a thin lip, making it much easier to use.
- If you’re making homemade pesto, add 4 oz. fresh stemmed basil, 1 clove garlic, 1/4 cup of toasted pine nuts, and salt to taste to a food processor. Drizzle in up to 1/2 cup of olive oil while it is running until the desired consistency is achieved.