Arugula Pesto Pizza with Prosciutto and Tomato

This healthy Arugula Pesto Pizza is full of Italian flavors! It's gluten free and topped with prosciutto, sliced tomatoes, and mozzarella.

One of the best ways I have found so far to enjoy this wonderful yet slightly bitter summer green is to turn it into pesto. This Arugula Spinach Pesto Pizza is the stuff summer meals are made of.

It's late July and that means prime-time gardening season. That magical time of the year when you can walk into your backyard and grab the ingredients you need to make dinner. And if you weren't able to get them into the garden you can pick them up at your local farmer's market or from a CSA box.

Admittedly, I wasn't able to plant arugula in the garden this summer so if I'm craving arugula it's coming from the grocery store. If you were on the ball and DID get arugula planted this pizza is a great way to use it up!

I consider myself to be an arugula-liker and my husband is more of an arugula lover. He eats it raw, cooked, any way he can get it. I find that cooking the arugula and/or combining it with something like spinach takes some of the bitterness out.

It's super easy to whip up and literally bursting with fresh flavor!

Jump to:

• What Is Arugula?
• Ingredients For Arugula Pesto Pizza
• How To Make Arugula Spinach Pesto
• How To Make Arugula Taste Less Bitter
• Add The Arugula Pesto Pizza Toppings
• What To Serve With Prosciutto Arugula Pizza
• Which Pizza Crust Is Best?
• What Else Can I Use This Arugula Pesto On?
• Arugula Pesto Pizza with Prosciutto and Tomato

What Is Arugula?

Arugula (also known as rocket) is a peppery, bitter green that's used in a lot of Italian dishes. You can find it in the 'bagged salad' section of most grocery stores nowadays.

The arugula you find in a grocery store is a bit more mild in flavor. If you grow it in your garden you'll notice that the fresh stuff has quite a zesty kick.

It's really easy to grow and just kind of nice to have around. I throw a few leaves on top of sandwiches, in pasta, and today...on pizza.

Ingredients For Arugula Pesto Pizza

This post was originally published years ago and today it's getting a face lift. The recipe itself has been simplified and and the photos have been given a much needed upgrade.

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 3 packed cups Arugula
• 3 packed cups Spinach
• 4 cloves Garlic
• ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese
• ⅓ cup Walnuts (unsalted)
• 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• ¼ tsp. each Kosher Salt and Pepper
• 3-4 Roma Tomatoes
• 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese
• 1 package Prosciutto
• 2 pre-made Gluten Free Pizza Crusts (I used Caulipower brand) or regular pre-made pizza crusts if not gluten free
• ¼ cup fresh Basil for garnish (optional)

How To Make Arugula Spinach Pesto

The base, or 'sauce' for this pizza is the arugula spinach pesto.

This pesto recipe calls for walnuts and the first step is to toast them. My favorite way to toast nuts or seeds is to break out the 'nut pan'. It's a small cast iron skillet that I use specifically for this sort of thing.

Toasting the walnuts helps to deepen the flavor and it only takes a few minutes on the stove top.

1. Place the skillet on the stove top and heat to medium-low.
2. Add ⅓ cup of unsalted walnuts and toast for 4-5 minutes, stirring often to prevent them from burning.
3. Once the walnuts are toasted remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

If you don't like walnuts you can use any variety of nut you like - Almonds, hazelnuts, or pine nuts would all be great options!

If you choose to use another variety of nut simply toast them just as you would the walnuts.

How To Make Arugula Taste Less Bitter

Once the nuts are toasted it's time to make the pesto.

I like to make pesto in a food processor because it's easy but you can use a blender or a mortar and pestle as well. Anything that pulverizes the ingredients and creates sort of a 'saucy paste' will do.

1. Place 3 packed cups each of fresh arugula and spinach, 4 cloves garlic, ⅓ cup toasted walnuts, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, 3 Tbsp. olive oil, and ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper in a food processor.
2. Pulse until completely combined. The mixture should resemble a 'saucy paste' that will easily spread onto the pizza crust.

Arugula by itself is a little bitter but I find that combining it with fresh spinach helps to balance that bitterness.

If you find that it's still too bitter you can add even more spinach, extra garlic, or extra cheese to mellow it out.

If you love arugula and can't get enough of that bitterness you can leave the spinach out altogether.

Love pesto? Check out these Spinach Walnut Pesto and Green Pasta Sauce recipes!

Add The Arugula Pesto Pizza Toppings

Once the pesto is ready it's time to add the toppings to the pizza. This recipe makes enough for two pizza crusts.

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cut 3-4 Roma tomatoes into slices. Place the tomato slices between 2 pieces of paper towels before adding to the pizza. This helps to draw some of the water out of the tomatoes and prevents the pizza from getting soggy as it bakes.
3. Spread half of the arugula pesto on each pizza crust.
4. Split 2 cups of cheese between each crust (you can add as much or as little cheese as you like).
5. Arrange the tomatoes on top of the cheese.
6. Place each pizza on a baking sheet or pizza pan and place in the oven to bake for 12-14 minutes.

Love prosciutto? Check out these recipes!

• Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
• Gruyere Prosciutto Tartlets
• Italian Prosciutto Grilled Cheese
• Prosciutto Wrapped Dates

What To Serve With Prosciutto Arugula Pizza

Cooking times may vary slightly depending on the type of pizza crust used. I find that 12-14 minutes works great but it's best to check around the 10-minute mark.

Once the pizzas are ready remove them from the oven.

Tear a couple slices of prosciutto into pieces and place over the top of each pizza. I have tested this recipe by cooking the prosciutto on the pizza and found that the prosciutto dries out when cooked.

Cut the pizzas into slices. Garnish with fresh basil, red pepper flakes, and a little extra salt. (The garnishes are optional but I find that each provides a nice pop of flavor).

Dishes like this with Mediterranean flavors go great with salads like balsamic green bean salad, minty pea almond salad, lemon tarragon chicken salad, or Mediterranean potato salad.

Which Pizza Crust Is Best?

You can use any type of pizza crust you like. Pre-made pizza crusts make this recipe a quick and easy meal.

If you prefer homemade pizza crust check out this Pizza Crust Recipe - This homemade pizza crust is NOT gluten free.

If you prefer I homemade gluten free pizza crust, I recommend this Gluten Free Pizza Crust Recipe. I've made it many times and am always very happy with the results.

There are so many great pre-made pizza crusts on the market nowadays so there is no shortage of great options from which to choose. I used the Caulipower brand to make this recipe.

Love pizza? Don't miss these recipes!

• Mushroom Arugula Pizza
• BBQ Chicken Pizza
• Mediterranean Veggie Flatbread Pizza
• Sheet Pan Canadian Bacon Pizza
• Pizza Stuffed Peppers
• Farmers Market Pizza
• Chicken Pesto Flatbread Pizza

What Else Can I Use This Arugula Pesto On?

I love these pizzas because they're crunchy and crispy. The pesto gives them a rich flavor with a little bite. The cheese is creamy, the tomatoes provide a nice tang, and the prosciutto makes them a little salty.

This dish is full of summer flavors.

If you enjoy this pesto you can use it any way you would regular basil pesto - Cooked with pasta, on top of grilled chicken breasts, as a sandwich spread, or mixed with something creamy to make a veggie dip.

Love Italian flavors? Check out these recipes!

• Vegetarian Mediterranean Pasta
• Mushroom Olive Pasta
• Lemon Pea Risotto
• Kalamata Olive Tapenade
• Roasted Mushroom Tapenade
• Baked Eggplant Parmesan

Looking For More Arugula Recipes? Don't Miss These!

Beet and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad

Mushroom, Brie, and Arugula Pizza

Strawberry Arugula Summer Salad

Grilled Eggplant Rolls

Egg Leafy Green Salad