For all the olive aficionados out there, prepare to meet your new favorite pizza: the ultimate Black Olive Pizza! This isn’t just any pizza; it’s a symphony of flavors featuring a luscious garlic white sauce, generous layers of gooey mozzarella, savory mushrooms, an abundance of rich black olives, and a vibrant scattering of fresh arugula. To truly elevate the experience, we crown it all with dollops of creamy burrata. One bite, and you’ll wonder how you ever lived without this masterpiece!
If you’re eager to explore more delightful pizza creations, be sure to check out my Focaccia Pizza and the savory Roasted Mushroom and Pepperoni Pizza next!
Imagine this: a perfectly crisp homemade crust providing the foundation, generously coated with a silky, cheesy garlic sauce. Then, piled high with earthy mushrooms and the irresistible, salty notes of black olives, all melting under a blanket of mozzarella. Finally, a touch of fresh thyme for aromatic depth, peppery arugula for a refreshing bite, and pockets of luxurious burrata melting into soft, creamy bliss. It sounds like a dream, but rest assured, this incredible experience is absolutely within your reach with the detailed recipe provided below.
This Black Olive Pizza is not just delicious; it’s an absolute showstopper. The homemade pizza crust is incredibly satisfying to make and achieves that ideal balance of crispiness and chewiness. Forget complicated techniques; this recipe is designed to be straightforward and fun. It’s time to gather your ingredients and embark on a culinary adventure that promises big flavors and even bigger smiles!
Crafting Your Cheesy Olive Pizza with Mushrooms and Burrata
The journey to an extraordinary pizza begins with its foundation: the crust. While opting for store-bought pizza dough is perfectly understandable for those busy days, I wholeheartedly encourage you to try making your own. Not only is it a healthier choice, allowing you to control ingredients, but it’s also surprisingly simple and incredibly rewarding. Plus, there’s an undeniable joy in creating something from scratch that tastes infinitely better than its pre-made counterparts.
To start your homemade crust, you’ll combine a few basic ingredients to form a pliable dough. After a gentle knead, this dough will undergo a magical transformation, rising for about two hours until it’s light and airy. Once ready, it’s rolled out onto a piece of parchment paper, shaping it into a beautiful circle approximately 1/4 inch thick. This simple process lays the groundwork for a truly exceptional pizza.
With your dough prepared, it’s time to whip up the star sauce – our creamy garlic white sauce. In a small saucepan, you’ll gently melt butter, then whisk in flour to create a smooth roux. Gradually, milk is added, and as you continue to whisk over low heat, the sauce will thicken into a luxurious, velvety consistency. The secret to its irresistible flavor lies in fresh garlic, along with a blend of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, seasoned perfectly with salt and pepper. You only need a thin layer of this rich sauce on your pizza; any leftover can be delightfully used for dipping crusty bread!
Now for the fun part: assembling the toppings! Spread that glorious white sauce thinly across your pizza dough, leaving a small border for the crust. Then, generously sprinkle shredded mozzarella, followed by an abundance of sliced black olives, earthy sliced mushrooms, and fragrant fresh thyme. Bake your pizza in a preheated oven at 450 °F for about 15-18 minutes, or until the crust turns golden brown and the cheese is beautifully melted and bubbly. As soon as it comes out of the oven, toss a handful of fresh arugula with a drizzle of olive oil and scatter it over the hot pizza. For an extra touch of decadence and visual appeal, add more sliced olives and several soft, creamy balls of burrata. The warmth of the pizza will slightly melt the burrata, creating an ethereal, creamy topping that truly sets this pizza apart.
What Ingredients Do I Need for This Cheesy Olive Pizza?
This sensational pizza relies on a selection of simple, yet high-quality ingredients that combine to create an unforgettable flavor profile. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll need, and why each component is vital:
- California Olives: The star of the show! These olives offer a smooth, subtly nutty flavor that perfectly complements the rich white sauce and other toppings. Their briny depth is essential for this recipe. You can learn more about their quality at California Olives.
- Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheeses: Because cheese is, quite simply, life! Mozzarella provides that classic stretchy, gooey melt, while Parmesan adds a sharp, salty depth to the white sauce and overall flavor.
- Burrata: For an unparalleled creamy texture. Burrata, with its delicate mozzarella shell and soft, creamy interior, adds a luxurious, melt-in-your-mouth experience that contrasts beautifully with the other textures. Find out more about this delightful cheese at BelGioioso Burrata.
- Fresh Thyme: Aromatic herbs are crucial for balancing rich flavors. Fresh thyme introduces a subtle, earthy, and slightly floral note that beautifully enhances the olives and mushrooms.
- Pizza Crust: Whether you choose to embark on the rewarding journey of making it homemade (ingredients included in the recipe below) or opt for a quality store-bought option for convenience, the crust is your canvas.
- Garlic: What’s a savory recipe without the pungent, aromatic foundation of garlic? It’s key to the irresistible white sauce.
- Mushrooms: A fantastic companion to olives and arugula, mushrooms add an earthy umami flavor and a satisfying texture. A handful of your favorite variety will do.
- Arugula: This peppery green is added fresh after baking, providing a bright, slightly bitter, and crisp contrast to the warm, cheesy pizza. It “seals the deal” with its vibrant freshness.
What About Cookware?
You’ll be pleased to know that you don’t need a professional kitchen setup to create this delicious Black Olive Pizza. The essential tools are likely already in your kitchen: a reliable baking sheet or a dedicated pizza stone for that perfect crispy crust, a small saucepan for crafting the divine white sauce, and, of course, a healthy dose of culinary passion! For the homemade pizza dough, a stand mixer makes kneading a breeze, but don’t fret if you don’t have one – kneading by hand is an excellent workout and equally effective.
Can I Use Store-Bought Pizza Crust?
Absolutely! While there’s undeniable magic and superior flavor in a homemade pizza crust, using a good quality store-bought dough is a fantastic time-saver, especially on busy weeknights. It allows you to enjoy this incredible Black Olive Pizza without the added prep time for the dough. Homemade crust offers the benefits of knowing exactly what goes into it, and the process itself can be a fun and satisfying experience – simply combine ingredients in a stand mixer, knead, let it rise, and you’re ready to go!
However, if time is of the essence, here are some excellent store-bought recommendations: For a classic, reliable option, Pillsbury canned classic Pizza Dough is a popular choice. If you prefer a healthier, whole-grain alternative, consider Whole Foods 365 organic whole wheat pizza dough. For those with dietary restrictions, Udi’s Gluten-Free offers several great gluten-free crust options that taste fantastic.
Did You Know: The Surprising Truth About Olives?
Here’s a fun fact that often surprises people: olives are actually classified as a fruit! Botanically speaking, they are stone fruits, or drupes, belonging to the same family as peaches, cherries, mangoes, and plums. The hard pit inside an olive is technically its “stone,” just like the pits in other stone fruits. This ancient fruit has been cultivated for thousands of years, primarily for its oil and for consumption as a table olive. Rich in healthy fats, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds, olives are not just delicious but also offer numerous health benefits.
So, the next time you savor the briny goodness of olives – whether they’re topping this incredible pizza, garnishing your favorite martini, or enjoyed straight from the jar – you can impress your friends with the knowledge that you’re enjoying a serving of fruit! This insight truly adds another layer of appreciation for this versatile ingredient that stars in our Black Olive Pizza.
More Recipes I’ve Been Loving!
If you enjoyed this pizza, here are some other delicious recipes to inspire your next culinary adventure:
- Roasted Mushroom and Pepperoni Pizza
- No Knead Olive Bread
- Black and White Pizza
- Pizza Grilled Cheese
This recipe and blog post for Cheesy Olive Pizza with Mushrooms and Burrata was created in partnership with California Grown and California Ripe Olives! I received compensation for this collaboration. Please know that my opinions on their incredible olives are entirely genuine. Your continued support is greatly appreciated!
Black Olive Pizza Recipe
By Britney
Prep: 2 hrs 20 mins | Cook: 15 mins | Servings: 10 servings
Cheesy Black Olive Pizza with Mushrooms and Burrata is the perfect pizza recipe for my olive lovers! This pizza has a garlic white sauce, topped with mozzarella cheese, mushrooms, olives, and arugula! It’s so good, you’ll wonder why you hadn’t made this sooner!
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsps salt
- 2 tbsps Olive oil
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tsps active dry yeast
- 1 tsp honey
White Sauce
- 2 tbsps salted butter
- 2 tbsps all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup whole milk
- 2 cloves garlic, diced
- 1/4 cup Mozzarella
- 1/4 cup Parmesan
- salt and pepper, (as desired)
Pizza Toppings
- 1 cup black olives, (sliced)
- 1 cup Mozzarella
- 1-2 cups sliced mushrooms, (as desired)
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, (Stems removed)
- 1 cup arugula
- 1-2 balls Burrata
Instructions
- If using store-bought pizza dough, skip steps 2-4.
- Add whole milk to a small bowl and warm in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add active dry yeast and honey and whisk together. Allow yeast to bloom and become bubbly for about 5-10 minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add flour, salt, olive oil, and pour in milk/yeast mixture. Knead on low, increasing speed to medium as dough begins to form. If dough is not coming together or looks shaggy, add an additional tablespoon of milk. Knead until smooth, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add dough to a well-oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow dough to rise in a warm area or in the oven with the light on for 2 hours.
- Once dough has risen, roll out into a circle until dough is about 1/4 inch thick. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 450 °F.
- Begin making the sauce. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add flour and whisk together. Whisk until a smooth paste begins to form then add milk and continue to whisk until sauce begins to thicken (this will happen quickly so be sure to whisk constantly and do not bring sauce to a boil).
- Remove sauce from heat and add garlic, mozzarella, parmesan, and salt and pepper. Stir until cheese is fully incorporated.
- Spread sauce thinly across the pizza dough, leaving 1-inch around the perimeter of the dough bare. Top with mozzarella, olives, fresh thyme and sliced mushrooms.
- Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes, until cheese has melted and crust has become golden and browned.
- Drizzle a tiny amount of olive oil over the arugula and add to the top of the pizza. Garnish with additional olives, optional. Top with burrata.
Nutrition
Calories: 267kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 24mg, Sodium: 839mg, Potassium: 165mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 361IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 170mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?
Mention @BritneyBreaksBread or tag #BritneyBreaksBread!
More Delicious Desserts
Desserts
Eggnog Pound Cake with Spiced Eggnog Glaze
Desserts
Cranberry and Orange Loaf Cake with Buttermilk Glaze
Desserts
Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Desserts
Almond Shortbread Cookies