This Garlic Parmesan Pizza is so creamy, cheesy, garlicky, and delicious. Made with a homemade parmesan garlic pizza sauce and topped with plenty of mozzarella cheese, you'll love how quickly and easily this pizza comes together. It's perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or a big Friday night pizza party.
I love making pizza at home. With a million different ways to customize your own pizza, it's a fun way to get creative in the kitchen.
Garlic parmesan white pizza is one of my absolute favorites. It's cheesy, creamy, garlicky, and a fantastic base for adding lots of delicious pizza toppings. Plus, the homemade garlic parmesan cream sauce makes this pizza extra special.
Ready in just 30 minutes, this vegetarian pizza is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.
>> Have sourdough starter? Make this pizza using my Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough recipe as a base. It's delicious!
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What is White Pizza?
White pizza, sometimes called pizza bianca or white pie, is any pizza that is made without the traditional marinara sauce or tomato-based pizza sauce.
Instead, white pizza is typically made with a creamy béchamel sauce or alfredo sauce. It often also has garlic as a topping or as part of the cream sauce. Similar to a traditional pizza, it can be topped with many different pizza toppings.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Flavorful- Creamy, cheesy, garlicky - what's not to love? This pizza is drool-worthy good and is easily one of my favorite pizza recipes.
- Ready in 30 Minutes- Homemade pizza in less than 30 minutes? Absolutely! Starting with already-made fresh pizza dough means this pizza comes together in no time.
- Make Ahead Friendly- If you really want to get a head start on pizza night, you can easily make the garlic parmesan sauce and the pizza dough a day or two ahead of time. Then, just assemble, bake, and you're good to go.
- Vegetarian- Perfect for those who want to enjoy pizza night without any meat!
- Easily Customizable- Garlic parmesan sauce pizza is the perfect blank slate for all of your favorite pizza toppings. Love grilled chicken? Add some! Pepperoni? Sure thing. Mushrooms and spinach? You bet.
Ingredient Notes
Here are some notes on key ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Pizza Dough- Fresh pizza dough is a must for this recipe. You can either make your own pizza dough from scratch or use store-bought. Don't forget to pull it out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before you want to use it for easier stretching.
- Mozzarella Cheese- I recommend using a block of part-skim, low-moisture mozzarella cheese that you grate yourself at home. Freshly shredded mozzarella melts better than the pre-shredded stuff in the bag.
- Parmesan Cheese- Similarly, you'll want to grate your own parmesan cheese for this recipe. Not only does it blend more easily into the sauce, but it also tastes fresher and is more flavorful.
- Roux- A mixture of butter and flour in equal parts helps thicken the parmesan garlic pizza sauce. Cooking the roux for a few minutes before adding the milk gives the sauce a richer flavor.
- Milk- I used 2% milk for the sauce in this recipe.
- Garlic- You can't have parmesan garlic sauce without garlic. I prefer to use fresh garlic, which I cook for a few minutes in butter to help release its flavor.
- Basil- Add basil after the pizza is done cooking for a pop of herby freshness.
Equipment Notes
Here are some notes on any special equipment I used to make this recipe.
- Pizza Stone- A large pizza stone is a game-changer for making pizza at home. The stone gets ripping hot when preheated in a 550°F oven, which leads to a crispy pizza crust. I love my Pampered Chef Pizza Stone.
- Pizza Peel- A good pizza peel is super helpful for building and transferring your homemade pizza to the oven. I use a bamboo pizza peel, but metal ones work great too.
Step by Step Instructions
Here is how to make this garlic parmesan pizza recipe.
Preheat the Pizza Stone
Step 1: Prepare the oven. Place your pizza stone on a rack inside the lower third of the oven while the oven is still cold. Preheat the oven to 550°F (or as high as your oven will go). Once the oven has reached temperature, allow the pizza stone to preheat for an additional 30 minutes or so.
Note: Don't have a pizza stone? See the "Notes" section of the recipe card below for tips on how to use a baking sheet instead.
Make the Parmesan Garlic Sauce
Step 2: Make the roux. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook until the roux just begins to turn golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 3: Finish the parmesan garlic sauce. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking continuously to prevent any lumps from forming. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the parmesan cheese. Mix vigorously until the cheese has fully melted into the sauce. Season with kosher salt and black pepper and set aside to cool slightly.
Note: The recipe makes approximately ¾ cup of garlic parmesan sauce. If you prefer a pizza that's light on the sauce, just use less.
Make the Garlic Parmesan Pizza
Step 4: Stretch the pizza dough. Stretch the pizza dough to the desired size and place it on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper. Place the parchment paper on a pizza peel or on the back of a baking sheet for easy transfer to the hot pizza stone.
Quick Tip: Don't use a rolling pin to stretch out your pizza dough. Doing it by hand keeps the gluten relaxed and prevents the dough from completely deflating.
Step 5: Assemble the pizza. Spread a ½ to ¾ cup of the parmesan garlic sauce all over the pizza dough, leaving about a ½-inch border for the crust. Evenly sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the sauce. Season with Italian seasoning.
Step 6: Bake the pizza. Carefully slide the pizza with the parchment paper off of the peel and onto the pizza stone in the oven. Try to do this quickly to allow as little heat to escape as possible. Bake the pizza for approximately 8-10 minutes or until all of the cheese is bubbling and beginning to turn golden brown.
Step 7: Allow the pizza to rest. Using oven mitts, lift the pizza stone out of the oven and slide the pizza off onto a cooling rack. Garnish with fresh basil. Allow the pizza to rest for about 10 minutes prior to slicing.
Tips for Success
- Get your oven as hot as possible. Don't be intimidated by the high oven temperature. I promise you won't burn the pizza or your kitchen down. A hot oven is the secret to great homemade pizza with a deliciously crispy crust.
- Use homemade pizza dough. Fresh, homemade pizza dough tastes better and is often easier to work with than store-bought pizza dough. I typically make a double batch of my 72-Hour Pizza Dough recipe and keep the extras in the freezer for when we're craving pizza.
- Grate your own cheese. Freshly grated cheese tastes and melts better than pre-shredded cheese. Plus, it's often cheaper ounce for ounce. It takes a few extra minutes, but it's totally worth it.
- Transfer the pizza with a baking sheet. Don't have a pizza peel? Use the back of a baking sheet as a makeshift pizza peel.
- Don't have a pizza stone? No problem! You can use an upside-down baking sheet in a similar way you would a stone. Just place the baking sheet upside down on the oven rack and preheat it to 550°F. Then, use a pizza peel or another baking sheet to slide the assembled pizza onto the hot baking sheet.
- Make the sauce and dough ahead. If you know you're planning a Friday night pizza night, why not make the dough and sauce a few days before? That way, you'll save some time and get to enjoy pizza night even more.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few ways you can try customizing this parmesan garlic pizza to fit your diet and taste preferences.
Substitutions
- Pizza Dough- Homemade pizza dough, store-bought pizza dough, gluten-free pizza dough, and whole wheat pizza dough all work here.
- Mozzarella Cheese- Swap the mozzarella for shredded provolone or ricotta cheese. For a dairy-free alternative, look for shredded vegan mozzarella cheese.
- Parmesan Cheese- Asiago cheese and pecorino romano cheese are good substitutes for parmesan. You can also use nutritional yeast or dairy-free parmesan cheese if preferred.
- Milk- Any milk, cream, or half-and-half can be used. Plant-based milk can also be swapped for cow's milk.
- Garlic- Use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder in place of the fresh garlic.
- Flour- Swap the all-purpose flour for gluten-free all-purpose flour, if necessary. For a cornstarch-thickened sauce, sauté the garlic in butter, then add the milk. Dissolve one tablespoon of cornstarch in one tablespoon of water and whisk into the simmering milk.
- Butter- Try olive oil or a dairy-free butter alternative instead.
Variations
- Gluten-Free- To make this recipe gluten-free, you'll need to swap the pizza dough for a gluten-free alternative. Additionally, use all-purpose gluten-free flour in the roux or follow the instructions outlined in the section above to thicken the sauce with cornstarch.
- Vegetables- Add any combination of sautéed mushrooms, baby spinach, kale, broccoli, peppers, onions, tomatoes, or eggplant to make a delicious vegetable pizza.
- Meats- Pepperoni, Italian sausage, meatballs, and grilled chicken would all pair perfectly with this white pizza.
- Cheeses- Try adding ricotta cheese, goat cheese, or feta cheese.
- Spicy- Add a few shakes of red pepper flakes to the garlic parmesan cream sauce to give this pizza a kick.
What to Serve with Garlic Parmesan Pizza?
- Leafy Green Salad (Try my Spinach Caprese Salad or Kale Crunch Salad)
- Chicken Caesar Salad
- Roasted Vegetables (Like these Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Roasted Green Beans and Carrots)
- Soup (Like Tomato Soup, Vegetable Soup, or Chicken Noodle Soup)
- Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
- Garlic Bread, Breadsticks, or Dinner Rolls
- French Fries or Onion Rings
Storage and Reheating
Remember that pizza can only be kept at room temperature for up to 2 hours. If serving pizza to a crowd, be mindful of how long it has been sitting out on the counter.
How to Store
- Refrigerator- Wrap leftover pizza tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezer- Pizza will stay fresh and flavorful in the freezer for up to 2 months. Wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then again in aluminum foil to protect against freezer burn.
How to Reheat
- Oven- Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat it to 350°F. Add slices of leftover pizza to the hot baking sheet and cook for approximately 10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and the pizza is warmed through.
- Stovetop- Preheat a cast iron skillet or oiled stainless steel skillet over medium-low heat and add a slice or two of pizza. Cook for about 4-5 minutes or until the bottom crust is crispy and hot. Then, add a few drops of water and cover the pan with a lid to allow the cheese to melt.
- Microwave- Place a slice of pizza on a microwave-safe dish. Cover the pizza with a damp paper towel and microwave on HIGH in 30-second intervals until heated through.
- Air Fryer- Preheat the air fryer to 350°F. Place a slice of pizza in the air fryer basket and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until it's hot and crispy.
Make Ahead
For the ultimate convenience, you can make the entire pizza up to 4 days ahead of time and reheat it using the oven method mentioned in the "How to Reheat" section above.
However, for the freshest-tasting pizza on pizza night, it's best to cook it just before you're ready to enjoy it. So, if you want a jumpstart on pizza prep, have your fresh pizza dough and parmesan cream sauce ready to go.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Mozzarella is typically the main type of cheese found on a regular cheese pizza. However, the sharp tang and nuttiness of parmesan cheese compliments mozzarella cheese nicely.
Parmesan garlic sauce is rich, savory, garlicky, and creamy. It's a delicious sauce that makes this vegetarian white pizza feel like the ultimate cheesy breadstick pizza.
Parmesan cheese does tend to hold its shape more so than mozzarella cheese. But, in this recipe, we melt the parmesan cheese into the cream sauce so it is already melted before going into the oven.
If you have a little leftover parmesan garlic sauce, don't fret! It makes a delicious chicken wing sauce. It's also fabulous drizzled over potatoes, vegetables, chicken, seafood, and pasta.
Let's Connect!
Be sure to leave a comment below if you have any questions about the recipe. You can also connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or via email at [email protected].
More Pizza Recipes
📖 Recipe
Garlic Parmesan Pizza
Equipment
- Pizza stone *see notes if you don't have a pizza stone
Ingredients
For the Garlic Parmesan Sauce
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup 2% milk
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the Garlic Parmesan Pizza
- 1 large pizza dough room temperature
- 8 ounces (approximately 2 ½ cups) shredded mozzarella cheese low-moisture, part-skim
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves chiffonade (thinly sliced)
Instructions
Preheat the Pizza Stone
- Place your pizza stone on a rack inside the lower third of the oven while the oven is still cold. Preheat the oven to 550°F (or as high as your oven will go). Once the oven has reached temperature, allow the pizza stone to preheat for an additional 30 minutes or so.
For the Parmesan Garlic Sauce
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook until the roux just begins to turn golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- Slowly pour in the milk, whisking continuously to prevent any lumps from forming. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the parmesan cheese. Mix vigorously until the cheese has fully melted into the sauce. Season with kosher salt and black pepper and set aside to cool slightly.¾ cup 2% milk, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
For the Parmesan Garlic Pizza
- Stretch the pizza dough to the desired size and place it on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper. Place the parchment paper on a pizza peel or on the back of a baking sheet for easy transfer to the hot pizza stone.1 large pizza dough
- Spread a ½ to ¾ cup of the parmesan garlic sauce all over the pizza dough, leaving about a ½-inch border for the crust. Evenly sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the sauce. Season with Italian seasoning.8 ounces (approximately 2 ½ cups) shredded mozzarella cheese, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Carefully slide the pizza with the parchment paper off of the peel and onto the pizza stone in the oven. Try to do this quickly to allow as little heat to escape as possible. Bake the pizza for approximately 8-10 minutes or until all of the cheese is bubbling and beginning to turn golden brown.
- Using oven mitts, lift the pizza stone out of the oven and slide the pizza off onto a cooling rack. Garnish with fresh basil. Allow the pizza to rest for about 10 minutes prior to slicing.¼ cup fresh basil leaves
Notes
- Don't have a pizza stone? No problem! You can use an upside-down baking sheet in a similar way you would a stone. Just place the baking sheet upside down on the oven rack and preheat it to 550°F. Then, use a pizza peel or another baking sheet to slide the assembled pizza onto the hot baking sheet.
- Note: The recipe makes approximately ¾ cup of garlic parmesan sauce. If you prefer a pizza that’s light on the sauce, just use less.
- Storage: Store leftover pizza in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
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