Learn how to make this 5-minute garlic olive oil sauce for pizza, and your homemade pizza night will never be the same! Quick and easy but packing huge flavor, this is the sauce you’ll be using for dipping, drizzling and drinking all year round.
I have no complaints with traditional red sauce pizza. Growing up, it was the only pizza I knew, and it was fabulous.
But I still remember the first time I tried a white pizza in Manhattan. The simplicity of the garlic pizza sauce, the white cheeses, the hint of spice and the shower of fresh basil. It was a flavor explosion, and a far cry from the loaded pizzas of my youth.
This Burrata & Pistachio White Pizza with Easy Garlic Olive Oil Sauce is an homage to all my favorite parts of that first white pizza…with the addition of pistachios, because they’re magnificent on pizza. (Thanks to Chef Chris Bianca who taught the world about pistachios’ rightful place.)
Store-bought dough works perfectly here, and the entire pizza can be on the table in under 20 minutes. Buon appetito!
What you’ll need to make this garlic olive oil pizza sauce with white pizza:
For Garlic Olive Oil:
Extra Virgin Olive OIl: Highly recommend good olive oil. If you must substitute, choose avocado oil or sunflower.
Fresh Garlic Cloves: The tube of garlic paste in the grocery store or jar of pre-minced garlic just won’t give you the same fresh flavor. Spring for the real stuff here!
Dried Oregano: The perfect earthy touch to our sauce. Substitute dried Italian seasoning, if needed.
Red Chili Flakes: For a hint of heat in our olive oil sauce for pizza. Omit if you prefer a mild sauce.
Salt & Pepper: To make our garlic olive oil sing.
For the Burrata Pistachio White Pizza:
Pizza Dough: Homemade pizza dough or a ready-made ball from your local grocery store or pizza joint will work.
Garlic Olive OIl Sauce: From the simple recipe above. Brings so much flavor to the party!
Parmesan Cheese: The complex, nutty flavor of parmesan is the perfect compliment to our white pizza.
Burrata Cheese: Burrata is a ball of mozzarella cheese with a cheese-and-cream center. It’s a little more flavorful than regular mozzarella and a lot more creamy. The perfect star for our list of simple ingredients.
Pistachios: Toasty flavor and crunch and just a touch of sophistication. You’ll never eat a pizza without wishing they had pistachios again.
Fresh Basil: This garlic pizza recipe reaches perfection once it’s out of the oven, golden and bubbly, and showered with fresh basil. Other fresh herbs can be substituted, including chives and Italian parsley.
Full measurements and directions for this simple recipe included in the printable recipe card below.
Step by step instructions for making white pizza with garlic sauce:
Preheat your oven to 500 ℉. Using a rolling pin or your hands, shape your pizza dough ball to desired shape and thickness (usually 12 inches in diameter). Transfer your dough to a pizza pan, or to a baking sheet. When the oven is at temperature, move the pizza pan to the lowest shelf of your hot oven. Bake 4-5 minutes or until the crust is puffing up but not yet browning.
Remove par-baked crust from the oven. Using a pastry brush, spread 2-3 tablespoons of garlic olive oil over the top of the dough and top with 1/2 cup of parmesan. Leave about 1/2 inch space around the crust.
Next, break the burrata balls into chunks and distribute over pizza. Finally, sprinkle pistachios over pizza. Return pizza to oven for 6-8 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and crust is crispy and golden. Switch your oven to broil for the last 2-3 minutes for a light browning across the rich cheese topping.
Allow the pizza to cool for 2 minutes, then add fresh basil, and a drizzle of garlic olive oil. Serve burrata white garlic pizza with red pepper flakes.
Note: baking time will vary based on the thickness of your dough, the temperature of your oven and moisture level in your pizza crust. For best results, monitor the browning of your crust and check the bottom to ensure your freshly baked pizza is perfectly cooked.
FAQ’s and Serving Suggestions:
The amount of garlic you use will depend on personal preference. If you want a lightly garlicky sauce, start with 2-3 cloves of minced garlic for 1/2 cup of olive oil. When making garlic olive oil for pizza, dipping sauce or garlic bread, I recommend using 6 large cloves.
While you can use garlic powder in place of fresh garlic, the flavor will not be as strong or fresh. Fresh garlic is recommended for the best flavor.
Yes, you can use other types of oil such as sunflower or avocado oil, but keep in mind that the flavor will be different.
To use garlic olive oil sauce on your pizza, spread a thin layer over the pizza crust before adding toppings. It can also be used as a dipping sauce for crust or as a drizzle over finished pizza.
I don’t recommend freezing the prepared sauce because the garlic flavor can become bitter or unpleasant. It’s best to make only what you can use for the next week.
Mediterranean Tossed Salad and pizza bianca is a classic Italian pizza joint combo.
To store, transfer garlic olive oil sauce to a mason jar or other airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Hungry for More Italian Recipes? Try These Next!
- Easy Clam Pizza with Lavash Crust
- Mediterranean Roasted Eggplant Bruschetta
- Seafood Pasta with Garlic White Wine Sauce
White Pizza with Easy Garlic Olive Oil Sauce Recipe
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
Garlic Oil for Pizza:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 large cloves garlic, minced or grated
1 teaspoon fine kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
White pizza with Burrata and Pistachios:
1/2 pound pizza crust (homemade or store bought)
3 tablespoons garlic olive oil for pizza (recipe above)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
8 ounces burrata cheese
3 tablespoons pistachios, toasted and chopped
8–10 fresh basil leaves
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 500 ℉. Using a rolling pin or your hands, shape your pizza dough to desired thickness (usually 12-14 inches in diameter). Transfer your dough to a pizza pan, or to a cookie sheet. When the oven is at temperature, move the pizza pan to the lowest shelf of your hot oven. Bake 4-5 minutes or until the crust is puffing up but not yet browning.
Remove par-baked crust from the oven. Spread 2-3 tablespoons of garlic olive oil over the dough and top with 1/2 cup of parmesan. Then break the burrata balls into chunks and distribute over pizza. Finally, sprinkle pistachios over pizza.
Return pizza to oven for 6-8 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and crust is crispy and golden. Switch oven to broil for the last 2-3 minutes for a lightly browned crust and cheese.
Allow the pizza to cool for 2 minutes, then add fresh basil, and a drizzle of garlic olive oil. Serve burrata white garlic pizza with red pepper flakes.
Notes
Baking time will vary slightly based on the thickness of your dough, the temperature of your oven and moisture level in your pizza crust. For best results, monitor the browning of your crust and check the bottom to ensure your freshly baked pizza is perfectly cooked.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Easy Recipes
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Keywords: White pizza, Garlic Olive Oil for Pizza, How to make garlic olive oil for pizza