Lemon Pizza with Fresh Mozzarella and Parsley Recipe
This bright and refreshing Lemon Pizza features a crispy no-knead dough topped with a zesty lemon brine, fresh mozzarella, and finished with Parmesan and parsley. It's a perfect spring or summer pizza that's light yet flavorful, combining creamy cheese and tangy citrus for a unique twist on classic pizza.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 1 pizza
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 1 ball Easy pizza dough (or store-bought dough)
Lemon Brine
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Mozzarella
- 5 oz (150 grams) fresh mozzarella (or ½ to ⅓ cup shredded firm mozzarella)
To Finish
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: Follow the easy no-knead pizza dough recipe through step 5, including shaping the dough and preheating your oven with a pizza stone inside.
- Prepare the mozzarella: If using fresh mozzarella in water, cut it into ½ inch thick slices. Dab with paper towels if very watery to remove excess moisture.
- Shape the dough: Place the dough on a parchment paper sheet and gently press it out from the center using your fingers until it reaches approximately 9 by 13 inches. Transfer the dough on parchment to a pizza peel or the back of a rimmed baking sheet.
- Make the lemon brine: Combine olive oil, water, chopped parsley, grated garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper in a glass jar with a lid. Shake well until emulsified.
- Add the toppings: Create small dimples in the dough with your fingers and scatter the lemon brine evenly over the surface, filling the dimples. Evenly distribute mozzarella slices or shredded cheese over the dough.
- Bake the pizza: Using the pizza peel, carefully transfer the pizza on the parchment onto the preheated pizza stone. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the crust is golden and cheese is melted and slightly browned. Oven times may vary, so watch closely.
- Finish and serve: Remove the pizza from oven. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice, sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley over the top, and add freshly ground black pepper or chili flakes if desired. Slice and serve immediately.
Notes
- If fresh mozzarella is too wet, drain well or pat dry to prevent soggy pizza.
- The no-knead pizza dough can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated to develop flavor.
- If you do not have a pizza stone, use a preheated baking sheet or cast iron pan for best crust results.
- Adjust lemon juice and zest to your taste for more or less citrus intensity.
- For a spicier kick, add chili flakes when serving.
