When vibrant squash blossoms burst into season, it's time to celebrate one of summers greatest treasures! This simple squash blossom pizza starts with a savory garlic infused olive oil base with layers of tender zucchini ribbons and fresh squash blossoms, adding a burst of color. Finish the summery pizza with creamy burrata cheese and fresh basil and enjoy the flavors of what summer has to offer!
Jump to:
🍕 About This Recipe
In the heart of the summer season, zucchini and squash flowers are at their peak! Usually, I like stuffed zucchini flowers stuffed with cheese and if you haven't jumped on that, I urge you to because fried squash flowers are fantastic!
Instead of frying, you can use these delicate zucchini flowers in a number of ways. This zucchini flower pizza is inspired from one of my favorite pizza restaurants in Los Angeles, called Pizzeria Mozza. They are famous for their squash blossom pizza and couldn't wait to make it as soon as they were in season!
🌼 About Squash Blossoms
Squash blossoms are also called zucchini flowers. They are the flowers that grow from the zucchini or squash plant. Zucchini flowers are delicate with a vibrant yellow color and as the flowers grow, they will eventually turn into male flowers or female flowers. The female flowers will grow into the fruit and the male flowers will stay on the stem.
It's recommended to harvest the male zucchini flowers if you just want the flowers, but keep in mind that there still needs to be male flowers so they can pollinate the other flowers to turn into zucchini.
You can also harvest the female flowers that are beginning to grow zucchini, like pictured in the ingredient list. That way you have both the zucchini and the flowers to ad dot the pizza.
📋 Ingredients
- Pizza Dough: When working with raw pizza dough, keep it at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling the dough out.
- Mozzarella Cheese: A few slices of mozzarella, roughly torn or shredded is all you need as the base for this white pizza. Another favorite is buffalo milk mozzarella, which has great flavor and is easily digestible for most people.
- Olive Oil: No tomato sauce in this pizza, instead, this is an olive oil pizza with grated garlic that steeps in the rich olive oil.
- Garlic: I like using a microplane to grate the garlic or you can chop it finely. The pizza is is an olive oil garlic sauce which doesn't overpower the tender zucchini and burrata cheese.
- Zucchini Flowers and Zucchini: Zucchini flowers are very delicate and should be used the same they they are harvested. If harvesting yourself, cut the zucchini flowers in the morning when they are open.
- Burrata Cheese: Burrata is a ball of mozzarella with a very soft cream inside, called stracciatella. I suggest adding the burrata after the pizza is cooked or on top of cooked and warm dishes such as warm roasted cherry tomatoes or on top of a fresh burrata caprese.
- Parmesan Cheese: Optional but highly recommended, add a grating of Parmesan cheese right before cooking the zucchini flower pizza.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
⏲️ Instructions
Step 1. Roll out pizza dough and brush a thin layer of the garlic olive oil onto the dough.
Step 2. Layer on the shredded mozzarella cheese and zucchini ribbons, leaving room around the border.
Step 3. Add the squash flowers (cut in half if they are large) and top with grated parmesan cheese, if using.
Step 4. Cook the squash blossom pizza in a hot 500 degree Fahrenheit oven until the crust is golden brown and cheese has melted.
Step 5. As soon as the pizza is done cooking, garnish with roughly torn burrata cheese and fresh basil leaves.
📍 Recipe Tips
- Use squash blossoms the same day they are harvested or purchased because they will wilt quickly.
- If cutting your own squash blossoms, cut the flowers in the morning when they are open.
- Don't wash the zucchini flowers, just give them a simple wipe if there's any dirt on them.
- If burrata cheese isn't available, substitute with fresh mozzarella that is packed in brine.
- Let the pizza dough come to room temperature so it's easier to stretch out.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, zucchini flowers come from the zucchini plant and squash flowers come from the squash plant, such as pumpkin or yellow summer squash. Both the blossoms and flowers are edible and look like yellow flowers.
Instead of burrata cheese, you can look for stracciatella which is a soft cream or look for fresh mozzarella that is packed in brine, which will be creamy.
If you are growing your own zucchini and squash plants, you can harvest the male flowers right from the plant as soon as they bloom. You cna also find squash flowers at the farmers market during the summer season.
Serving Suggestions
If you have leftover squash blossoms, make stuffed zucchini flowers to start. As a side, make classic caesar salad to serve alongside the zucchini pizza or a crunchy shredded brussels sprouts salad with Parmesan.
Do you want a pizza on the other end of the spectrum, packed with bolognese sauce? Try my Bolognese Pizza and give your friends and family a variety of flavors.
More Pizza Recipes to Try
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Squash Blossom Pizza with Burrata
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Ingredients
- 1 pound pizza dough room temperature
- Flour for dusting
- ¼ cup olive oil + more for drizzling
- 1-2 garlic cloves grated or finely chopped
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 small zucchini or summer squash sliced thin into ribbons
- Grated parmesan cheese
- 8 zucchini flowers cut in half and the inside stem removed
- 8 ounces burrata cheese about 4 small 2 ounce balls of burrata
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit and if available, place the pizza stone in the oven to preheat.
- Divide the dough in half and roll out both dough balls to a 9-10 inch circle.
- Whisk the grated garlic with the olive oil and brush the garlic oil onto the pizza dough, leaving room around the border.
- Layer the shredded mozzarella, zucchini ribbons and top with the halved zucchini flowers, gently fanning the flours out for presentation.
- 'If using, top with grated parmesan cheese and an extra drizzle of olive oil right on top.
- Transfer the pizza to a hot pizza stone and cook the pizza until the crust is golden brown and cheese has melted, for about 6-8 minutes.
- Once done, remove the squash flower pizza from the oven and top with roughly ton burrata cheese, about 2-4 ounces per pizza and fresh basil leaves.
Notes
-
- Use squash blossoms the same day they are harvested or purchased because they will wilt quickly.
-
- If cutting your own squash blossoms, cut the flowers in the morning when they are open.
-
- Don't wash the zucchini flowers, just give them a simple wipe if there's any dirt on them.
-
- If burrata cheese isn't available, substitute with fresh mozzarella that is packed in brine.
-
- Let the pizza dough come to room temperature so it's easier to stretch out.
- Recipe Yields 2 medium size pizzas.
MrnMrsindkitchen says
This was the first time we used Squash Blossoms. The pizza came out looking like a professional Pizza restaurant cooked it. Another first was no red sauce on this pizza. It really was FANTASTIC!
Luv2cook says
We had a Pizza like this in a small town on the way from Rome to Tuscany. So since I found some squash blossoms I thought I would take a shot at it. Perfection all the way. Burrata is now my new favorite cheese. We have a 5 year old Pizza stone that really makes a difference. Turn the Oven up to 550.
BrightLemonyKitchen says
Our Pizza stone arrived and we took it out of the box and made this great Pizza. We had some Squash Blossoms in our Zucchini garden and went for it. BEST WHITE Pizza We have Ever had. Do not forget the Oregano, red pepper flakes and garlic powder.