Pizza with Peppers and Onions

Pizza with peppers and onions is a simple yet flavorful vegetarian pizza option! Made with a homemade crust and fresh ingredients, this pizza is loved by kids and adults like.

Two slices of pizza with onions and green peppers stacked on a plate next to a bowl of chili flakes.

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Pizza with peppers and onions
Ingredients
How to make homemade pizza
Top Tips
FAQ
More vegetarian pizza recipes
Recipe

We eat dinner outside every chance we get.

Summer meals on the deck are magical. There's a nest of baby robins nearby, the wind rustling in the trees, and music drifting out of a portable player on the roof.

Pizza is one of my favorite things to serve my family at deck dinners. It's easy to just carry the pans out and everyone can have their fill at their own pace.

Pizza with peppers and onions

Pizza with onions and green peppers is a personal favorite of mine because it's simple and easy to make. Placing the raw veggies on top of the cheese is the best way to get that perfect crisp-tender cook on them.

I usually double the dough recipe listed below for my large family, so what you're seeing here is a double version of that, but you still get a good idea of how the dough should grow and change.

Ingredients

Warm water
Quick rise yeast
Olive oil
Granulated sugar
Coarse kosher salt
Whole wheat flour
All-purpose flour
Cornmeal
Pizza sauce
Mozzarella cheese
Onion
Green pepper
Parmesan cheese
Crushed red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper

How to make homemade pizza

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add water, then sprinkle with the yeast. Allow to sit 5 minutes. The yeast should turn frothy.
Add the olive oil, sugar, and salt and mix. Add the whole wheat flour and mix again. With the motor running, add the all-purpose flour a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
Transfer dough to a floured counter and knead a few minutes before forming into a tight ball. Place the dough ball in a large oiled bowl and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm spot until doubled in size.
Dust a large baking sheet with cornmeal.
Punch the dough down and cut it in half, reserving one half for another use. Using your hands, gently stretch the dough into a square a bit before placing it on the baking sheet and continuing to spread it out.
Spread the pizza with the pizza sauce, then sprinkle on the mozzarella. Evenly distribute the onion and pepper, then sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Add crushed red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste.
Bake at 400ºF for 10 minutes or until the crust is beginning to brown and the cheese is melted. Slice and serve.

A slice of pizza with onions and peppers being lifted off a sheet pan.

Top Tips

How to handle pizza dough

You want your pizza dough to stretch evenly without tearing. I find it best to stretch it with my hands a bit before putting it on the pan and using my fingers to spread it further.

I use my knuckles and gravity to give the pizza dough a little stretch. The knuckles are more round and don't poke through the dough as easily as my fingertips do.

When you pull the dough out of the bowl, work quickly to drape it over one hand, curving your fingers like you're going to blow on painted fingernails to dry. Let gravity pull the dough down a bit, then swap it to the other hand, placing a thicker side on your other knuckles and stretching that portion.

Once you have a rough rectangle you can place the dough on the pan and use your fingertips to spread it out further.

A ball of pizza dough covered in oil in a glass bowl.

How to rise dough

My favorite tip for letting dough rise in the frigid world of Wisconsin is to turn my oven on for two minutes, turn it off, and place the dough bowl (covered with plastic wrap) in the oven. It is very important that you don't heat the oven for too long and that you remember to turn it off! Other than that, I get perfectly warm, risen dough every time.

How to store leftover homemade pizza

Allow the pizza to cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or the freezer for up to 3 months. If you need to stack slices, separate them with layers of parchment paper to prevent sticking.

Tips for customizing pizza with peppers and onions

Add sliced olives, mushrooms, and baby spinach to make it a supreme veggie pizza
Use caramelized onions and roasted red peppers in place of the onions and green peppers
Skip the whole wheat flour and use all white flour, adding just enough to keep the dough from sticking to your fingers
Swap the mozzarella and parmesan for your favorite cheese such as fontina or gruyere
Use a vegan cheese to make this vegan
Purchase a store bought pizza crust or gluten-free crust

FAQ

Is parmesan cheese vegetarian?

Most parmesan cheese is not vegetarian, so I recommend trying to find cheese made with vegetable rennet at a store near you.

Can I use a pizza peel and stone?

I don't own a pizza peel or stone (affiliate link), and find a baking sheet to work just fine for making pizza. If you do own one and want to use it, I'm sure it would rise better and come out more crisp. Check out Crust Kingdom for more on how to use a pizza peel.

Why do you put cornmeal on the pan?

Dusting the pizza pan with cornmeal helps give the crust a nice crunchy texture and keeps the dough from sticking to the pan. I use a medium grind cornmeal, but any would work. If you prefer not to use cornmeal, rub the pan with olive oil before adding your pizza dough.

How do you punch down pizza dough?

After your dough has risen, you'll want to release some of the gas that has accumulated. Do this by removing the cover on the bowl and lightly punching one fist into the dough. It should deflate. It is now ready to be rolled or stretched.