In this recipe, I’ve jazzed up classic Italian sausage pizza with alternating swirls of pesto and red sauce, two different cheeses, and a chiffonade of either basil or baby spinach leaves. Feel free to use store-bought sauces to make it even easier!The Italian Sausage Pizza with Pesto and Red Sauce is a flavorful fusion that brings together the bold, savory taste of traditional Italian sausage with the aromatic richness of basil pesto and the tangy depth of classic red tomato sauce. Built on a hand-tossed or thin crust dough, this pizza starts with a layer of robust red sauce made from crushed tomatoes, garlic, and Italian herbs, complemented by swirls or drizzles of fresh pesto for added complexity. It’s generously topped with melted mozzarella cheese, which acts as the perfect base for crumbled, seasoned Italian sausage that adds a slightly spicy, fennel-infused punch. Optional toppings like roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, or mushrooms can enhance the experience, while a post-bake drizzle of pesto or olive oil elevates the flavor profile. The result is a well-balanced pizza that combines rich umami, herbal freshness, and comforting spice in every bite.
Sausage has always been one of my favorite pizza toppings, and when I say sausage, I mean small meatball-size hunks of the Italian kind, not the pre-cooked slices (though those can be tasty, too). There’s just something about the texture and flavor balance—springy, meaty morsels, anise and dried herb seasonings, creamy cheese, tangy tomato sauce, crunchy-chewy crust, and yes, those pools of grease that form on top during baking.
In my version of the classic pizzeria pie, I emphasize the herbaceous undertones in Italian sausage with a base layer of both pesto and red sauce. (The swirl, pictured above, ensures that both sauces end up on every slice.) Then, I keep things simple: nothing but bite-size pieces of cooked sausage, diced fresh mozzarella, a sprinkle of finely shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a finishing garnish of baby spinach (or basil).
You’ll get the tastiest results from freshly made cooked-down pizza sauce and bright-green pesto straight from the food processor. That being said, since you only need ⅓ cup of pesto and ½ cup of red sauce, this might be the time to reach for the jarred/canned stuff instead. I promise I’ll never judge!
Italian Sausage Pizza with Red Sauce and Pesto
This has everything you want in a classic Italian sausage pizza: swirls of red sauce and herbaceous pesto, creamy mozzarella cheese, a sprinkling of Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a garnish of fresh basil or spinach.
Course: Main CourseCuisine: American, Italian, MediterraneanKeyword: meat pizza, pesto, red sauce, sausageMakes: 1 (12- to 14-inch) pizzaCost: $10
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Rolling pin (optional)
- Large rimmed baking sheet or baking stone/steel
- Pizza peel (optional)
- Pizza Cutter
-
ngredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ pound Italian sausage (mild or hot), casings removed
- 1 (14- to 16-ounce) ball pizza dough
- ½ cup red pizza sauce, homemade or store-bought
- ⅓ cup green pesto sauce, homemade or store-bought
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, diced
- ¼ cup finely shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 to 5 large basil or medium baby spinach leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500°F (if using a baking sheet) or as high as it will go (if using a baking stone/steel; place the stone in the top third or place the steel in the bottom third of the oven before you start preheating). Let the oven preheat for at least 30 minutes. Then, if you’re using a baking stone or steel, switch the oven to Broil on high.
- Pinch the sausage into small pieces and put it on a plate near the stove. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot (it will slosh around the skillet when you lift the handle), add the sausage and cook, stirring frequently, just until all the pieces are no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Take the skillet off the heat and transfer the sausage to a paper towel–lined plate. Blot the top of the sausage with a few clean paper towels.
- Stretch or roll out your dough to a 12- to 14-inch circle, then transfer it to a baking sheet / pizza pan or a lightly floured pizza peel (if using a baking stone/steel).
- Prick the dough all over with a fork. Use a spoon to dollop and spread the red pizza sauce into a spiral shape (see photo above). Then, use another spoon to fill in the rest of the naked dough with pesto sauce, getting it all the way to the edges. Scatter the sausage evenly over top, followed by the diced mozzarella and shredded Parmigiano. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and few grinds of black pepper.
- Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake until the crust is evenly browned on the bottom and the cheese has browned in spots—8 to 10 minutes on the baking sheet, 5 to 8 minutes on the baking stone/steel.
- While the pizza bakes, stack the basil or baby spinach leaves, roll them lengthwise into a long, thin cigar shape, and slice them thinly to make little ribbons (chiffonade).
- Take the pizza out of the oven and let it sit for a minute or two, then top with the basil or baby spinach ribbons; slice and serve.
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