This simple pizza is upgraded by the addition of mascarpone cheese and a drizzle of pesto! The sweet, creamy topping makes a great addition to a classic margherita style pizza and is a great way to use up leftover mascarpone.
This is a fun idea for those of you who need to use up some leftover mascarpone from another recipe, or those of are just looking for ways to use this decadent cheese anywhere you can! Either scenario is valid.
I consider this a “base recipe” because what makes it special (adding dollops of mascarpone to pizza) is transferrable to pretty much any pizza concept! I love it with this simple mozzarella, cherry tomato and pesto topping but it’s just a starting point.
Mascarpone as a Pizza Topping – What Happens?
I didn’t know what to expect when I first tried adding mascarpone to my pizza. I thought it might spread out and be messy, but it doesn’t. It retains its shape so a little dollop of mascarpone will firm up a little on the outside, while being a gooey pocket of creaminess within. It’s soft, sweet, tasty and so yummy!
Ingredient Notes, Tips & Tricks
- I used a set of pre-made sourdough pizza crusts that come part baked – mine are from Tesco, you can find similar in the fresh bakery aisle of most supermarkets these days. I love these compared to other part baked options, because you don’t have to handle sticky raw dough even if it’s just to unroll it. I find they hold up well even being cooked for 10-12 minutes, they turn a little crispy but nothing out of the ordinary.
- I prefer this with fresh mozzarella, the kind that comes packaged in water. We arrange slices over the top of the pizza margherita style, then dollop our mascarpone into the gaps.
- If you’re using the firmer, pre grated mozzarella, you would want to cover the pizza with it evenly and then just place the mascarpone dollops on top.
- No pesto? No problem, just add some extra basil leaves. Similarly, if you have no basil leaves, I wouldn’t worry about it – the pesto has you covered.
- I had some leftovers of my perfect vegetarian pesto recipe to call upon the day I took these photos, and it was magic, but jarred is fine! Just be sure to add the pesto after cooking the pizza, because the delicate basil flavor will fade out in the oven.
- Mushrooms pair beautifully with mascarpone too, so feel free to try a mushroom version! Add some sliced portobellos and thyme to the pizza instead of tomatoes and pesto.
This recipe uses relatively small amount of mascarpone, so check out some of my other recipes using mascarpone to help you whittle down the tub…
More Mascarpone Recipes
Tomato Mascarpone Pizza
Ingredients
- 2 individual sized pizza bases, or 1 large
- 4 Tbsp pizza sauce, or to taste
- 125 g (4.4 oz) fresh mozzarella, sliced
- 3-4 Tbsp mascarpone
- 5 cherry tomatoes, sliced into 3 slices each
- 3-4 Tbsp basil pesto
- 2-3 Tbsp grated parmesan or vegetarian Italian hard cheese
- basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 200C / 400F.
- Spread the sauce over the base of the pizzas. Add the mozzarella slices on top, dollop little bits of mascarpone around the slices. Add the cherry tomatoes, and cover with parmesan / Italian hard cheese.
- Cook for 10-12 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling.
- Drizzle the pesto over the top of the pizza. Add basil leaves to the top and serve.