I’ve been at a bit of a standstill in the kitchen this month. It’s not really a lack of ideas vexing me, but a lack of desire to spend any time in front of a stove or oven now that the weather is so delicious, I believe I at least owe it the courtesy of spending time out in it. Sure, there are savory tarts and summery salads and even another burger bun recipe on my agenda; there’s a cake in my fridge that’s so pretty I will not be the least bit offended if you mount a protest that I am waiting until next time to tell you about it, but I need to level with you: I have not cooked a real dinner for us in over a month. A month! Perhaps longer.
None of this has stopped me from bringing home mounds of produce each week from the markets. My current (boring) preggo cravings are green beans and summer squash, and I’ve made countless batches of this salad and this sauté but a proper meal, they are not. Today I staged an intervention with myself once and for all. I figure it can’t just be me that is unmotivated to cook a decent, light summer meal and that the only solution would be to create something worth rallying myself — and others — over.
My first reaction? “Why did I wait so long to make this pizza?” My second: “Why did I only make one?!” I’ve been batting around this idea of a pizza very loosely playing off a Provençal tian — essentially a layered vegetable gratin with thin slices of summer produce, olive oil, cheese and herbs, such as thyme or basil, and baked in the oven and served as a side dish. Seeing as I’ve been buying yellow and green zucchini like it was going out of style, and the basil was right at the next table this week, and I’ve been on a bit of a lemon bender, I played these flavors off of each other and friends, if this is any indication of the things I can throw together at home when I believe I’m uninspired to cook, let this be a lesson to me because it’s been too long since we had a dinner this tasty.
Pizza, previously: We are a little bit obsessed with pizza here at the Smitten Kitchen, so no pizza recipe on this site would be complete without a tour of the pizza madness that has come before it. First, there are two dough recipes on the site, a Really Simple Homemade Pizza Dough and a slightly stepped-up one that includes a splash of wine and honey. There’s also a post that includes lots of pizza-making tips in one place: 10 Paths to Painless Pizza Making. Beyond that, there are a ton of untraditional pizza recipes in the archives, from a Broccoli Rabe version with Caramelized Onions to an Acorn Squash and Gorgonzola Pizza, not to mention a Potato Pizza, which is exactly as transcendent as you would expect from carbs topped wtih carbs topped with rosemary, olive oil and sea salt. Check out the full list here, and don’t be surprised if you never order pizza delivery again.
One year ago: Chopped Watermelon, Vegetable and Feta Salad
Two years ago: Quick Potato Pirogi
Lemony Zucchini Goat Cheese Pizza
There is no reason to make this recipe exactly as you see here, I mean, aside from the fact that you have my word that it is completely delicious as is. But why be limited? Use thyme with or instead of your basil, or another herb you like. Add slices of eggplant, tomato or even potato, if that’s what’s coming up fresh in your area. Don’t like goat cheese? Use gruyère or mozzarella. Is that too many options? I don’t wish to flood you, just to let you know that a recipe like this could be a launchpad for whatever you’ve got on hand, or, frankly, need to clean out of your fridge. Have fun with it. That’s the point, after all, isn’t it?
Makes one small pizza, which with a big green salad, makes an nice summer meal for two
1 batch Simplest Pizza Dough or a store-bought pizza dough that will yield one small (approx. 11 to 12 inches across), thin pizza
1 lemon
4 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature
Few leaves of fresh basil, cut into thin slivers
1/2 medium yellow zucchini, sliced as thinly as you can pull off with a knife or your mandoline (I went for 1/8-inch thick with mine)
1/2 medium green zucchini, sliced as the same as above
Drizzle of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Roll your pizza dough into a thin 12-inch circle and lay it on a tray or stone that has been dusted lightly with cornmeal.
In a small bowl, stir together the goat cheese with the juice of half your lemon. Season it with salt and freshly ground pepper, and spread it over your pizza dough. Scatter fresh basil slivers over the cheese.
Arrange your zucchini coins in concentric circles over the goat cheese spread, overlapping them slightly. You can alternate their colors, if you’re feeling fancy. Squeeze the juice of the second half of your lemon on top of you zucchini, then drizzle with olive oil and finish with more salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes (your baking time will vary, so please watch carefully), or until the edges of your pizza are golden brown and the zucchini looks roasted and a little curled up at the edges. Serve with a green or even simple tomato salad and please, have a glass of crisp white wine for me. Okay, two. It has been a while.
My husband just informed me that our first zucchini was showing its face…I was thinking that I needed to look up some recipes, and this was the first place I looked! This looks delicious….my mouth is watering! I am five months pregnant, so I have to make sure that I am allowed to eat goat cheese before I make this!
I harvested my first zucchini today (a funky variety that is round and light green – about the size of a softball). And I even have some goat cheese in the fridge! I was thinking of tossing the zucchini and goat cheese with some pasta, but this looks divine.
I’m so excited to start making pizza. Today was my very first successful attempt at a yeasted dough, and there’s no looking back now. I suppose I’m going to have to try this grilling pizza dealy next–it’s oppressively hot round these parts, and I can make dear boyfriend stand outside in the 110 degree heat and grill.
And thank you for the saute reminder. I love love that stuff, though for the most party I sub pinenuts for almonds, as they’re generally more likely to be hanging around the freezer than any other of his nut buddies.
Oh, fantastic! If I had a piece of that now, it would really hit the spot.
Are you psychic? My husband brought home a ton of zucchini yesterday, I have dough in the fridge, and goat cheese is my favorite. Perfect!
oh this is YUMMMYYY!!! I had zucchini today! Wonderful this time of year, especially as it’s in season in backyards around the country :)
Thanks for the taste recipe and specific directions with the lemon juice and such.
You deliver amazingly yet again girl! :)
I think this would taste great with a touch of nutmeg and honey mixed in with the goat cheese. I’m going to make this soon, but I think I’ll try it with pita bread instead of pizza dough.
The neighbors keep eyeing our zucchini patch, as if we are going to have extras. Ahahahaha! Not anymore.
(but maybe we’ll take them a pizza)
this looks phenomenal! I love goat cheese and lemon….these flavors sound fantastic for a great summer pizza!
I JUST made a simple pizza with mozzarella, potato and thyme from our garden! This looks like an excellent way to use up the extra zucchini that is also proliferating in the garden.
if this tastes half as good as it looks, i’ll be a happy woman. and with goat cheese and lemon, i’m sure it will. miam!
This post reminded me: I made your “simplest pizza dough” for the first time a couple of weeks ago. And then again a few days later! Excellent. I made the pizzas on the grill, which certainly didn’t hurt matters. Thanks for the recipe, Deb.
I’ve only just been getting into making my own pizza in the last couple of months, and this looks light and perfect and so tasty – I can’t wait to try it. Thanks Deb!
Oh my god. I looooove goat cheese, and I loooove making my own pizza. Not only does it save me like $15, but there isn’t unnecessary amounts of oil and cheese. This is a great healthy alternative to the tradition pizza pie. There is no way that I’m NOT going to make this for dinner this week!
I know I already said anything with brown butter has my name on it. But the same goes for goat cheese. I can’t get enough of the stuff. Looks like a great summer dinner!
wow… this looks light, delicious and soooo easy!
This looks fantastic! I have two zucchini sitting in my produce drawer and now I know just what to do with them. Hoorah!
Summer is for assembly, not cooking—don’t feel guilty?
How does everyone feel about pizza stones vs. pans? Are stones really worth having and storing? I’m afraid I wouldn’t ever get the knack of that pizza-peel business.
That looks so pretty! Looks so simple yet yummy :)
Mmmmmm, goat cheese. LOVE it, but the pizza crust doesn’t love me. But I want it… looks so delicious and colorful.
Oh. My. Goodness. This looks delicious…I wonder how this recipe would fare on the grill?
Veggie cravings while pregnant. That’s pretty awesome actually. This pizza would be gone in a flash! Love goat cheese, but it’d be fun to try some sort of ricotta mixture too. Mmmmmmm!
Wow, This is pretty.I’ve never tried making apizza like this before. One with only two toppings it’s usually the loaded one..
That looks divine! I usually loathe pizza, but I could totally dig on this. Will snag some zuchs @ the farmers market this weekend.
A lovey, light dish for the summer evenings and a great way to use up those excess zuccini that we have growing. This is one the whole family will enjoy especially as we are all partial to goats cheese.
Had to laugh about your cravings for beans and summer squash, I was never that healthy with my cravings.
Thanks for the great recipe
I cannot eat enough goat cheese these days (and don’t even have the excuse of being pregnant). That looks AMAZING.
Oh, if only the husband wouldn’t give me his “Where’s the beef?” look every time I make a vegetarian meal–even something as delicious as this. BUT! We are having friends in for drinks this weekend and shaped on a square baking sheet and cut into squares, I’m thinking this will make the perfect summer appetizer. Thanks!
A clever use of zucchini!
Yes! You can call pizza cooking dinner. I mean, with all we have available to put on a pizza, it can be a very healthy and substantial meal. I can see this pizza cooked on the gril, too. I’d even charr (maybe not so healthy!) the seasoned vegetables on the grill first. The goat cheese isn’t my thang, but like you said, this was only the starting point for the many possibilities out there. Your crust looks like it would do well on the grill. Thanks for this idea, Deb.
It is winter here in South africa so i can only listen in envy to your summer stores. This pizza looks delicious and just right for my vegetarian hubby.
Looks very tasty – it is breakfast time here and I am eyeing that up! Not a lover of goats cheese so think I may try with some other soft cheese instead. Am loving courgettes (as we call them over here) at the moment.
This pizza looks beautiful, it must be delicious! The use of zucchini is interesting ;)
Mmmmm! I just got my pizza stone today, and can’t wait for the weekend! Am not a fan of Goat’s Cheese, but with some buffalo mozzarella and pine nuts? Yummy!
This light & fresh pizza sounds (and looks!) absolutely glorious. I adore the combination of goat cheese and zucchini, and the lemon must be a wonderful addition. Perfect for a warm summer evening!
This looks perfectly gorgeous and delicious! Gotta go find me a gluten-free crust recipe, and I’m in business. Hubby’s not a veggie pizza fan, guess he’ll have to find something else to eat. Oh well, more for me!
My goodness, that’s gorgeous.
Neysa, you’re probably fine, given that the cheese is baked for a while, which should kill any listeria, and if your goat cheese is made with pasteurized milk, I wouldn’t worry. (I am not a doctor and do not play one on the internet; if you’re concerned, your ob/gyn should be the final authority.)
Anything that involves the words “zucchini,” “goat cheese” and “pizza” in conjunction with each other has my immediate attention.
mmm, i like white pizzas. all the flavors sound amazing! it’s very pretty too, the way you cut the zucchini.
Looks amazing! Just found out hubby doesn’t care for squash. This has led to me consuming entirely too much squash-drowned-in-butter.
Have you ever tried this green bean recipe?
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/vibrant-tasty-green-beans-recipe.html
I made it for the holidays, and now it’s what I crave when I crave green beans.
Looks wicked good! I’ve been doing my pizza dough on the bbq lately to avoid heating up our apartment. (Not so) shockingly, this was dinner last night. If you oil a piece of aluminum foil you can slide it onto your grill easily, and dinner’s ready in, say, 5 minutes for a thin crust!
This little beauty is next in line, baby!!
That’s just lovely, and it looks like a great light meal for any time of day.
I’m so glad you post so many zucchini/squash recipes here. Our garden is giving us TONS of zucchini – so much I’m having trouble keeping up. Last week we made your summer squash/potato tart thing (delicious, by the way) and now I’m excited about this. Do you think it would work to make it on the grill? We love making grilled pizza, but usually cook the toppings first since everything goes quicker on the grill.
Oh lovely! We are going to make pizzas on the grill this weekend — I am finally going to try Heidi’s white whole wheat pizza dough recipe — so this is perfect for a light summery pizza. Aubrey, when we grill our pizzas, I also do a super quick saute of the vegetables (about 1 minute or so) and then pop the pizza on the grill. My guess is that since these zucchini/squash slices are so thin, it may not be necessary to pre-cook them. I’ll make the grilled pizza this weekend or next week and report back.
What a lovely dinner. We will soon have yellow squash taking over my fridg. This will be a perfect way to enjoy it!
I am obsessed with summer squash. I made a pizza with yellow squash last week… basil pesto instead of sauce and crumbled feta cheese on top. Now I must try it with goat cheese!
I’ll definitely be making this with our new pizza stone. It’s beautiful!
This sounds FABULOUS! I’ve got a three month old baby who can’t tolerate cow’s milk….but goat cheese is fine. MMMMMMM perfection.
Oh–And as for that glass of crisp white wine…I’ll bet your Doctor would tell you a half glass once in a while in the last trimester is okay. My last trimester, a half glass of white wine once a week kept me from losing faith. (Though you seem to be weathering pregnancy MUCH better than I did!) Thanks for your wonderful blog. It’s pure joy.
Deb,
This is beautiful! I love simple pizzas like this one and it’s such a great reminder that they really are easy to throw together. I have a whole wheat pizza crust I love and will definitely give this combo a try on it.
Also, I sent you an email inviting you to the potluck picnic i’m throwing later this month for food bloggers and writers and photographers and all sorts of food-loving creative people. I hope you and Alex can make it! Just in case, I’ll add the link with details here:
http://www.alwaysorderdessert.com/2009/07/were-having-picnicand-youre-invited.html
xxA
Neysa, I remember that as being one of the worst parts of being pregnant – no soft cheeses. I kept craving stuff I wasn’t allowed.
There was a good list of allowed/not allowed cheeses over at
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Can_you_eat_soft_cheese_while_pregnant
I almost copied the list but didn’t want to start a crazy cheese war if someone disagreed. Cheese should never cause dispute!
That’s the most beautiful pizza I’ve ever seen. I want it.
Oh my..this looks incredible. I love the combo of zucchini and goat cheese and the addition of lemon is magical. Your posts are so much fun and I can’t tell you how much I look forward to them.
A wonderful addition to this already amazing pizza: a little bit of fresh dill. That’s my all time favorite pasta dish: sauteed summer squash, goat cheese, dill, a little bit of lemon juice/zest, and evoo over linguini. Do you hear those angels singing?!?! Heaven!
So funny – I just broke a month-long dinner-avoiding streak with a homemade pizza too! But I’d forgotten how tomato paste gives me heartburn, so I really like the cheese instead of tomato in this recipe. It looks so summery, I’ll definitely give it a try!
When is that baby due?!!
Great looking pizza pie indeedy! You will have plenty of time to cook and be around the kitchy once the baby comes! So for now, you should take a load off and relish your “OWN” time because it takes about 20 years to feel a little less chained to the home! My opinion strictly – I’ve only got 2 kids – so I have some experience in this situation.
Yep — this is dinner tonight. Thanks!
Deb, this looks beyond amazing! My mouth is watering and I think I need to make it tonight. Not that your pictures aren’t usually outstanding, today’s seem particularly perfect :)
I’ve also been feeling a slump in cooking, since I’ve just moved to a new apartment. I’m still getting organized, and while it is exciting to have a new kitchen to cook in, it is also daunting. Maybe this pizza will turn things around! Cheers, Calvine
I will have to keep this in mind as when I go to the farmer’s market (or more likely this week, send my husband). We’re really pizza’d out, but this looks worlds better than the pizza we’ve been steadily working our way through (never buy 2 28″ pizzas for a party).
Deb! I’m never going to post original recipes to my blog if you keep putting great ones up on your site that I’m dying to try! Pfffff… just kidding, of course. My husband keeps fed because of your recipes.
Thinly sliced baked zucchini is so wonderful. When I was a kid my mom just layered them on a sheet pan with butter and cheese and broiled them for a few minutes – best summer side dish of my childhood! When I moved last year, I made something similar to your pizza in a clean-out-the-freezer binge. I had store bought frozen puff pastry, ricotta instead of goat cheese, and I added a little dusting of parmesan like my mom used to do. It was delicious! (And it’s here if you care to take a look: http://tinyurl.com/lxqu3y) Now I’m moving again, and I have frozen phyllo but no frozen puff pastry!
This looks absolutely amazing…I can’t wait to try it.
This has my name written all over it. My husband dislikes goat cheese, so i will be eating this entire pizza a night he is out…
wowowow this looks delicious! I recently made something similar but with super thin sliced of yellow & red tomatoes, and a tonnnn more basil! i will make this once i get back from my honeymoon!
How do you get the pizza dough so thin? I’ve been making your reciepe for a few weeks now and it’s great but I can’t seem to get the crust very thin. Any hints? My pizza of choice lately has been the classic Margarita with tomatoes and basil out of the garden.
KnitsJen — No fancy tricks, just use a rolling pin. That said, are you using homemade dough? Is it at room temperature and fully-risen? If cold or not fully risen, they’re especially rubbery and hard to stretch out.
This sounds fantastic!
I haven’t made a decent dinner since I learned of my bun in the oven… We had cobbler last night for dinner! Thankfully the husband is playing along well.
I love new ways to use summer produce…this looks great! And thin-crust pizza is my favorite.
Thanks for this! Will definitely add this to my summer “to-cook” list!
Oh wow this looks amazing. Goat cheese is one of my favorite things and mixed with summer squash can only make it better!
What a great idea for a summer dish. Beautiful pictures, as always!
You should submit this to Yeastspotting on Wild Yeast blog! This is so appealing!
I love this idea for a summer pizza! I too love picking up all the fresh veggies from the market and its nice to have an idea for new ways to use them. Rolling out an easy pizza like this is a favorite meal, and with the goat cheese it looks incredibly yummy!
Beautiful pizza! It’s so funny that you posted this. Friday night is always pizza night at our house and I was planning to head to the farm stand to see what veggies they had to offer to top the pizza. I’m hoping for some beautiful squash!
I love goat’s cheese and zucchini, but never thought of using both for a pizza. Sounds totally delicious.
This is just so damn cute. Very elegant for something so simple. And although you say your preggo cravings are boring, they seem to be inspiring you to cook up some damn creative, and really wholesome stuff.
Now I am mad at you.
I have pulled so many recipes off of your site to bring along with me on our annual family vacation at the Lake. I just returned from the grocery store (with my 3 little ones) with all of the ingredients I needed. Then I logged on to get the blueberry recipe and I see this delicious and simple recipe.
Im mad because I now need to strap 3 into the car seats to go get goat cheese!
Thanks :)
What a gorgeous pie! I recently made a goat cheese risotto with squash and zucchini and it was amazing, so I know this would be good! Goat cheese spread on pizza is my favorite.
wow. considering that i’m 5 months pregnan, hungry constantly and a ginormous zucchini lover, I may have to make this Sunday night’s dinner…but do it on the grill. So beautiful, so simple. My mouth is watering just looking at these images.
That looks delicious! I love finding new ways to use squash!
Absolutely beautiful
Oh wow I’m making this for dinner tomorrow!
I love this, it’s a very interesting alternative to regular pizza!
Oh my! Now I know what to do with all my stinkin squash!
This sounds so fully simple and delicious. I think with eggplant mixed it I would be in summer fare heaven!
healthiest pizza i’ve seen in the internet world and the regular world. :)
very lovely. this is going into my recipe scrap book!
ps – the eggplant addition by dana in cleveland sounds like a plan, too!
I can’t remember if you fall into the camp of people who are annoyed when someone says, “I made your recipe but changed these 5 things…”. So, I wanted to comment that I made this but added a few sauteed mushrooms and caramelized onions (I was worried that it might be dry bc I like a really crispy crust, and I’ve been craving the onions since I had the grilled gruyere at ‘wichcraft). I also added thyme with the onions and didn’t have basil. It was awesome…really, so good. My only problem was that I didn’t spread the goat cheese very evenly so some bites were dry, but most were spot on. Thanks for another great one! :)
Just made this for dinner after picking up some zucchini at the farmer’s market – it was delicious! I think I will be making this numerous times this summer! :)
Wow…now that’s a pizza. Hey…you going to write a cookbook??
Amy – I am jealous…wish I could eat at Wichcraft!!
Made this tonight with the first zuke from my garden! It was beautiful and delicious. Used a little grated parmesan instead of salt on top. I put it on the wine and honey pizza dough from your “Pizza, updated” post, which is my all-time favorite dough. Happy, happy, happy!
Wow, this recipe sounds so yummy! I was given some zuchinni tonight from a neighbor who has a garden so I will have to try and make this one. Thanks, and good luck with all the cravings. I ate lemons for a whole week while preg. :)
when i was studying in italy – we would get “fast food” pizza – where they’d cut it in squares and wrap it up for you. and they had such differnet toppings. one of my favorites was like this which had just thin slices of zucchini. my other favorite was one with sliced potato!
Made this last night and loved it! Thank you!
Goat cheese + lemon + veg is a heavenly pizza combination. I’ve sadly had to shelve our favorite free-styled variation, but you should bookmark it for next asparagus season: asparagus sliced and tossed with olive oil, a few blobs of goat cheese, and anchovies. Top with lemon zest and cracked pepper when it comes out of the oven. Crazy good.
Don’t feel bad about not cooking a real dinner in over a month. I don’t know any 3rd trimester moms who want to spend more than 20 minutes, tops, on their feet in front of a heating surface! You put the rest of us to shame as it is – healthy cravings??? ;)
Just made this last night for dinner. Absolutely delicious! I made a whole wheat version of the pizza crust and mixed some oregano into the goat cheese for a little extra flavor.
I feel like ricotta would be a really good substitute for goat cheese here, especially if you can get it freshly made from an italian market (or make it yourself if you’re feeling ambitious.)
Deb,
This looks absolutely delicious! Everyone in my family LOVES goat cheese, so I will have to give this a try.
This sounds just amazing. . .You had me at goat cheese and lemon. (which, by the way, the recent post with the goat cheese, lemon, and asparagus with pasta was also fantastic.)
Pizza stone question: (I read all of the comments on the dough post) – I was given an All Clad pizza stone as a wedding gift that is not ceramic-seeming like many – it is a dark stone and obscenely heavy. I have never been able to bake anything on it without pretty much gluing the food to the surface. I have baked it with oil on it several times hoping to season it. .. Any suggestions?
Just beautiful! I wish I liked goat cheese… :( My sister loves goat cheese and she’s coming for a visit. We’ll have to make it one of the nights she’s here. :)
I also wanted to let you know I’ve given you a little award on my blog. It’s not much, and I feel half-way lame giving it to you (being only 1 of your zillions of readers), but I have really loved your blog. So thanks for all of the awesome posts!
Are you for real? Your vegetable love makes me so happy. With the summer heat my brain just melts and I get no inspiration for new ways to cook things. Then I go to your blog, then I make it, then I am happy, then my husband thinks I am really smart and domesticated. Thanks for making meal planning something I look forward too!
You’ve been reading my mind! Pizza has been calling to me. I’ve made a hot pita sandwich filled with zucchini and mozzarella but a a pizza with zucchini really appeals to me. My family loves lemon anything so the lemon juice added to the goat cheese sounds like my perfect pizza for dinner!
I love how your recipes are open to creative additions. I love cooking this way!
Thank you!
That looks so yummy. I will definitely make it. We ate our first zucchini yesterday and there is another one coming. We are having a GREAT summer this year (near Seattle) and we really deserve it because the last two summers were cool and rainy and the last two winters were awful too. Goat cheese and lemon too. I should have been born in Italy or Greece.
I am from Seattle too. Made this pizza last night – including your recipe for the crust. It was great! My husband was skeptical but he loved it too. Thanks! I have zucchini growing in my garden too so will be making this frequently.
Love the lemon twist on this. Given the abundance of courgettes in the garden this weekend, this is on the menu this evening, despite having cleaned the oven ready to sell, this is going to tempt me to risk a splatter or two! Nice one XX
This looks absolutely wonderful! I love goat cheese! Thank you for the recipe! :)
Wow! That looks like perfect pic-nic food! I love goat cheese, but who doesn’t?
Inspired by this, I made a pizza topped with boursin and roasted garlic puree, then chopped onions and sliced portobellos. Wow.
Substituted 1/2 cup of flour for cornmeal as suggested in “How to Cook Everything”, but I won’t be doing that again, prefer the simple bread crust.
Had some trouble with parchment paper burning (!) in the oven, so substituted with foil instead, and that worked really well!
Thanks Deb!
I have leftover mandolined zucchini from last night. This WILL be lunch.
Thank you for your site. I love it.
The pizza looks lovely! I’m feeling hungry again even though I just had dinner! LOL
Big fan of your site. :)
Thanks for the great inspiration. We made this for dinner last night. I added finely chopped fresh mint to the goat cheese and added a little fresh mozzarella on top of the squash on one pizza. I used sundried tomatoes and basil with the goat cheese and added tuna to the squash for the other (my husband likes his protein!). Both were very yummy and we will definitely make them again.
I made this two nights in a row and was seriously considering making it three. Excellent, excellent. Am looking forward to trying some of the variation suggestions, especially potato.
I love goat cheese, so this appeals to me big time! Would do anything for a slice!
update: I just made this using fresh ricotta (from Casa de Mozzarella in the Bronx) and it was indeed fabulous. I didn’t have any cornmeal so I just oiled the pan a little and it didn’t stick at all. I would say the basil is nice, but not essential.
Yum!!!!! This looks delicious!
I just made this using yellow squash, whole wheat crust and boursin garlic & herb cheese instead of goat cheese. It was one of the best things I’ve made all summer. THANK YOU!
I’ve been wondering what to do with 3 large zucchini from a friend’s garden for a few days. Now I feel completely stupid for not coming here first for inspiration. Of course you would have just the thing. Thank you!
This pizza made my kitchen smell all fragrant and herbal. I never would’ve thought that goat cheese and pizza dough would go together, but now I can’t wait to have a slice for lunch tomorrow!
I am a newcomer to your blog….saw this the other night and knew it would be perfect for our pizza night. It was. I forgot to put the basil on, but it was still wonderful. I loved the lemon flavor throughout. Such a great summer pizza! Thanks!!
The zucchinis look a bit dry. Did you brush them with olive oil?
Oh Man! I cooked this the night I read this. We sat by the pool with some wine and this pizza. It rocked my socks off. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I made a similar pizza to this one this weekend (of course inspired by the Smitten Kitchen) with an aubergine and a courgette instead of two courgettes, and a pepperonata-sause as the base, topped with mozzarella. I have to say making a pizza is such a yummy way to put those first, homegrown courgettes to good use :) There are pictures of the cheese-laden creation on my blog. Unfortunately, aubergines are remarkably un-photogenic in their cooked state! Thanks for all the brilliant pizza recipes you post here Deb! (homemade) pizza to the people :)
Dijana — Roasting vegetables does indeed dry them. That said, yes, I forgot to add my olive oil until the pizza was half-baked. Your results may be more glistening.
Wow – looks great… Did you get a pasteurised goat cheese? I am most full term and have avoided soft cheeses my whole pregnancy… and now am regretting it if there are some that are safe!!! I am off to the market to see if I can find a safe cheese!
Soph — I find it harder to find a goat cheese at grocery stores that is not pasteurized than one that is. Keep in mind that you’re also roasting the heck out of this cheese, top temperature for 15 minutes. But I’m not an expert, a doctor or even particularly vigilant — do what makes sense for you.
Deb, yours is my favorite food blog. Love your writing style and take on foods in general and your recipes and photos!
For some reason I didn’t like this pizza. I love all the ingredients, but together it became something that didn’t agree with me. Was it the lemon with the goat cheese combination that just, to me, clashed? Pizza is close to my favorite food! The only change was the addition of some sauteed red onion which is always good, no? Also, did not have fresh basil which would have helped.
Thanks for your great blog.
:) I also baked zucchini pizza over the weekend!
I find the best trick to bake pizza is to pour a cup of hot water into a heated pan placed in the oven. The steam really helps dough to bake better.
I usually bake pizza at 500F – I feel like the hotter the better but my oven only goes to 500F.
This is the first time I’ve seen a recipe and have made it the same day. It did not disappoint. So good!! Thank you!
I made my dough yesterday and let it rise before punching it down and putting in the fridge to make today for dinner. Thanks for the recipe! And though I don’t have goat cheese or all of the ingredients for this particular pizza, I will make mine with zukes and squash blossoms. Hope it’s yummy!
What an AMAZING recipe, Deb! Love it! As you may know, i work with Chavrie goat cheese and this gets two thumbs up on my end. I will be sharing this recipe with all my foodie goat cheese lovers!
Thanks for a great post!
You are right – this was wonderful! It was my first time making pizza dough (I am still just getting my feet wet in this whole cooking thing) and it turned out beautifully! Thanks for making it all so simple… Is it wrong that, though I ate almost the whole pizza last night, I am thinking what else I can put on an new pizza tonight?
I made yesterday on Pillsbury thin crust pizza dough. No squash all zucchini. It was so tasty! Thanks for the great idea!
Yum, yum and yum! Tried it this weekend, and man alive, that lemonified goat cheese is to DIE for!!! I made it with a Trader Joe’s wheat pizza crust, which was fabulous. Of course, when you said to play around with it, I took you at your word and added tomato slices, spinach and a small layer of fresh mozarella. Were I to do it again, I’d nix the mozarella and perhaps chop the spinach because it made the top layer of tomato, zuccchini and squash slip right off! Nevertheless, it tasted great. Next time I’ll stick to your perfection. ;)
One of the first things my friend asked me when I returned from a two-week vacation was, “Did you see what Smitten posted today?” I hadn’t, so she proceeded to tell me all about this recipe. Except that in her late-night excitement, she actually got the whole thing wrong. “It’s like this pizza with lemons and cucumbers.”
But just to let you know how much faith I have in your food (and my friend’s tastes) I totally got excited about the idea of flavors more commonly found in water than pizza.
Anyway, I have to say I was even more thrilled to learn what this pizza actually entails. Picked up yellow and green zucchini yesterday :)
This pizza was INCREDIBLE. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
wow that is one BEAUTIFUL pizza. i just had a pizza party fest last night–but the design/construction/beauty of the pizza pie is something that i have to work on mastering. but you, deb, have it DOWN!
OMG! I just made this pizza. I was reading through and had dough rising and everything on hand. How ironic. This was AMAZING. Thank you
I made this for dinner tonight and it was incredible. I would never ever have thought to put those ingredients together but am so glad that you are on the job. I raised a glass of a lovely chilled pinot grigio to you (okay, two), as instructed. The dough recipe worked great too.
I made this tonight with the first sacrificial garden zuke. My 16 year old nephew, who treats his visits to our home like an episode of Fear Factor, actually ate it. And made not a single gagging noise.
I also made this last night! I was too tired to cook, but stopped at the grocery store for ready-made sough. I added herbs de Provence to the cheese and also layered tomato with the zucchini. So easy and so good! Thanks for another great recipe, this is my favorite food blog :-)
Thanks Deb! I made this yesterday with the first courgettes from the garden. I prepared the dough in the morning before going to work and left it in the fridge to rise which worked really well. I gave the dough a quick blast in the microwave (15 seconds on high) to bring it back up to temperature before the second proving. Also for those of you who’s man refuses to recognise anything vegetarian as food – add some prosciutto crudo just as you take the pizza out of the oven – the saltiness works really well with the courgettes.
Made this last night using zukes and squash from my garden. Did it on the grill a la Serious Eats! and it was amazing. One of my guests suggested sauteeing the veggies first which I might try next time. There will definitely be a next time!
Thank you so much for this Blog, sometimes I feel like a shlumpf for getting this for free.
I made this last night! It came out wonderful! I added a little fresh garlic to the goat goat cheese and lemon mixture, it was very good! Thank you!
Neysa and Cris, the taboo with the soft cheeses is the possibility of listeria bacteria that don’t normally make us sick, but can make the fetus sick. (goat cheese is generally unpasturized) My ob/gyn said if you cook the cheese, it would kill any bacteria (assuming you cooked it to steaming) so this recipe should be fine!
(which is good as I, also, am working on a little bun in the oven… ;)
THIS LOOKS SO GOOD!!
Wow! I’m drooling over this! Thanks for sharing the recipe! Zucchinis are abundant from my garden. This is a perfect 2nd day recipe after I make a zucchini carpacchio. It’d be nice if you put the zucchini flowers on top… mmm… Or triple batch the dough, freeze in single batch portion, and make caramelized onion and goat cheese pizza… I feel like back in Nice now!
I made a version of this, and it was fantastic. I could have honestly eaten the lemony goat cheese mixture out of the bowl and been happy, but since the pizza dough was rolled out, I went ahead. I will definitely use the lemon-basil-goat cheese combo again in other recipes as well.
This looks awesome. I can’t wait to try making one.
Love this pizza! I made it with boursin cheese as well and it was INCREDIBLE! With a side of your zucchini carpacchio (I had a lot of zucchinis). Your pizza dough recipe is great too. I doubled the batch and made another pizza today for lunch with my left over boursin some mushrooms and scallions and … still knocking my socks off. Thanks!
Just made this for dinner. I’m forcing myself to sit here and not finish the whole thing by myself. So much yum.
Yum! I just made this for lunch using zucchini from our garden and loved it. Thank you so much for sharing.
just made this because we got a ton of zucchini in our CSA this week. amazing.
I made this last night, and I was dancing all over the kitchen because it was just that yummy. Thank you for really dazzling me with something so simple to make. I think it was the basil that did it… really put it over the top. I was lazy and used a pillsbury roll-out pizza dough, and it was still phenomenal. Thank you!!!
I made this last night and it was so wonderful! Thanks for the recipe!
I made this tonight, and it was truly fantastic. My zucchini- and squash-hating boyfriend had 3 pieces and I had to stop him from finishing it. The basil really does make it, and I had a ton of romano hanging around that I sprinkled on top which blistered nicely under the broiler. Great recipe, thanks!
I made this for dinner this week, with ricotta cheese instead of goat cheese. I love ricotta on pizza. I mixed some minced basil into the ricotta, and added some tomatoes with the vegetable on top. Delicious!
I made this for lunch with a friend this week and it was fantastic! Great use for the abundant zucchini in our CSA box right now. It’s definitely a keeper!
Thanks!
i made this and it was DELICIOUS!!!
great summer recipe and loved by all that were lucky enough to get a bite!
Made this last night with green zucchini, red onion and thyme. Loved it! Had leftovers for lunch today. Thanks for this inspiring recipe!
We made this last weekend, almost exactly as written, but on the grill with Heidi’s white whole wheat crust from 101 Cookbooks — so I had to change up some of the cooking directions. It was delicious. I am going to post the recipe on our site in a couple of days (I just posted another goat cheese recipe and don’t want my readers to think that all I eat is goat cheese, even though that may be the truth.) Deb, would you like me to post the link here once I post it? I don’t want to run afoul of your comment guidelines but figure that the post would be relevant to your readers. Thanks for the great recipe!
Delicious! My kids loved it too.
Thanks for yet another fantastic recipe.
We had this last night with pita bread as another poster suggested. Simply delicious and simple. We really wished we had white wine to pair with it. I think we’ll be having it again soon and we won’t forget the white wine.
My friends and I loved this. I didn’t mix the goat cheese with the lemon juice because I forgot. We just squeezed it on top before cooking and then gave everyone a wedge to squeeze more on after it came out of the oven. We all topped ours with red pepper flakes, too, which gave it a little more zing.
I just made this last night and got rave reviews!
;) amy
I made this last night. My variation was tomatoes and summer squash. It’s SO delicious. My sister and I arm wrestled over the last slice.
I came across this last week and just happened to have zucchini in the fridge. We made it that night and loved it – a tad lemony for me, I might cut back on that next time. But it will definitely be made again – Thanks!!
I made this this last weekend and felt like a genius (and not just for not cutting my fingers off with the mandoline). I think I personally would opt for a tiny bit less lemon juice next time but that didn’t stop me from eating the leftovers for lunch the next day!
You had me at “goat cheese!” I made this for supper tonight, using my food processor to cut the zucchini and squash. I made it exactly except used a store bought Boboli crust. It was FANTASTIC. Definitely a keeper. Thanks!
Had this for dinner tonight – incredibly tasty, and a great way to use up some of those CSA veggies. I’ll be enjoying it for lunch all week!
Oh, no. I think I may be developing a bit of an addiction to this pizza. Had it last night for the second time in a week or so. Woke this morning thinking about making it for lunch.
This looks amazing and will be on my list to make next week!
Neysa made the first comment and wondered about eating goat cheese when pregnant. I think that most FDA-approved cheeses you find in the store will say whether or not it is pasteurized, in which case it’s safe to eat!
This would be delightful with some roasted red peppers too! A yummy dinner idea for this week! Thanks!
I made this last night to take to our local Connecticut winery for a picnic dinner with friends + our 3 kids and their 2 kids. I used all zucchini from the garden, and my big switch was using about 4 ounces of neufchatel cheese mixed via mixer with shredded “italian mix” cheese from the grocery store. Added in flat leaf parseley and basil because that’s what’s in my garden. Used Barbara Kingsolver’s whole wheat pizza dough recipe from “Animal Vegetable Miracle”.
**note–when using a pizza stone or cookie sheet, make sure to sprinkle with cornmeal before putting dough on. I forgot this only once, and now I remember EVERY time!
The verdict: Grownups loved it, although I’m glad I didn’t use goat cheese because not all the grownups said they would have liked it (I would have, though). The kids were about 1/2 and 1/2 about it, even though I didn’t call it “pizza” because it was nontraditional and I didn’t want them to expect a red pie with pepperonis. My theory is even if kids are a little picky, eventually when they are ready to branch out, they’ll know that different food exists. Plus, they were more interested in running around with their friends. Thanks for a great recipe!
I made this pizza (following your recipe as is) and it was amazingly delicious!!! My husband was so impressed… I’ll definitely be doing it again & also trying new toppings. It was the first recipe I’ve tried from your site (I only discovered it recently) & I was so impressed that I did another of your featured recipes a day later (the arugula/potato/walnut salad). It was also sooo yummy! I am now hooked on your site. Thanks for sharing all your cooking knowledge with the rest of us & looking forward to more delicious food!
Okay, I am finally getting the grilled zucchini goat cheese pizza recipe up on our site with Heidi’s whole wheat pizza crust. It was delicious!
I liked this even more than I thought I would. But my lemon must have been big or extra lemony or something, because the goat cheese mixture was downright pucker-inducing. I didn’t add the rest of the lemon juice. Still, the pizza was great.
I recently made this dish and LOVED it!! My husband usually has an aversion to squash and zucchini (his mom made them a lot when he was a kid and they weren’t made well). He LOVED this pizza too! I think with some time, that I could get my kids to eat it as well….but as long as fresh squash and zucchini are available, this will be our regular pizza!! Delicious! Thank you so much for sharing!!!!
I made this last night with my fiance and we ate the whole pizza between the two of use. It was so fresh tasting and simple to put together; will become a staple summer pizza for me.
I made this a couple weeks ago with cream cheese instead of goat cheese (cause I couldn’t find goat cheese, but now I know I can get it at Trader Joe’s). I used both yellow and green zucchini. It was delicious! Even my husband and his buddy loved it – they went back for seconds. This is my favorite summer pizza. Thanks for the recipe.
I made this tonight with your flatbread for a crust. It was really good, but it needed a new name. Between the crust and the toppings, it wasnt really pizza. We love any excuse for goat cheese though and the garden is swimming in zukes. Perfect dinner! As always, thanks!
Finally got around to making this today. Delicious!
This is fabulous! I used a pre-made crust, as I can’t bake, and it still tastes heavenly. The leftovers are really good cold, right out of the refrigerator.
the crust was the best i’ve ever had…especially when baked on a stone. however, i thought something was off balance in terms of the whole pizza. i think next time i’ll add more salt, pepper, basil, and a little crushed red pepper flake to help counter the creaminess and acidity.
YES! Well, ok, it’s not zucchini season so I’ll have to use some of the not-so-good ones in the store, but a couple of weeks ago we picked up some lemon goat cheese because it looked fun but I’ve been stumped as to what to do with it. Problem solved. Thanks!
A customer at my work told me about your website. He was making the Southwestern Brisket for his girlfriend for her birthday. Consider me “died and gone to heaven” !!
Love zucchini, Love goat cheese, what more needs to be said? May try using my naan bread recipe as the pizza crust next time. TASTY!
Thanks!
Great idea. I just made something similar using the zucchini & lemon as a launchpad. I love to use whatever I have OH to make interesting pizzas. One half was just Trader Joe’s whole wheat pizza dough, rolled thin, and topped with a little olive oil, herbes de provence, mozzarella, thinly sliced zucchini tossed in a bit of lemon juice, and feta crumbles. Yum! My 2 year old even loved it. Thanks for the idea!
Not expecting to see an update here anytime soon but…if folks are just sitting around with nothing to do…
I’ve made this several times (with lemon olive oil and lemon basil; sigh). It is delicious but the dang thing won’t stay round when I put it in the oven. Or square. Or rectangular. Not when I use a stone; not when I use cornmeal; blah blah blah. It messes up my beautiful squash designs. What am I doing wrong?
There’s no rule that pizza has to be round — I like it better a little rustic and handmade looking, personally.
Elizabeth: I had the shapeless pizza problem before and I think it had something to do with the dough being too cold when shaping it mixed with an inconsistent oven!
I make mine on a pan (with a better oven now!) and I find if I put the pan on the stove top while the oven is heating it warms the dough a little to a nice malleable, non shrinking point. But I am no chef so this might be bad? but it works so…!
O, this is my first comment ever and I just wanted to say: Love love love this site!
You can try modifying this recipe by using ricotta cheese which is also great with pizzas. I buy my pizza crusts premade and that saves a load of time naturally! :)
I love this recipe! If I make it again I will use both whole zucchinis…I think that will give it more of a zucchini flavor!
Does this recipe keep well? I’m just cooking for me and I put half of it in the fridge.
This was great! I was actually expecting to like, but not love, this…but it was fantastic! We have pizza every sunday, and I always make one ‘traditional’ pizza (e.g. mozzarella cheese and toppings), and one ‘fun’ pizza. This is the first time my husband has liked the ‘fun’ pizza more than his standard pepperoni!
The goat cheese and lemon made a very nice combination–I will definitely incorporate these two ingredients together into other meals.
I made this tonight, and it was lovely! I experimented a bit with the dough and toppings … did 1/2 bread flour and half wheat (the dough turned out great, I thought … probably thicker than yours, but thinner than pan crust). For the toppings, I added red onion, green bell pepper and some sauteed chicken. This made my husband a bit happier with the end product; I talked to him today about the idea of going vegetarian for a while, and I think it was almost too much for him! I figure I’ll win him over slowly and surely. :)
Only problem with the end result of my pizza was that there was nothing to hold the extra toppings on top, so we had to eat it carefully!
Holy moly, we made this last night and it was amazing. We did it on the grill – two mins on one side, flipped it over, inelegantly covered it with the goat cheese and dumped the zucchini on top for another two minutes. I added some lemon zest to the squash, topped with a bit of parm and basil. Thank you!
I made this last night and it was SO yummy! It got a little soggy in the middle (I blame my pizza dough) but was such a bright flavor for summer. I was thinking next time I might add pine nuts to the goat cheese mixture for an earthy flavor… So yummy!!
Delicious!
Oh my gosh. This was so good. I think I’ll be making this over and over and over. Thanks for yet another good and no-fuss recipe, Deb. Love your site.
I came upon your recipe a month ago and made it one night when I was cleaning out the freeze before holidays. My husband hasnt stopped telling people how great this was. His comment was that once he had one piece he asked if anyone else wanted any because he was going to finish the rest!!
This will be my 3rd time. Great starter pizza to add to and I love goat cheese. Ty
Thanks for the inspiration! I will try a variation on this to use up some heirloom Italian summer squash we are growing. (bacon sounds like a good thing to try with this).
One question/comment: Why does your pizza dough look spungy? Is that your recipe or are you using too much dough? (or do you like a thicker crust?).
Thanks again!
-a
This pizza looks so simple and yet delicious. Very light meal for on diet.
YUM! I just had this for dinner, sans the basil (forgot to buy some…). It was great, but a little too zesty for me. I think next time I might sprinkle crumbled goat cheese on the crust rather than spreading a layer of it, and then top the veggies with a bit of lemon juice rather than mix it in with the cheese to bring it down a couple notches. This recipe will definitely be in my regular meal rotation ;)
I just made this and it turned out beautifully! Zucchini with the goat cheese on it…YUM! I’m going to try a different variation this weekend and see how that turns out.Thanks for the recipe!
OMG DEB!!!! This is my second time this week making a recipe from your site. I had never heard of it, but I also JUST got into cooking. One of my friends pointed me to it and I am OBSESSED with the food and photos. I just made this pizza and I am depressed because my last few bites are coming up. This looked delicious but tasted even MORE delicious than I could have possibly imagined!!!! I guess this is a summer dish because you said summer pizza but I made it in December and it was phenomenal!!! I can’t wait to make it again! :) Thank you so much!!! (The second dish I made a couple of nights ago was Alex’s Chicken and Mushroom Marsala–it was to die for–I made it with a side of Asparagus Risotto yumm…my boyfriend loved it! and he’s kind of picky so that means a lot!!!) Thanks Deb!!!
Ok also this may be a dumb question, and I searched through the comments to see if anyone had asked it before but how did you cut the pizza slices? I know that sounds stupid but my “pizza cutter” just smooshed the zucchinis and I had to rearrange afterwards (so it didn’t look as pretty as yours)…maybe it’s too dull? Or did you use a serrated blade or maybe just an extra sharp knife? Thanks! DELICIOUS recipe (although I cheated and used a store bought dough because it’s exams and I’m short on time hehe) Thanks again Deb, you amaze me!
I use a good serrated knife more often.
That has to be one of the most colourful Pizzas i have ever seen, great post will be trying with my 4 yr old daughter.
this looks great, I hope I’m right in thinking zucchini is what we in UK call courgette.
I’m definitely gonna give it a go.
Yummy & Colorful pizza!
You’ve lighted the idea to grow and harvest vegetable (yes, includes this zucchini) for our fresh meals.
Oh, thanks to Lynn Lovejoy, I finally know that I should have a nice serrated knife to make my pizza look better!
I made this tonight and it’s divine. Fantastic recipe to use up our zucchini this summer. thanks!!
We just started with a CSA and zucchini were in the first batch. I decided that SK was the perfect place to find a recipe – FABULOUS!! Even on a scorcher of a day, this pizza was refreshing and delicious. I can’t wait to take it for lunch tomorrow!
What a great “light” summer meal. Instead of goat cheese, I used the Homemade Ricotta posted here on the Smitten Kitchen website. Since that ricotta has a “lemony” flavor already, it really came together perfectly in this pizza and what a pretty presentation! Plus, what a great recipe to use up the tons of zucchini/yellow squash/basil coming out of my garden this time of year. My neighbors are running from me due to the amount of vegetables I keep trying to give them! Yummo!
Thanks for the recipe. Wonderful display, hope mine comes out like that :-)
I guess I’m a bit late to the party on this, but I just wanted to add how much I liked this. I added mushrooms and cherry tomatoes two vegetables that, like the yellow and green zucchini has been sitting in my refrigerator waiting to find a home. All in all a great recipe. I look forward to making it next time we have dinner with my dairy-allergic cousin.
Ok also this may be a dumb question, and I searched through the comments to see if anyone had asked it before but how did you cut the pizza slices? I know that sounds stupid but my “pizza cutter” just smooshed the zucchinis and I had to rearrange afterwards (so it didn’t look as pretty as yours)…maybe it’s too dull? Or did you use a serrated
A good serrated knife works well. Used gently.
Ok also this may be a dumb question, and I searched through the comments to see if anyone had asked it before but how did you cut the pizza slices? I know that sounds stupid but my “pizza cutter” just smooshed the zucchinis and I had to rearrange afterwards (so it didn’t look as pretty as yours)…maybe it’s to
A good serrated knife, used gently, works well.
Never would have even thought to do this- zucchini, goat cheese and pizza who knew?. But I tried this recipe and was simply wonderful!
Since it has been unseasonably warm in good ol’ Oklahoma, our summer produce is still tasty. This will be on our menu next week for sures! And I’m excited to try the pizza dough, as I’m just testing my hand with yeast doughs! Thank you for the great idea!
Oh my..I HAVE to try this…NOW!!! So simple, but sounds so amazing! Thanks for this! :)
I love anything with lemon in, but I’d never have thought of it as part of a pizza topping. I can’t wait to have a go at this recipe now. I agree with the person who commented that your slices look very neat too – they almost look like they’ve been cut by a surgeon :)
This is so delicious and healthy! and it’s simple to make. Always love zucchini. Used mozzarella as my son doesn’t like goat cheese. Nothing is better from homemade and fresh from the oven. Will definitely make it often. Thanks for the recipe!
OMG I am soo excited about trying this tonight. My boyfriend is already not excited, he says he hates zucchini but I know he has never tried it… he just wants beef… ugh men! Lol.
I just made this and it is now become my (and my roommates) new favorite summer recipe. I wish I had this recipe last summer when I was up to my neck in zucchini from my dads garden. I think I might try some tomatoes on it next time :)
First time commenter, I absolutely love your site! This was fabulous and really easy. Next time I might add some arugula.
Wow, this looks absolutely delicious!
Given that zucchini and fetta are two foods that I try to incorporate into a lot of my dishes, this is something that I definitely want to give a try.
By the way, nothing beats home made pizza either!
My, has it been an entire year since I made this pizza? I guess that’s what missing three weeks at the farmer’s market will do to one’s summer food enjoyment.
Note to frustrated pizza shapers: I now believe the secret for shaping (fairly) round crusts is merely practice. The same theory applies to achieving flaky pie dough, light biscuits, and so forth.
I made this last night with the honey and wine version of the dough recipe, but used whey for the water and wine and did half whole wheat flour, half white. Spread fresh ricotta made with your recipe and layered the zucchini, squash, some sliced tomatoes, and slivered bell pepper. It was really good! I liked the lemon flavor with the veggies. The crust was delicious. I’m excited to make up new pizza combinations. Thank you Deb!
This was the inspiration for a pasta dish I made for a dinner party tonight with some fresh mostaccioli. It was amazing.
I dont’ even like summer squash, but this was delicious. I will add this to the list of was to use up other people’s garden leftovers that they generously give me.
It certainly looks amazing. I’m going to try this out for my girlfriend later.
What a perfectly wonderful way to eat zucchini! And I love the combination with goat cheese though I wonder how it would taste with mozarella as goat cheese tends to be saltier and my boyfriend is on a salt restricted diet. Will have to try it out!
Hi Deb. We made this last night and I just wanted to say thank you, it was divine. I couldn’t stop eating it. As always, your recipes deliver extremely tasty results. Thanks!
Delicious pizza! Slight variation we thought turned out really well: caramelized onions laid between the well-peppered lemony goat cheese and the basil. Thoroughly enjoyed! Thanks!
I’m up to my eyeballs in zucchini, and made this last night. It was AMAZING. I used a big hunk of feta for the goat cheese and added extra lemon juice and olive oil to make it smooth. It’s possible that I ate some of the cheese/lemon/oil mixture straight from the bowl with a spoon. Thank you!
Mine is in the oven right now. I added some shredded prosciutto on top of the goat cheese and under the squash, and sprinkled a restrained amount of mozzarella on top, just because. I cannot wait!
So I know I’m coming REALLY late to this party (but thank god I arrived at all!) and I will just say that I stirred the lemon zest into the goat cheese, and that was a good thing to do. :)
Made this last night with store bought whole wheat dough (my husband prefers whole wheat; in was skeptical but it worked!) and a mix of labneh cheese and ricotta and it was fantastic! Thanks!
Can this be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge?
I have now made this twice in one week, once for myself and again for a friend, and am already planning to make it again seeing as my garden is starting to pop with zucchini and summer squash. I also want to try it with prosciutto. Love the quick pizza dough recipe, and the lemony, goat cheese, summer squash topping is so bright and fresh and lovely on a pizza. Can’t say enough good things about it.
Add capers!! And arugula once you pull it out!!!
Probably gilding the lily, but I doubled the recipe, put tomato slices on 1, made a quick balsamic reduction to drizzle on top. Wish I had time for the prescribed wine…
This has been on my list to try for awhile. It did not disappoint! I usually shy away from goat cheese on its own, but paired with the lemon, salt and oil it was divine! Thank you for this recipe!
This turned out SOO good!! I had it with white wine as per your suggestion and it was bliss. The only thing was the dough didn’t puff up around the edges, just stayed flat and got crunchy like a cracker. Maybe I didn’t let it rise long enough? I’ll definitely be trying this again soon!!
5 star!
Okay I love this so much and have the happiest belly now, but hear me out. Leftovers… for breakfast… with a crispy egg on top.