Garden Pizza

Garden pizza skips the tomato sauce entirely and lets sautéed vegetables do all the talking. Zucchini, broccoli, snow peas, and red and yellow bell peppers get a quick toss in butter with thyme before landing on a prebaked Boboli shell.

The trick is sautéing the veggies just until they’re slightly tender but still have snap. Overcooked vegetables on pizza turn soggy in the oven. The broccoli and zucchini go in first since they need more time, then the snow peas and peppers join for just a couple of minutes to keep their crunch and color.

A shower of grated Parmesan on top browns and crisps in the hot oven, giving you that salty, nutty finish without burying the vegetables under a blanket of mozzarella.

Chef Tips

• Slice the zucchini paper-thin so it cooks through during the short sauté. Thick rounds will stay raw in the center.
• Don’t overcrowd the pan. If your skillet is small, sauté the vegetables in two batches. Crowding steams them instead of browning them.
• Pat vegetables dry after washing. Excess water creates steam and prevents browning in the pan.
• Use a preheated pizza stone if you have one. It crisps the bottom of the Boboli shell much better than a standard baking sheet.

Variations

• Add protein: Scatter grilled chicken strips or crumbled Italian sausage over the veggies before baking.
• Pesto base: Spread a thin layer of basil pesto on the shell before adding vegetables for an herby punch.
• Homemade dough: Swap the Boboli for your own pizza dough if you want a chewier, crispier crust.