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Oct 2, 2021

Broccoli Pizza with Provolone, Mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano

This broccoli pizza is a wonderful way to get in a full serving of vegetables while enjoying a slice of pizza! 

Broccoli Pizza with Provolone, Mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano sliced.




The crust on this broccoli pizza is really thin and incredibly crisp, and the combination of the cheeses, a garlicky white sauce, and the roasted broccoli is wonderfully flavorful. 

Yes, broccoli pizza is seriously and unexpectedly tasty. The crust for this pizza is so easy to make, and is based on Jim Lahey's no knead pizza dough. 

I've used a version of this dough so many times, and I promise you, it's pretty foolproof. All you need is an oiled half sheet pan (or two quarter sheet pans, which I used) and your oiled fingertips to shape the dough. 

Broccoli Pizza with Provolone, Mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano in two pans.



The dough starts out very thin and ends up so crispy after baking. 

How to prepare the broccoli for this pizza:

The broccoli for this broccoli pizza is steamed for just a couple of minutes, and then plunged into cold water to stop the cooking. The broccoli is then tossed in lemon zest, lemon juice, pecorino Romano, salt, and crushed red pepper, giving it a wonderfully complex flavor. 

I can't remember the last time I made "real" white sauce, so it was pretty fun when the sauce quickly came together and "coated a spoon" (yes, I'm a cooking geek). Before baking, I sprinkled the top of the pizza with about an ounce of minced pepperoni. It was not enough to really be noticeable, but just enough to add some richness. You could add more pepperoni, or skip it if you prefer. 

I'm pretty sure that bits of ham, salami, or cooked Italian sausage would also be delicious on this pizza.

Broccoli Pizza with Pepperoni.



By the way, this pizza makes perfectly good leftovers reheated in the oven or toaster oven at 350 degrees F for about five to ten minutes. 

Everyone's oven is different, especially when baking at such high temperatures, so it's a good idea to keep an eye on your pizza as it is baking. I started baking mine on the middle rack of my electric oven, and when it was sufficiently browned on top, I moved it to the lower rack to continue baking. 

Broccoli Pizza with Provolone.



If you are intrigued by no knead pizza dough, but not in love with the idea of broccoli pizza (which I don't understand now that I've tried it... please give broccoli pizza a chance), here are a few more pizzas using this method:

Pizza Cipolla (it's onion pizza, but it sounds more romantic when you call it pizza cipolla)
Potato Pizza (trust me, so good)
Zucchini Pizza with Gruyère Cheese (the best melty cheese in the world)
Asian Pear and Smoked Sausage Pizza (yes, pears are wonderful on pizza)



From our dinner table logo



October is National Pizza Month. Check out how the From Our Dinner Table Group is celebrating. Be sure to snag the delicious recipes. 


More Perfect Pizza Recipes:

We share Recipes From Our Dinner Table! Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you're at it, join our Pinterest board, too!

If you don't have time to make your own crust, try making pizza with lavash! I love it topped with cauliflower and mozzarella, or spinach and fontina


This is an updated post from May, 2017. 

Broccoli Pizza with Provolone, Mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano





Broccoli Pizza with Provolone, Mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano

Broccoli Pizza with Provolone, Mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano
Yield: 8 servings
Author: Karen's Kitchen Stories
Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 15 MinInactive time: 2 HourTotal time: 2 H & 45 M
This broccoli pizza is a wonderful way to get in a full serving of vegetables while enjoying a slice of pizza!

Ingredients

For the Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1/2 cup milk (whole is recommended, I used 1%, which worked fine)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • A sprinkle of salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper
For the Pizza
  • 3/4 pound head of broccoli
  • zest and juice from 1/2 of a lemon
  • 1/2 cup finely grated pecorino Romano cheese
  • salt and red pepper flakes to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 recipe pizza dough (below)
  • 1 recipe white sauce (above)
  • 2 ounces coarsely grated provolone
  • 4 ounces whole milk mozzarella cheese, torn by hand into small pieces
  • 1 to 2 ounces minced pepperoni (optional)
For the Dough
  • 250 grams (2 scant cups) bread flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons yeast (either instant or active dry)
  • Heaping 1/4 teaspoon of fine sea salt or table salt
  • 150 grams (2/3 cup) water (plus more as needed)

Instructions

To make the sauce, broccoli, and assemble the pizza:
  1. While your dough is rising, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F with a rack in the center and a rack just below it.
  2. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium low heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Add the milk slowly, while whisking constantly. When the mixture is smooth, add the garlic, salt, and pepper.
  3. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  4. Using a knife, cut the base of the broccoli off so that you have large florets with about 2 inches of stem left. Discard the base. In a large saucepan, bring 1 inch of salted water to a boil, add the broccoli, cover, and steam over medium low heat for two minutes. Drain the pan and immediately rinse the cooked broccoli under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain the broccoli and dry with paper towels. Chop the broccoli into small chunks and toss with the lemon zest, juice, pecorino Romano, salt, and red pepper flakes.
  5. Pour the olive oil into the pan(s) and spread it with your fingertips. If using two pans, divide the dough in half. Spread the dough lengthwise in the pan(s), and then press it with your fingertips to completely fill the pan. The dough will be very thin. If the dough resists, let it rest for a bit, and then continue shaping.
  6. Spread the white sauce over the dough, almost all of the way to the edges. Sprinkle with the provolone and the mozzarella. Sprinkle the broccoli over the cheeses. Sprinkle with the pepperoni.
  7. Bake the pizza for 13 to 16 minutes, until the crust is browned and crispy.
To Make the Dough
  1. In a medium bowl, mix the dough ingredients by hand until all of the flour is incorporated. Add more water as necessary by wetting your hands. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 2 hours, until doubled.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

427.60

Fat (grams)

19.15

Sat. Fat (grams)

8.78

Carbs (grams)

48.51

Fiber (grams)

8.76

Net carbs

39.76

Sugar (grams)

8.42

Protein (grams)

19.04

Sodium (milligrams)

754.34

Cholesterol (grams)

41.05
Pizza, broccoli
Pizza
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Would you like to comment?

  1. What an awesome recipe! The crust looks fantastic (it's just how Panos likes it; not too thick not too thin and not too dry) and the toppings sound like heaven:) Your photos are amazing Karen, totally mouth-watering:):)
    xoxo

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much! This is my favorite kind of crust too =)

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  2. I could have it for breakfast... and I don't even have breakfast ever... would open an exception

    yes, great way to have a few servings of veggies! beautiful work, Karen!

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    Replies
    1. I DID have it for breakfast! Just think of it as avocado toast, only with broccoli and really crispy toast.

      Thank you!

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  3. What a delicious looking pizza! I love the flavor combination...that is definitely something my family would like!

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  4. Wow, now thats a pizza. I have never tried one with white sauce. I'll have to try this out soon.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Trisha! The white sauce was so good!

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  5. Looks wonderfully flavorful. I love broccoli.

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  6. Thanks so much for making me drool so early in the morning. And also thanks for linking this up to First Monday Favorites. It looks amazing, and since I love pizza and broccoli I'll have to try this out. I'm thinking it might make an appearance at a Tapas Night.

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  7. This pizza is wonderful. I could eat so much of it. Broccoli is such a great vegetable

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  8. Loving all the textures, flavors and deliciousness on this pizza! Making for a dinner party as an appetizer next week!

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  9. Broccoli pizza is amazing! the flavor combo is yum! Would love it anytime!

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  10. I love broccoli on my pizza and all of those cheeses sound so good!

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  11. I love all the strong cheese flavors happening here, and who doesn't love broccoli on pizza? :)

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  12. I believe this is something my husband would really enjoy. It looks delicious.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you. Broccoli makes you feel virtuous about having pizza!

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  13. I have so much CSA broccoli now this may just save me. Great idea!

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  14. I love broccoli on pizza but always forget to make one with it! This looks delicious. So much flavor.

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