Vegetable Pizza with Pesto and Corn

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If you’re a fan of veggie pizzas, you will love this Vegetable Pizza with Pesto and Corn. This amazing pesto pizza features sweet yellow corn, fresh basil pesto, caramelized red onions, creamy mozzarella and a perfect golden brown crust.

summer pizza, cut into slices on a sheet of parchment paper

This is one of the easiest – and most delicious- vegetable pizza recipes ever. Why will you love this recipe? There’s the sweet corn and the juicy cherry tomatoes. There’s the soft red onions with the caramelized edges. Oh, and we can’t forget the combo of melty cheese and vibrant basil pesto. This is a vegetable pizza that will make the entire family happy.

Time-saving tricks like using store-bought pizza dough and making the basil pesto the day before means you can have this pesto pizza prepped and ready to go in less time than it takes to preheat the oven. Mix and match all of your favorite veggies and cheeses. Serve this pizza piping hot, or enjoy it as a delicious cold snack the next day.

How to Make

  1. Prep the oven: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. If using a pizza stone, place that in the oven. 
  2. Prep the dough: Create your pizza rounds by gently stretching the dough, then drizzle with olive oil to help maintain a soft crust.
  3. Add your toppings: Top with pesto, mozzarella cheese, corn, tomatoes, and red onion. Crumble the goat cheese over the top.
  4. Bake: Bake 10 to 14 minutes, or until the mozzarella is bubbly and the crust is golden brown. 
  5. Slice and serve.
a homemade sweet corn pizza coming out of the oven

Ingredients

  • Pizza dough – Homemade pizza dough is really easy to make, and can be made ahead of time to save time. There are also tons of great store-bought brands out there. Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods are great options. Just be sure to purchase a dough that’s big enough for four people.
  • Olive oil – Olive oil will help give the pizza crust a nice crispy texture, and prevent it from drying out while cooking. 
  • Basil pesto – The garlic, Parmesan cheese, and pine nuts in the pesto add so many fresh flavors to this veggie pizza. 
  • Mozzarella cheese – It’s hard to beat the creaminess in fresh mozzarella; the texture is just perfect for melting on a pizza. If fresh mozzarella isn’t available, you can also use grated mozzarella. 
  • Corn kernels – Big plump corn kernels are naturally sweet, and so good with the other summer flavors on the pizza. Slice them right from the cob for the best results. 
  • Cherry tomatoes – Sweet and juicy cherry tomatoes are bursting with flavor. The bright acidity in cherry tomatoes is the perfect complement to the tangy goat cheese.
  • Red onion – Red onions become sweet and caramelized when cooked on a heat high, and are a great complement to rustic goat cheese and cherry tomatoes.
  • Goat cheese – The tanginess in goat cheese provides the perfect balance to the sweetness in the corn and the red onion, and the brightness of the cherry tomatoes and basil pesto.

Tips

  • Use store-bought pizza dough to save on prep time. Cornmeal pizza dough even comes packaged in a ready-to-go round shape, so you just need to add your toppings and bake.
  • Use fresh burrata in place of mozzarella for an extra rich and creamy cheese.

Variations

  • Mix up the veggies – Bell pepper and chopped broccoli add a fun crunch to pesto pizza. Sautéed mushrooms and zucchini are terrific choices. You could also use artichokes or spinach for more healthy nutrients.
  • Try different pesto – Pestos are so easy to make, and you can create lots of versatile flavors with a few ingredients swaps. Try tomato basil pesto, sun-dried tomato pesto, artichoke pesto, or kale pesto. Make a big batch and use the leftovers in pastas, spreads, or dips. 
  • Use a different cheese – You can definitely play with the cheese mixture in this recipe. Try shredded cheddar or Asiago with the mozzarella. Goat cheese comes in tons of variations too. Mix things up with a fresh herb goat cheese, sweet pepper goat cheese, or garlic and chive. 
homemade pizza on a wooden tray

FAQs

What vegetables go well on a pizza?

There are so many veggies that go well on pizza. Bell peppers, black olives, and onions create a classic vegetarian pizza. Diced fresh tomatoes, kale, spinach, baby bella mushrooms, and jarred sun-dried tomatoes are delicious too. 

Is a veggie pizza healthy?

The healthiest pizzas all use lots of fresh veggies in the place of meats like Italian sausage, pepperoni, or meatballs. Loading up on a variety of vegetables will add more vitamins and nutrients to this healthy-ish meal.

How long does cold veggie pizza last?

Cold vegetarian pizza can be stored for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. You can also place veggie pizza in an airtight container in the freezer for 3 months.

a slice of homemade pesto pizza on a sheet of parchment paper

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corn and pesto pizza
5 from 1 vote

Vegetable Pizza with Pesto and Corn Recipe

If you’re a fan of veggie pizzas, you will love this Vegetable Pizza with Pesto and Corn. This amazing pesto pizza features sweet yellow corn, fresh basil pesto, caramelized red onions, creamy mozzarella and a perfect golden brown crust.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Servings: 4

Equipment

  • Pizza Cutter

Ingredients 

  • 1 pizza dough large enough for four people (see note)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3/4 cup basil pesto
  • 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated or thinly sliced (preferably fresh)
  • 2 cups corn kernels (slice these fresh off the cobs for the best flavor)
  • 20 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup red onion, diced
  • 4 ounces goat cheese

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. If using a pizza stone, place it in the oven as it heats up.
  • Stretch the pizza dough into rounds and drizzle with olive oil.
  • Top the pizza with pesto, mozzarella cheese, corn, tomatoes, and red onion. Crumble the goat cheese over the top.
  • Bake until the mozzarella is bubbly and the crust is golden brown, 10 to 14 minutes. Slice and serve.

Notes

Pizza DoughI like this homemade pizza dough or use store-bought dough. (Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods both have great pre-made pizza dough.)

Nutrition

Calories: 524kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 1112mg | Potassium: 234mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1335IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
Cost: $9.00
Calories: 524
Keyword: homemade pizza, pizza, summer, vegetable pizza, vegetarian
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About Jess Smith

Jess is the recipe creator and photographer at InquiringChef.com. She spent nearly a decade as the Chief Recipe Developer for the award-winning meal planning app Cook Smarts. Her colorful, healthyish recipes have been featured in popular online publications including Parade, Hallmark, and HuffPost.

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14 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Thanks for the recipe…I can’t wait to try this recipe! I think it might be a winner for both my husband and the kids! Yum! Pinned and sharing.

  2. Goat cheese and pesto are two of my favorite flavor combinations, but I don’t think I’ve every paired it with corn before. Thanks for the recipe!