Pesto Pizza with Arugula

Hope you guys aren’t bored of pesto- I am definitely not. This pesto I bought from Costco is the best I’ve found- it has big parmesan chunks that give a nice texture. I love pesto on everything- particularly fun pasta made out of spaghetti squash, and pizza! Here are some other ideas from Chowhound on how to use this versatile sauce.

Fresh arugula on top of pizza is a new trend that I have hopped on the bandwagon for. Ken’s Artisan Pizza in Portland offers fresh arugula to top any of their pizzas. My mom is their biggest fan and was a big customer at Monday Night Pizza at their bakery on Northwest 21st Street. They finally opened a pizza joint in 2006 in Southeast because Monday Night Pizza was so popular.

Pesto Pizza with Arugula (serves 2)

• 1 pizza crust (store bought or pre-baked)
• 1/3 c pesto
• 1 sweet onion
• 1/2 c mushrooms
• 1/3 c parmesan
• 1/2 c shredded mozzarella
• 2-3 c fresh arugula to top cooked pizza

Preheat your oven to 400°. Saute your diced onion until it is almost translucent over medium-high heat. Add in your mushrooms and cook to your liking for around 3-5 minutes.

Lightly brush your crust with olive oil. Cover your pizza crust with pesto. Add your cooked vegetables on top and cover with mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

Pop your pizza in the oven for around 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Top with a heaping amount of fresh arugula and more shredded parmesan and eat immediately : )

Happy pizza-ing,

Marisa