Velvety Burrata Basil Pizza

Welcome, fellow pizza enthusiasts! Prepare to embark on a culinary journey that will forever change your perception of homemade pizza. Our signature **Cheesy Basil Burrata Pizza** is a masterpiece crafted with fragrant fresh pesto, luxuriously creamy burrata, and a delicate sprinkle of toasted pine nuts. This isn’t just a meal; it’s an experience designed to utterly transform your next pizza night into an unforgettable gourmet event.

This basil pizza is a true revelation. Unlike traditional recipes, it embraces a simple yet profoundly flavorful white base of melted mozzarella and sharp parmesan, offering a delightful departure from tomato-based sauces. Trust us, with the incredible combination of fresh ingredients, you won’t miss the tomato one bit. The magic truly begins with our dedication to homemade components, ensuring every bite is bursting with unparalleled freshness and quality.

Crafting the Perfect Homemade Pizza Dough

The foundation of any spectacular pizza is its dough, and making pizza dough from scratch is surprisingly easy and incredibly rewarding. Forget about needing fancy kitchen machines; I always prefer to prepare my dough by hand. It requires only about 10 minutes of active preparation time, and if you can spare the 4-8 hours for it to properly prove, the result is an extraordinarily light and airy crust that’s absolutely worth the wait. For a reliably perfect dough every time, I highly recommend checking out my detailed Basic Pizza Dough recipe. This recipe is a game-changer, yielding a perfectly chewy and crispy base that forms the ideal canvas for our delicious toppings.

However, if time is of the essence or you prefer a thinner, crispier crust similar to a flatbread, my Instant Pizza Dough Recipe can have you baking in just 10 minutes without any rise time or yeast. It’s a fantastic alternative for a quick weeknight meal. Of course, for those really busy evenings, a good quality store-bought pizza dough can also be used as a convenient shortcut, though the flavor and texture of homemade truly stand out.

The Star Toppings: Fresh Pesto and Creamy Burrata

What truly sets this pizza apart are its vibrant, fresh toppings. We’ve chosen to top this exquisite pizza with homemade basil pesto, which is added *after* the pizza comes out of the oven. This crucial step ensures that all the bold, aromatic, and fresh flavors of the pesto are preserved and shine through in every bite, rather than being dulled by the high heat of the oven.

When it comes to pesto, please, whatever you do, avoid store-bought or pre-jarred versions. Their flavor simply cannot compare to the bright, herbaceous punch of freshly made pesto. Making pesto from scratch is astonishingly quick – it literally takes around 2 minutes – and the difference in taste is monumental. The vibrant green color and intense basil aroma of homemade pesto elevate this pizza from delicious to divine.

And then there’s burrata… oh, burrata! Is there anything more divine in the culinary world? This exquisite Italian cheese is a true marvel – a delicate mozzarella balloon generously filled with rich, creamy stracciatella cheese. Its luscious, milky interior melts beautifully onto the warm pizza, creating pockets of unparalleled creaminess that perfectly complement the savory cheese base and fresh pesto. Burrata doesn’t just top this basil pizza; it transforms it, taking it to an entirely new level of gourmet indulgence.

The combination of classic mozzarella and grated parmesan forms the perfect savory, cheesy foundation, providing that quintessential pizza comfort without overpowering the star flavors. A light scattering of pine nuts adds a subtle, buttery crunch, while a hint of freshly cracked black pepper introduces a gentle warmth and spice.

How to Make Cheesy Basil Pizza with Burrata – Step By Step

Creating this gourmet pizza at home is simpler than you might think. Follow these straightforward steps to achieve a truly memorable meal:

First, prepare your pizza dough. You can find detailed step-by-step photos and instructions for making authentic homemade pizza dough here. While your dough is rising, prepare your pesto. You’ll find the absolute BEST recipe for homemade pesto here – it genuinely takes just 2 minutes to make and its flavor is incredible!
Once your dough is ready, divide it into two equal balls for large pizzas, or four if you prefer smaller, individual-sized pies. Take one ball of dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to your desired thickness. Remember, the dough will puff up slightly in the oven, so aim to roll it a bit thinner than you ultimately want the final crust to be.
Lightly dust a baking tray or a pizza stone with fine semolina flour or regular all-purpose flour. This crucial step prevents the dough from sticking and helps create that desirable crispy crust. Carefully transfer your rolled-out dough to the prepared tray. If you’re making two pizzas and only have one tray, simply bake the first pizza and then prepare the second once the oven is free.
Generously cover the pizza base with an even layer of shredded mozzarella and a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Bake the pizza in a preheated oven (set to its highest temperature, as detailed in our tips below) for approximately 10 minutes. The pizza is ready when the crust turns a beautiful golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, melted, and slightly browned in spots.
Carefully remove the hot pizza from the oven. This is where the magic happens! Immediately top the cooked pizza with generous dollops of your fresh homemade pesto, followed by pieces of creamy burrata. Finish with a light sprinkling of freshly cracked black pepper and toasted pine nuts for added texture and flavor.
Slice, serve, and enjoy your sensational homemade Cheesy Basil Burrata Pizza!

Essential Tips for Making the Best Cheesy Basil Pizza

**Maximize Oven Heat:** Always pre-heat your oven to its highest possible setting before baking your pizza. High heat is key to achieving a beautifully crispy crust and perfectly melted cheese in a short amount of time, mimicking a professional pizza oven.
**Patience with Dough Rising:** If you opt for traditional yeast dough, allow it to rise for the full 4-8 hours if your schedule permits. While delicious results can be achieved after just 1-2 hours, a longer rise time develops a more complex flavor and a significantly lighter, airier crust.
**Homemade Pesto is Non-Negotiable:** Seriously, make your own pesto. Store-bought versions simply lack the vibrant freshness and intense herbaceous flavor that elevates this pizza. It takes mere minutes and makes an incredible difference.
**Burrata Alternatives:** If fresh burrata is unavailable, don’t despair! You can substitute with fresh mozzarella (tear it into pieces), or for a different flavor profile, consider using dollops of creamy ricotta cheese or even a soft, pungent taleggio for a richer, more complex taste.
**Strategic Topping Placement:** For the best flavor and texture, always add the fresh burrata and pesto *after* the pizza has been cooked. This prevents the pesto from losing its bright color and flavor and allows the burrata to melt gently into luxurious pools of creaminess from the residual heat.
**Dust for Success:** Liberally dust your baking trays or pizza stone with fine semolina or regular flour. This creates a barrier that prevents the pizza dough from sticking and contributes to an wonderfully crispy bottom crust.

Delicious Pizza Recipes You Might Also Love:

Cheesy Potato Pizza With Thyme
Basil Pesto Pizza with Mozzarella & Roasted Tomatoes
Anchovy Pizza with Capers (Pizza Napoli)
Quattro Stagioni Pizza – Four Seasons Pizza

Recipe: Cheesy Basil Pizza with Burrata

This recipe yields 2 large pizzas, serving approximately 6-8 people.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 batch homemade basic pizza dough
Semolina or regular flour for dusting
1 batch homemade pesto
250 g mozzarella (2 balls)
2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan
1 burrata ball
2 tsp pine nuts
Freshly ground black pepper (optional, to taste)

Instructions

Prepare your homemade pizza dough and pesto according to the linked recipes.
Divide the pizza dough into two balls (or four for smaller pizzas). Roll one ball to your desired thinness on a lightly floured surface.
Dust a baking tray or pizza stone with semolina or flour, then transfer the rolled dough. Repeat for the second pizza if you have another tray, or after the first pizza is cooked.
Cover the dough with shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan cheese.
Bake in a preheated oven at its highest setting for about 10 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly and melted.
Remove the pizza from the oven and immediately top with spoonfuls of fresh pesto, torn pieces of burrata, a sprinkling of pine nuts, and a grind of fresh black pepper.
Slice and serve hot.

Notes for Success:

Pre-heat your oven to its highest setting for the crispiest crust.
A longer rise time (4-8 hours) for your dough yields a lighter, airier crust.
Always use homemade pesto; it significantly enhances the flavor of this pizza.
If burrata is unavailable, fresh mozzarella, ricotta, or even taleggio are good substitutes.
Add burrata and pesto after baking to maintain their fresh flavor and creamy texture.
Dusting your baking surface with semolina or flour prevents sticking and promotes a crispy crust.

Helpful Information for All Our Recipes

Unless specified otherwise, we exclusively use extra virgin olive oil in all our recipes for superior flavor and quality.
For consistent excellence and robust flavor, we recommend using Cirio or Mutti brands for all canned or jarred tomatoes.
All vegetables are assumed to be medium-sized unless specifically noted otherwise in the recipe.
Every recipe shared on our blog has been thoroughly tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven.
Gain a deeper understanding of how nutrition information is calculated for our recipes.
Explore our essential guide to Italian Pantry Staples to stock your kitchen like a pro.
Discover all our recommended Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking to simplify your culinary adventures.

Nutrition Information (Approximate per serving)

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation only. Individual results may vary.

Did you try this incredible **Cheesy Basil Pizza with Burrata** or any other recipe from our blog? We’d absolutely love to hear from you! Please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below. Your feedback truly brightens our day! You can also **FOLLOW US** on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to stay updated with more delicious recipes, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and what we’re cooking up next.