This crescent roll veggie pizza recipe has a flaky base topped with an easy homemade ranch dip made with fresh herbs and garlic. A variety of vegetables add color, flavor, and bump up the nutrition. And this crowd-pleasing appetizer takes just 30 minutes to make from start-to-finish!
Who else remembers this cold veggie pizza appetizer as a kid? It was present at every family holiday party, but only at holiday parties.
The funny thing is, this easy appetizer is perfect all year; don't wait until the holidays to make it! This classic appetizer is great for watching the game at home, tailgating, potlucks, birthday and holiday parties, and showers. It's a real crowd-pleaser, and it's convenient because you can make it ahead of time and it doesn't have to be reheated!
Crescent roll veggie pizza is one of those fun vintage recipes that brings a ton of nostalgia with it. Mention it to someone who grew up in the 80's/90's and they're sure to say something like "Oooh, I remember that, I used to love it!" Probably followed up with "But I haven't had it in so long!"
This time of year I'm starting to think about upcoming parties. And of course parties mean party foods, which means appetizers! I have a few traditional appetizers that I make regularly (like Buffalo chicken dip), but I also like to switch things up and try new things.
Why not try something new by going back to something old?
There are a bunch of different variations of this classic recipe. I tried to find the original, and I think it might be Cool Veggie Pizza on Pampered Chef (but if I'm wrong, please tell me in the comments below!). In my search, I came across several versions that use some type of ranch dressing, whether it's the bottled stuff or the dry mix.
With a bit of testing, tweaking, and tasting, I came up with this recipe, which is my absolute favorite rendition. Sweet crescent roll base, homemade ranch spread, a variety of colorful and flavorful veggies, and just a touch of shredded cheese so you know it's there, but it doesn't overpower everything else.
Let's talk about the ranch here! My version has all the flavor of ranch, but I whip it up from scratch to really bump up the flavor. Fresh herbs and a hint of garlic make all the difference! Of course, if you're in a time crunch, you can use ranch dip instead.
Crescent Roll Veggie Pizza with Homemade Ranch
In these sections I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas. For the full recipe (including ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
Cold Veggie Pizza Ingredients
- Refrigerated tubes of crescent rolls or crescent dough sheets - for this recipe, we spread the crescent dough out on a baking tray, bake it, and use that as the base of our cold pizza; this dough has a touch of sweetness, which is a nice offset to the savory ranch and vegetables
- Broccoli florets - make sure you chop the florets into small pieces
- Carrot - I peel and very thinly slice the carrot into circles that look like pepperoni; if you prefer, you can julienne it or finely chop it
- Yellow and red bell pepper - I like to use these colors of bell peppers for variety; but any color of bell pepper works great here
- Canned sliced black olives - these are a classic veggie pizza topping, but you can skip them if olives aren't your thing
- Shredded Mexican cheese blend - or any type of shredded cheese you like (a mix of cheddar and mozzarella also works well)
Homemade Ranch Dip Ingredients
- Cream cheese - you want it slightly softened so that it mixes well with the other ingredients
- Mayo - we use a blend of mayo and sour cream for the perfect creamy consistency with a hint of tangy flavor (similar to the tanginess of buttermilk ranch dressing, such as Hidden Valley Ranch)
- Sour cream - this adds a slight touch of tang in addition to rich, creamy texture
- Scallion - for a mild onion flavor
- Dill - a classic ingredient in ranch dressing, dill packs a ton of flavor
- Garlic - garlic is a traditional ingredient in ranch, and it makes the flavor of our homemade ranch dip pop
- White wine vinegar - just a little splash of white wine vinegar wakes everything up
- Salt and black pepper - these simple pantry-staple spices make sure our veggie pizza isn't bland
- Crushed red pepper flakes - we just use a pinch for a touch of heat, but you can bump up the amount if you want a bit more spice
Pro Tip: Make a Double Batch of Ranch Dip
This is absolutely delicious served as a dip with chips, pretzels, or crudités. Try it and you'll never get store-bought ranch dip again!
How to Make Cold Vegetable Pizza Out of Crescent Roll Dough
Make the Homemade Ranch Dip
- Add everything to a large bowl.
- Use a handheld mixer to beat until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble the pizza. (I like to do this while the crust is baking!)
Bake the Crust and Assemble the Pizza
- Unroll the dough out onto an 11 by 17-inch baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Arrange the dough in an even layer so it covers the entire baking sheet, pressing the seams together. (You might have to trim the dough so it fits in the pan.) Use a fork to poke several holes in the dough to prevent it from puffing up.
- Bake the dough until it’s golden brown, about 12 to 16 minutes at 375F. Cool completely.
- Spread the homemade ranch dip evenly over the cooled crust.
- Sprinkle the broccoli, carrot, yellow bell pepper, red bell pepper, cheese, and olives on top of the pizza.
Storage
You can store this pizza wrapped in the fridge for up to 3 days.
It's a great make-ahead appetizer because it's even better the second day!
However, by the fourth day it can start to get a little soggy.
Crescent Roll Veggie Pizza Recipe FAQs
Can You Make Crescent Roll Veggie Pizza Ahead of Time?
Yes! One of the best things about this easy appetizer is that you can make it up to 3 days before you want to serve it.
What Toppings Can You Put on Crescent Roll Veggie Pizza?
One of the best things about this dish is how versatile it is. You can add any type of vegetable that you like! There are two things to keep in mind when you're picking vegetables to add:
- The vegetables need to be delicious served raw, or you need to pre-cook them. This is because our crescent roll veggie pizza recipe doesn't get baked altogether; the crust is baked and then everything is layered on.
- Make sure you don't choose very watery vegetables because they can make the pizza soggy. (This is why I avoid cucumber here!)
Here are a few classic vegetable toppings for this cold appetizer pizza:
- Broccoli - cauliflower is another good option, just make sure to chop it small
- Bell peppers - you can use any color you like
- Carrot - chop them small or slice them thin because otherwise they'll be too crunchy (also, I don't recommend shredding carrot because it releases a lot of liquid)
- Tomatoes - tomato is a delicious addition, just remove the seeds so your pizza isn't watery
- Zucchini or yellow summer squash - raw zucchini or yellow summer squash isn't really my thing, but if you don't mind them raw you can thinly slice or julienne them for this recipe
How Do You Keep Vegetable Pizza From Getting Soggy?
There are three ways to prevent vegetable pizza from getting soggy:
- Make sure you cook the crust long enough.
- Don't add vegetables that release a lot of liquid.
- Store leftovers wrapped in the fridge for up to 3 days; after that, the pizza can start to get soggy.
More Easy Appetizers to Try
- Obatzda - authentic German beer cheese dip
- Quick and Easy Grilled Peppers - they're every bit as delicious in the oven if you don't have a grill
- 10-Minute Thai Curry Peanut Butter Hummus - a deliciously umami dip
- Pimento Cheese - for the real cheese-lovers
Let's Connect
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Crescent Roll Veggie Pizza Recipe
Ingredients
Veggie Pizza:
- 16 ounces Crescent Rolls 2 8-ounce tubes from the refrigerated aisle (or Crescent Dough Sheets)
- 1 cup finely chopped broccoli florets
- ½ cup peeled and very thinly sliced carrot
- ½ cup minced yellow bell pepper
- ½ cup julienned red bell pepper
- 2.25 ounce can sliced black olives drained well
- ¾ cup finely shredded Mexican cheese blend see Notes
Homemade Ranch Dip/Spread:
- 12 ounces cream cheese slightly softened
- ⅓ cup mayo
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup minced scallion green and white parts
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
- 2 large cloves fresh garlic peeled and crushed
- ½ tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
Bake the Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Line an 11 by 17-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Unroll the dough out onto the prepared baking sheet. Arrange the dough in an even layer so it covers the entire baking sheet, pressing the seams together. (You might have to trim the dough so it fits in the pan.) Use a fork to poke several holes in the dough to prevent it from puffing up.
- Bake the dough until it’s golden brown, about 12 to 16 minutes. Cool completely.
Make the Ranch Spread:
- Meanwhile, make the homemade ranch spread. Add everything to a large bowl and use a handheld mixer to beat until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble the pizza.
Assemble the Pizza:
- Spread the ranch spread evenly over the cooled crust. Sprinkle the broccoli, carrot, yellow bell pepper, red bell pepper, cheese, and olives on top of the pizza.
- Cut into 24 pieces and serve.
Faith's Tips
- Removing Excess Liquid From the Chopped Vegetables: The broccoli and carrot don’t seem to release a lot of liquid, but bell peppers can be a little watery. To remove some of the excess moisture and avoid a soggy pizza, put the chopped bell peppers on a paper towel-lined plate, and pat them with another paper towel.
- Mexican Cheese Blend: My blend contains the following: Monterey Jack, Asadero, Cheddar, and Queso Quesadilla. You can use any type of shredded cheese you like; a blend of cheddar and mozzarella also works well.
- Chopping the Vegetables: I like to chop all the vegetables a little differently to simulate a pizza. For example, I cut the carrots into very thin horizontal slices to look like pepperoni. However, the main point is to be able to get some of each vegetable in every slice, so feel free to chop them any way you like.
- Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes 12 servings; I like to cut the pizza into 24 pieces, so each serving is 2 pieces.
Nutrition
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