Lemon Pizza
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more details.
This fresh and flavorful lemon pizza combines creamy mozzarella with garlic, extra virgin olive oil, parsley, nutty parmesan, and bright lemon. It’s absolutely delicious!
It’s a flavor-packed white pizza perfect for summer!
Let me start by saying that I’ve been in love with this lemon pizza for years. This unusual pizza combo uses basic ingredients but packs a lot of flavor that blows me away every single time.
Join my newsletter for free weekly recipes!
And I LOVE to make it over and over all summer long. It’s just so delicious!
Firstly, I recommend using my easy pizza dough for the pizza crust. It is a breeze to whip up in one bowl; no stand mixer or kneading is required.
But what makes this pizza truly special is the brine.
The perfect combination of fruity olive oil, hints of garlic, lemon zest, and juice pairs wonderfully with mozzarella and parmesan cheese, making this pizza EPIC and perfect to please vegetarians and meat lovers alike!
But don’t take my word for it—try this white lemon pizza recipe, and I promise you’ll be hooked!
List of the ingredients
- Easy pizza dough (or your favorite dough)
- Mozzarella cheese in water (or firm shredded mozzarella)
- Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley
- Garlic
- Lemon
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & pepper
How to make lemon pizza
(Note: this is a quick description; the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)
- Start by making this pizza dough recipe, which is easy to make and requires minimal prep time. You can also use your favorite pizza dough.
- Next, make the brine by shaking the ingredients in a jar with a lid.
- Once the dough has doubled in size and fluffy, stretch it into a large rectangular or round shape (approximately 9×13 inches).
- Now it’s time to add the brine! Make a few dimples with your fingers, and pour the brine over the dough to fill those dimples. Next, scatter with diced mozzarella, a few slices of lemon, salt, and pepper.
- Bake until golden and crispy, and finish with fresh lemon juice, parmesan cheese, and extra parsley. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Pizza dough: I recommend using my easy pizza dough. Combine all-purpose flour, instant yeast, salt, water, and olive oil in a large bowl; no kneading is required. You can also use your favorite store-bought dough or recipe.
Cheese: I love using fresh whole-milk mozzarella in our pizzas, but the shredded low-moisture option works well, too. The grated parmesan cheese at the end adds its delicious, nutty, savory flavor, but you can skip it to make a vegetarian pizza.
Extra virgin olive oil: For a wonderful, fruity flavor! But you’re welcome to use regular olive oil if you wish.
Fresh parsley: It pairs so well with the garlic and olive oil, but you can use fresh basil or arugula leaves instead of parsley.
Lemon: We use juice and zest to intensify the lemon flavor.
Garlic: You can’t go wrong here. Garlic packs so much flavor, and it works great in the brine.
Salt & pepper: To enhance the overall flavor.
Tips for a crisp pizza crust
- Preheat the oven. A burst of initial heat from the hot oven is so important!
- Bake the pizza on the bottom rack of the oven, close to the heating element. This is the best spot in my oven to make the pizza bottom crispy. But since each oven is different, use the position that works best for you.
- Stretch the pizza dough using your fingers and try to keep all those gas bubbles inside the dough. Don’t use a rolling pin.
- Bake your pizza on a hot pizza stone or pizza steel. Alternatively, you can use a baking tray (see my tips in the recipe card!) and make sure the pizza stone is inside during preheating so it’s already hot when you bake your pizza.
- Transfer your pizza to the hot stone using parchment paper and a pizza peel. This helps greatly if you use a high-hydration dough like this no-knead dough.
- For more flavor, serve with freshly ground black pepper and some crushed red pepper flakes.
More white pizza recipes you’ll love!
- Olive pizza
- Bruschetta pizza
- Pumpkin pizza
- Fresh tomato pizza
- Artichoke pizza
- Quick Caprese pizza
- Spinach pizza
- Sun-dried tomato pizza
If you make this wonderful lemon pizza or have a question, leave a comment. I would love to hear from you and get your feedback!
For more recipe updates, subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.
Lemon Pizza
Ingredients
Pizza dough
- 1 ball Easy pizza dough (or store-bough dough)
Lemon Brine
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Mozzarella
- 5 oz (150 grams) fresh mozzarella (or from ½ to ⅓ cup shredded firm mozzarella)
To finish
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Pizza dough
- Follow the easy no-knead pizza recipe through step 5, including shaping the pizza and preheating the oven.
Lemon pizza
- Prepare the cheese: If using fresh mozzarella cheese in water, cut it into ½ inch thick pieces. If it’s very watery, you may want to dab the mozzarella with the paper towel to remove excess moisture.
- Shape the dough: when the dough is ready follow step 5, place the dough on a parchment paper sheet and starting from the center, gently press it out with your fingers until you get approx a 9×13 inch pizza. Then gently place the dough onto a pizza peel or onto the back of a rimmed baking sheet.
- Make the brine: Add the ingredients to a glass jar with a lid. Shake until well emulsified.
- Add the topping: Once the dough is stretched out, make a few dimples with your fingers, scatter the brine evenly over the dough, trying to fill the dimples with it. Add the mozzarella cheese.
- Bake the pizza: use the pizza peel to carefully transfer the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone. Bake the pizza until the cheese and crust are nicely browned. Each oven is different, keep an eye on it (e.g. in a forced fan oven it will take about 8-10 minutes).
- Serve: Top your freshly baked pizza with the fresh lemon juice, then sprinkle the parmesan cheese and the parsley. Finish with more black pepper or a touch of chilli flakes if you like. Slice and serve immediately.
The temp was confusing and not clear. The brine and toppings was very flavorful. I used store bought pizza dough which I don’t think was the best. Wondering if I could use Naan bread next time. Sp it’s a little fluffier. But the brine and fresh mozzerella was delish. The red pepper flakes gave it some pizzaz
That’s great to hear, Robin! Thanks for sharing : )
Made this last night my family loved it! Was so delicious. Added a balsamic glaze at the end.
I’m glad it was delicious! Thanks for sharing, Ashley – that’s very appreciated. x
I would have never thought about lemon pizza but my goodness!! I added the lemon slices and cooked white chicken breast chunks before cooking then did it for 17min and mmmmmm!
Mouthwatering!!
Thanks so much for sharing, Melissa – that’s so appreciated. : )
Tried this today & it was SO good! I cheated a little & used a pre-made pizza crust by golden home (ultra thin), but followed everything else exactly. My husband can be hard to please with trying new recipes but immediately said “mmm” “fresh” “‘mmm” “fancy!”… i agreed. It was wonderful & will definitely be making it again. A keeper!
Amazing feedback, Taylor! It’s great to hear it was a hit also with your husband; I’m very very pleased.
Thank you for sharing. x
I made this but used vegan ingredients and cooked it on the grill. Really really excellent. I sided it with some grilled asparagus and a kale/arugula salad with toasted pine nuts, vegan Parm and a lemon vinaigrette. Will definitely be making this often. Thank you!
WOW! That sounds delicious, Keri. I love your side salad, perfect with this lemon pizza.
Thanks so much for sharing. x
What degrees is the oven at?
The recipe uses my pizza dough which requires to preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C.
But the hotter, the better. There’s a link in the recipe card. x
Admittedly, I was on the fence about LEMON pizza, but decided to give it a try. I had friends over and made it as an appetizer (in case it wasn’t a hit). My friends (and me, my husband, and my son) LOVED it! Out of 3 pizzas I made, it was the only one that had no leftovers!
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for sharing your great feedback, Stacie! : )
This is one of my favorite pizza recipes, and I’m so glad you guys loved it too. x
Just made this and it was soooo delicious! The crust was super easy to make and the lemons are so unique and yummy. The options to create different toppings with the crust are also endless.
That’s a great feedback, Heidi! I’m very pleased you loved this recipe, thanks so much for sharing. : )
Can i add sausages to it? If so, at which point?
Hi! Add your sausages when you add mozzarella (before baking), and tear them into small bites so they cook quickly. x
The picture shows lemon slices on top of the pizza, but I don’t see them in the recipe. Do you cook them or add them fresh on top after baking?
Hi Marianne, sorry for the confusion. The lemon slices are added before baking.x
I bet pine nuts would go well with this recipe. Maybe toasted. I can’t wait to try this! Thank you for sharing!!
Yes!! I vote for toasted pine nuts, too. : )
Thanks for your comment, Diane. x
I’m sure it’s right in front of my face and I missed it, but I don’t see what temperature to heat the oven at….
Hi! The recipe uses my-knead dough ans says: “Follow the easy no-knead pizza recipe through step 5, including shaping the pizza and preheating the oven (which includes oven temp).
Sorry for the confusion. Next time, if in doubt, use the max oven temperature: the hotter the oven, the better… when it comes to pizza! Hope you’ll love it. : )
Very good! More of a focaccia, than a pizza, for me. Try to let it cool a bit. When it’s hot, it is bitter. When it’s cooled a bit, the crust becomes full of beautiful lemony flavour. I will definitely make this again. Also, I added pecorino and parm, rather than mozzarella.
That’s mouthwatering! : )
I’m so pleased you loved it, Lisa. Thanks so much for sharing your amazing feedback. x