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Pizza bianca (white pizza) is free of tomato sauce, and instead has an olive oil base topped with garlic, Italian seasonings, and ricotta and mozzarella cheeses. This recipe will show you how easy it is to make restaurant-quality pizza at home!
Traditional pizza bianca (which means “white pizza” in Italian) hails from Rome, Italy. It’s chewy and airy like focaccia, and features olive oil, garlic, and blend of ricotta and mozzarella cheeses. It doesn’t have tomato sauce, although you can serve it with marinara for dipping.
In Rome, you can frequently find white pizza topped with sautéed spinach, blanched broccoli, freshly sliced tomato, thinly sliced fresh zucchini, roasted potatoes, or after baking, fresh arugula. Here we add a little bit of broccoli, but it’s totally optional.
On a trip to Rome, I had this pizza topped with very thinly sliced zucchini, which was absolutely incredible!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- We use a not-so-secret “secret” pizza bianca spice blend. It’s a mixture of common seasonings that you probably already have in your pantry. These spices take white pizza from ordinary to amazing!
- It’s super cheesy. If you’re a cheese-lover, this is for you! With ricotta, mozzarella, and a sprinkling of parmesan on top for serving, you will go crazy for this.
- You won’t believe how easy it is to make great pizza right in your own kitchen. Switch things up on your next pizza night!
Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
Pizza Bianca Spice Mix:
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Salt
- Dried oregano
- Dried basil
- Black pepper
White Pizza Ingredients:
- Extra-virgin olive oil – To brush on the dough.
- Pizza dough – We need one pound of dough for this recipe. You can make it from scratch or buy it pre-made from the grocery store (look for a refrigerated case in the bakery area) or a local pizzeria.
- Ricotta cheese – Without tomato sauce on this pizza, the moisture in ricotta cheese makes a kind of white sauce combined with the savory seasonings.
- Mozzarella cheese – For this recipe, I use either mozzarella cheese or a pre-shredded “pizza cheese” blend.
- Broccoli – Broccoli is optional. You can leave it off or swap it out for just about anything you like! Sautéed spinach, raw zucchini, fresh tomato slices, or roasted potatoes are all popular white pizza toppings.
- Garlic – Garlic is a classic ingredient in white pizza, and you can make your pizza as garlicky as you like it!
Step-by-Step Instructions: How to Make White Pizza
- Prep the fresh garlic. Peel and thinly slice the garlic cloves.
- Get the dough ready. Spread the dough out onto a 12-inch pizza stone or similar sized baking sheet, pressing it out with your fingers. Drizzle olive oil onto the dough and brush it around evenly, leaving a border of about 1/2-inch all around. Use the tines of a fork to prick several holes in the dough (TIP: this is called “docking” it).
- Top with the “white pizza sauce”. Spread the ricotta cheese evenly on top, leaving the border all around. Evenly sprinkle on the pizza bianca spice mix.
- Cheese (and broccoli or other toppings if you want). Spread about 2/3 of the shredded mozzarella evenly across the top, and then top with the broccoli.
- Garlic and more cheese. Sprinkle the sliced garlic evenly across the pizza, and then the remaining 1/3 of the shredded mozzarella.
- Bake, cool slightly, and enjoy. Bake until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes at 450F. After baking, let it sit for about 10 minutes to cool briefly, and then slice and serve hot!
Storage Tips
Once it cools to room temperature, store leftover pizza wrapped well in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Tips For the Best Homemade White Pizza
- Look for pizza dough at your local grocery store or pizzeria. They usually have it available for purchase in 1-pound balls.
- Instead of using shredded mozzarella to make pizza bianca, sometimes I like to use a “pizza cheese” blend. The blend I buy contains a mixture of shredded mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, and romano cheeses. You can use what you like!
- Broccoli is optional on this pizza, but it’s a delicious addition and easy to blanch! To blanch broccoli, fill a 3-quart saucepan up 2/3 with water. Bring to a boil, add about a generous pinch of sea salt, and then add the broccoli. Boil for 1 minute and then transfer the broccoli to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain well and pat dry.
Frequently Asked Questions
In Italian, “bianca” is a female name from the word that means “white”. Pizza bianca literally means white pizza.
This type of pizza is free of tomato sauce. Instead, the dough is topped with olive oil (classic Roman style) or a creamy sauce that’s similar to Alfredo sauce (which you’ll occasionally find in American-style white pizzas). White pizza toppings include cheese, garlic, and spices.
Yes! This pizza freezes very well.
To Freeze and Heat Uncooked Pizza: You can make the pizza up to the point of baking it and then freeze it for up to 2 months. When you want to cook it, thaw it to room temperature (I leave it overnight on the counter at cool room temperature), and then bake it as directed.
To Freeze Cooked Pizza: Another option is to bake the pizza and then freeze the leftovers for up to 2 months. Let the pizza cool to room temperature, and then freeze the slices layered between pieces of parchment paper in an airtight container
To Reheat Pizza in the Oven: Preheat the oven to 375F. Place the pizza slices (thawed if frozen) onto a foil-lined baking tray. Bake until the cheese is melted and the pizza is warm, about 10 minutes.
To Reheat Pizza on the Stovetop: Place the pizza slices in a cast iron skillet or stainless steel skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar, and cook until the cheese is melted and the pizza is warm, about 5 minutes.
What to Serve with White Pizza
- Heirloom Tomato and Avocado Panzanella Salad
- White Bean Roasted Red Pepper Salad
- Crispy Baked Zucchini Fries
- Beer Battered Onion Rings
- Italian Kale White Bean Salad with Honey Lemon Vinaigrette
- Copycat Olive Garden Salad with House Dressing
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Pizza Bianca (White Pizza Recipe)
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Ingredients
Pizza Bianca Spice Mix:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
White Pizza:
- 2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided into 1/2 tablespoon + 2 tablespoons
- 1 pound pizza dough ball thawed if frozen (look for it at your local grocery store or pizzeria)
- 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella or pre-shredded "pizza cheese" blend
- 1 cup broccoli florets blanched for 60 seconds, drained, and patted dry (optional)
- 4 large cloves garlic peeled and thinly sliced
Optional Serving Suggestions:
- Parmesan cheese
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Fresh basil
- Marinara sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Make the spice blend. Mix together all ingredients for the pizza bianca spice mix and set aside.
- Proof the dough. Drizzle 1/2 tablespoon oil inside a large bowl. Place the dough inside the bowl and turn it to coat in oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 450F.
- Get the dough ready. Gently deflate the dough, but don’t push out all the air. Spread it out onto a 12-inch pizza stone or similar sized baking sheet, pressing it out with your fingers.Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons onto the dough and brush it around evenly, leaving a border of about 1/2-inch all around.Use the tines of a fork to prick several holes in the dough (TIP: this is called “docking” it).
- Add the toppings. Spread the ricotta cheese evenly on top, leaving the border all around. Evenly sprinkle on the pizza bianca spice mix. Sprinkle about 2/3 of the shredded mozzarella evenly across the top. Evenly sprinkle on the broccoli, sliced garlic, and then the remaining 1/3 of the shredded mozzarella.
- Bake, cool slightly, and enjoy. Bake until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes at 450F. After baking, let it sit for about 10 minutes to cool briefly, and then slice and serve hot!
Notes
- Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes 1 (12-inch) pizza. Cut it into 8 slices, and each slice is 1 serving.
- Nutrition Information: The nutritional information for this post was calculated without the optional serving suggestions.
- Use Pre-Made Dough: Look for pizza dough at your local grocery store or pizzeria. They usually have it available for purchase in 1-pound balls.
- Shredded Pizza Cheese: Instead of using shredded mozzarella to make this, sometimes I like to use a “pizza cheese” blend. The blend I buy contains a mixture of shredded mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, and romano cheeses.
- To Blanch Broccoli: Broccoli is optional on this pizza, but it’s a delicious addition and easy to blanch! To blanch broccoli, fill a 3-quart saucepan up 2/3 with water. Bring to a boil, add about a generous pinch of sea salt, and then add the broccoli. Boil for 1 minute and then transfer the broccoli to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain well and pat dry.
- Storage: Once it cools to room temperature, store leftover pizza wrapped well in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- To Freeze and Heat Uncooked Pizza: You can make the pizza up to the point of baking it and then freeze it for up to 2 months. When you want to cook it, thaw it to room temperature (I leave it overnight on the counter at cool room temperature), and then bake it as directed.
- To Freeze Cooked Pizza: Another option is to bake the pizza and then freeze the leftovers for up to 2 months. Let the pizza cool to room temperature, and then freeze the slices layered between pieces of parchment paper in an airtight container.
- To Reheat Pizza in the Oven: Preheat the oven to 375F. Place the pizza slices (thawed if frozen) onto a foil-lined baking tray. Bake until the cheese is melted and the pizza is warm, about 10 minutes.
- To Reheat Pizza on the Stovetop: Place the pizza slices in a cast iron skillet or stainless steel skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar, and cook until the cheese is melted and the pizza is warm, about 5 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on July 18, 2009 and updated on January 19, 2026.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
Free Bonus
I ate the entire thing 🙃
White pizza is my ABSOLUTE fave! This looks sooo good – I need to get my act together before going grocery shopping and make some of your recipes finally!
OOOH!!~ Freaking delicious!! I love the “white” sauce made creamy with ricotta!
Couple the reasons for wanting this with the fact that it is freezing cold here and I’m so motivated to make this! I’m one of those people that loves broccoli! :)
Yum! This looks really good, and healthy, too. There is nothing like homemade pizze :) The broccoli is a nice touch.
This pizza looks ever so scrumptious! a great combo!
Cheers,
Rosa
What a great looking pie! I love broccoli on pizza ever since my grandma fixed some for me once. She also included carrots! Talk about a crunch!
Looks so delicious..
I always have pizzas on the weekend, too! This looks really good – love the Ricotta topping and the thick puffy crust. Delicious!
I love pizza! This pizza looks so healthy and yummy :)
I like how this pizza has no red sauce on it. It looks very spa-like to me….:)
You had me at oozing cheese! I love pizza and this is a fabulous recipe! Gorgeous pix as always!! Hope you are having a fabulous weekend.
xoxo
Karyn