What the heck is this?
So you’ve been roped into hosting a dinner party and want to impress without stress? This Garlic Parmesan Pizza is your golden ticket. It’s buttery, garlicky, cheesy, and packed with just enough elegance to make your guests think you really tried. Picture a crisp, golden crust slathered with roasted garlic butter, topped with melted mozzarella, a heavy sprinkle of parmesan, and kissed with herbs. It’s not your standard red-sauce pizza — this one’s more grown-up, more flavorful, and unapologetically indulgent. Think of it as garlic bread and pizza having a very delicious baby. Serve it as the main event or slice it small for a fancy appetizer. Either way, expect zero leftovers and lots of recipe requests.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
It’s ridiculously flavorful — garlic butter + cheese = magic. Perfect for dinner parties, game nights, or honestly just Tuesday. No red sauce — something different but still super satisfying. You can prep most of it ahead of time. It makes your house smell like an Italian restaurant (aka heaven). Customizable with toppings but holds up beautifully on its own.
The Good Stuff You’ll Need
For the Crust:
1 lb pizza dough (store-bought or homemade)
1 tbsp olive oil (for brushing the crust)
1 tbsp cornmeal (optional, for the pan)
For the Garlic Butter Base:
4 tbsp unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
For the Cheesy Glory:
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (fresh is best)
1/4 cup whole milk ricotta (optional but delightful)
Extra parmesan and herbs for topping
Let’s Do This
Step 1: Preheat + Prep Preheat your oven to 475°F (or as hot as it safely goes). If you’ve got a pizza stone, throw that in there too. Lightly oil your pizza pan or baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal if using. Roll or stretch out your dough into a 12-inch circle or rectangle — you do you.
Step 2: Make That Garlic Butter In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the minced garlic, salt, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Let it gently sizzle for about 2–3 minutes until fragrant (don’t brown the garlic). Remove from heat and stir in chopped parsley.
Step 3: Assemble the Dream Brush your rolled-out dough with the garlic butter — don’t be shy. Layer on mozzarella, sprinkle on parmesan, and add dollops of ricotta if using. Save a little of that garlic butter for brushing the crust edges.
Step 4: Bake It Up Bake the pizza for 12–15 minutes or until the crust is golden, the cheese is bubbling, and your kitchen smells like garlic heaven. If using a pizza stone, check it a minute or two earlier.
Step 5: Finishing Touches As soon as it comes out of the oven, hit it with more parmesan, a few fresh herbs, and maybe a drizzle of that leftover garlic butter. Slice it up and serve while hot and melty.
Serving Suggestions Serve it with a simple arugula salad dressed in lemon and olive oil to cut through the richness. Pair with a glass of chilled white wine or a crisp lager. Want to turn it into a full pizza night? Make a second pie with toppings like mushrooms, prosciutto, or caramelized onions.
Switch It Up
Add Veggies: Sautéed spinach, artichokes, or roasted red peppers work beautifully. Go Full Decadent: Swap ricotta for burrata after baking for maximum wow. Make It Spicy: Top with sliced fresh jalapeños or a drizzle of hot honey. Try a Crust Twist: Use naan or flatbread if you don’t want to deal with dough.
Make-Ahead Tip
s Make the garlic butter a day or two ahead — just reheat gently before using. Prep your dough and let it rest in the fridge until showtime. Par-bake the crust for 5 minutes if you’re making multiple pizzas in advance — just top and finish baking when ready.
Questions People Actually Ask
Q: Can I use store-bought dough?
A: Absolutely. Most grocery stores sell fresh dough in the deli or frozen section. Let it come to room temp before shaping.
Q: Can I use pre-shredded cheese?
A: You can, but freshly shredded melts better and tastes way more luxurious.
Q: What if I don’t have ricotta?
A: No biggie — the pizza is still amazing without it. Or sub in goat cheese for a tangy twist.
Q: Can I make this gluten-free?
A: Yup! Use your favorite gluten-free pizza dough. Just keep an eye on the bake time — some GF crusts cook faster.
Garlic Parmesan Pizza for a Perfect Dinner Party: The Pie That Stole the Show
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Description
So you’ve been roped into hosting a dinner party and want to impress without stress? This Garlic Parmesan Pizza is your golden ticket. It’s buttery, garlicky, cheesy, and packed with just enough elegance to make your guests think you really tried. Picture a crisp, golden crust slathered with roasted garlic butter, topped with melted mozzarella, a heavy sprinkle of parmesan, and kissed with herbs. It’s not your standard red-sauce pizza — this one’s more grown-up, more flavorful, and unapologetically indulgent. Think of it as garlic bread and pizza having a very delicious baby. Serve it as the main event or slice it small for a fancy appetizer. Either way, expect zero leftovers and lots of recipe requests
Ingredients
For the Crust:
1 lb pizza dough (store-bought or homemade)
1 tbsp olive oil (for brushing the crust)
1 tbsp cornmeal (optional, for the pan)
For the Garlic Butter Base:
4 tbsp unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
For the Cheesy Glory:
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (fresh is best)
1/4 cup whole milk ricotta (optional but delightful)
Extra parmesan and herbs for topping
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat + Prep Preheat your oven to 475°F (or as hot as it safely goes). If you’ve got a pizza stone, throw that in there too. Lightly oil your pizza pan or baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal if using. Roll or stretch out your dough into a 12-inch circle or rectangle — you do you.
Step 2: Make That Garlic Butter In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the minced garlic, salt, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Let it gently sizzle for about 2–3 minutes until fragrant (don’t brown the garlic). Remove from heat and stir in chopped parsley.
Step 3: Assemble the Dream Brush your rolled-out dough with the garlic butter — don’t be shy. Layer on mozzarella, sprinkle on parmesan, and add dollops of ricotta if using. Save a little of that garlic butter for brushing the crust edges.
Step 4: Bake It Up Bake the pizza for 12–15 minutes or until the crust is golden, the cheese is bubbling, and your kitchen smells like garlic heaven. If using a pizza stone, check it a minute or two earlier.
Step 5: Finishing Touches As soon as it comes out of the oven, hit it with more parmesan, a few fresh herbs, and maybe a drizzle of that leftover garlic butter. Slice it up and serve while hot and melty.
Notes
Serve it with a simple arugula salad dressed in lemon and olive oil to cut through the richness. Pair with a glass of chilled white wine or a crisp lager. Want to turn it into a full pizza night? Make a second pie with toppings like mushrooms, prosciutto, or caramelized onions.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
Nutrition
- Calories: ~510 kcal
- Fat: ~32g
- Carbohydrates: ~34g
- Protein: ~20g