What's For Dinner Wednesday: Roasted Pepper & Mozzarella Pizza with Arugula Salad

You know by now that I love a good pizza recipe. Pizza is a blank canvas for tons of different flavors and ingredients, so you can top it in a variety of ways and never get bored at dinner. I also love that paired with a simple salad, it's a complete and easy dinner.

This roasted pepper and mozzarella pizza is meatless, but that didn't even dawn on me until I was putting this post together because it was such a satisfying dinner that I didn't miss the meat-- and neither did Alex! The combo of creamy mozzarella and sweet roasted peppers pairs perfectly with the tangy and peppery arugula salad here. Serving a simply dressed arugula salad on top of or next to pizza is one of the best things I picked up from dining at restaurants in Italy. It's one of the only things that could possibly make pizza better than it already is on its own.




I used a storebought pizza crust, which helps this meal come together fast. If you'd like to make it even easier on yourself, buy a jar of sliced roasted red peppers instead of roasting your own. Just make sure they are well drained before you place them on your pizza!


Ingredients:

For the pizza--

• 1 Tbs. cornmeal
• 1 pre-made pizza crust
• 1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 red bell pepper, cored and seeded
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, cored and seeded

For the salad--

• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch of sugar
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cups arugula
• 1/4 cup red onion, very thinly sliced

 Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Sprinkle cornmeal over a large baking sheet and place pizza crust on top.

In a small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Brush evenly over the top of the crust. Sprinkle with mozzarella, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges.

To roast bell peppers: Preheat the broiler. Flatten pepper pieces skin side up onto a foil-lined metal baking sheet.  Broil until skin is blackened and blistered.  Transfer peppers immediately to a medium sized bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Set aside and let peppers cool, about 10-15 minutes.  Peel the skin from the outside of each pepper and discard the skins. 

Chop the roasted peppers into 1/4-inch strips and arrange evenly on top of the mozzarella layer. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top and bake for 10-12 minutes until cheese is melted and golden. Remove from oven, cool for 5 minutes, and slice.

While the pizza bakes, whisk the lemon juice, oil, sugar, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl until incorporated. Gently toss the arugula and onions in the dressing until evenly coated. Serve salad on top or on the side of the sliced pizza.


Do you love pizza? Give these recipes a try: Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula Salad , Easy Margherita Pizza, Pesto Pizza with Sausage, Goat Cheese, & Caramelized Onions.