Creamy Spinach
Bacon Pizza
A rich, artisanal white pizza featuring a creamy sauce base, melted mozzarella, blanched spinach, crispy bacon squares, and buttery toasted pine nuts.
This artisanal pizza moves away from traditional tomato-based pies, instead building flavor upon a rich, creamy sauce base. The combination of wilted spinach and savory bacon creates a perfect balance of earthy and salty notes. Finished with aromatic sliced garlic and toasted pine nuts, each slice offers a beautiful contrast of textures and a deeply comforting flavor profile.
Ingredients
- 1 pizza dough ball
- 12 cup creamy mushroom sauce
- 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup blanched spinach
- 4 slices bacon
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- to taste hard cheese (such as Parmesan or Pecorino)
Instructions
- 1Stretch the pizza dough
Begin by pressing and stretching the pizza dough into a flat circle on a well-floured surface. Work gently from the center outward to create an even thickness, leaving a slightly thicker edge for the crust.
Tip: Use a generous dusting of flour or semolina on your work surface to prevent sticking and add a crisp texture to the bottom of the crust. - 2Spread the cream sauce
Using a spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the creamy mushroom sauce evenly over the stretched pizza dough. Leave a small border around the edges so the crust can puff up nicely while baking.
Tip: Dont press too hard while spreading the sauce, as you want to avoid tearing the delicate dough or deflating its air pockets. - 3Add mozzarella cheese
Sprinkle a generous, even layer of shredded mozzarella cheese directly over the creamy sauce base. This foundational cheese layer acts as the glue that will hold the rest of your toppings in place.
Tip: Freshly grated mozzarella melts much more smoothly and offers a richer flavor compared to pre-shredded cheese, which often contains anti-caking agents. - 4Add the spinach
Distribute the blanched spinach evenly across the cheese layer. Make sure the spinach is separated into small clumps and spread out so that every slice of pizza gets a balanced bite of greens.
Tip: Thoroughly squeeze out any excess water from the blanched spinach before adding it to the pizza to prevent the crust from becoming soggy. - 5Top with bacon
Carefully place square slices of raw bacon over the spinach and cheese layers. The bacon will render its fat down into the toppings and crisp up beautifully as the pizza bakes in the hot oven.
Tip: Keep the bacon slices in a single, even layer without overlapping so they can cook through properly and become fully crispy. - 6Scatter sliced garlic
Scatter thinly sliced raw garlic across the top of the pizza, dropping it between the bacon and spinach pieces. The garlic will roast in the ovens heat, infusing the entire pie with an incredible, savory aroma.
Tip: Slice the garlic paper-thin so it mellows out and cooks perfectly without burning in the high heat of the pizza oven. - 7Bake the pizza
Carefully place the fully assembled pizza onto the conveyor belt of a preheated commercial pizza oven. Ensure it sits flat so it bakes evenly as it passes through the heat chamber.
Tip: If using a standard home oven, bake the pizza on a preheated pizza stone or steel at the highest possible temperature for the best crust. - 8Remove from the oven
Carefully take the hot, baked pizza out of the oven using a pizza peel. The crust should be golden and crisp, with the mozzarella cheese beautifully melted and the bacon fully cooked.
Tip: Let the pizza rest for a minute or two on the peel before slicing; this helps the melted cheese set slightly so it doesnt slide off the slices. - 9Slice the pizza
Transfer the hot, baked pizza to a wooden cutting board. Using a rolling pizza cutter, press down firmly and slice the pizza into even wedges, cutting cleanly through the crispy crust and melted toppings.
Tip: Press down firmly with the cutter and roll completely through the crust in one fluid motion to avoid dragging the hot toppings across the slice. - 10Garnish and serve
Generously sprinkle toasted pine nuts over the top of the sliced pizza. The pine nuts provide a satisfying crunch and a rich, buttery flavor that beautifully complements the savory bacon. Finish with a light grating of hard cheese before serving.
Tip: Lightly toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat beforehand to enhance their natural aromatic oils.
