Description
This Spinach Artichoke Pizza combines a crispy homemade-style crust with a creamy spinach béchamel sauce, fresh spinach, artichoke hearts, and a blend of provolone, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses. Baked on a pizza stone for an evenly cooked golden crust, this pizza offers a delightful twist on classic flavors perfect for a savory and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough
- 16 oz pizza dough, homemade or store-bought
For the Spinach Béchamel Sauce
- 8 oz fresh spinach, divided
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
For the Toppings
- 4 oz provolone cheese (about 1 cup, deli slices chopped)
- 2 oz shredded mozzarella cheese (1/2 cup)
- 2 oz finely shredded parmesan cheese (slightly packed 1/2 cup)
- 6 – 8 canned artichoke hearts, drained well and quartered (do not use marinated)
- Red pepper flakes, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare pizza stone: Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) and place a pizza stone in the oven to heat for at least 20 minutes. This ensures a crispy crust as the stone evenly distributes heat.
- Shape the pizza dough: On a sheet of parchment paper, stretch and shape the pizza dough into a 13-inch round, making sure to create a taller rim along the outer edge to hold the toppings. Brush the crust with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Let it rest while the pizza stone comes to temperature, especially if the dough was refrigerated.
- Sauté spinach: Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 3/4 of the fresh spinach and sauté just until wilted. Transfer the spinach to paper towels to absorb excess moisture, then finely chop and set aside.
- Make the béchamel sauce with spinach: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. While whisking continuously, add the flour and onion powder, cooking for about 2 minutes until a roux forms. Slowly whisk in the milk and increase heat to medium-high, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens.
- Season and combine sauce ingredients: Remove the sauce from heat, season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in the minced garlic and the sautéed chopped spinach. Chop the remaining fresh spinach and set aside (about 1 1/2 cups).
- Assemble the pizza: Spread the spinach béchamel sauce evenly over the pizza crust, leaving the rim uncoated. Sprinkle the chopped fresh spinach over the sauce, followed by layers of provolone, mozzarella, parmesan cheeses, and the quartered artichoke hearts.
- Bake the pizza: Using a pizza peel, carefully slide the pizza on its parchment paper onto the preheated pizza stone in the oven. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve: Remove the pizza from the oven, cut into slices, and serve warm. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes for a touch of heat if desired.
Notes
- This recipe makes a full pizza, but you can use half the dough and freeze the other half after the first rise for future use.
- Be sure to drain canned artichoke hearts well to avoid excess moisture on the pizza crust.
- If using refrigerated dough, bring it to room temperature before shaping to ensure easier handling.
- The pizza stone preheating time is essential for achieving a crispy crust similar to a pizzeria-style pizza.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/5 of pizza)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
