Food & Cooking Recipes Quick & Easy Recipes Pizza Bianca 3.5 (29) With three cheeses, you won't miss the tomatoes. Close Credit: Petrina Tinslay Prep Time: 10 mins Total Time: 25 mins Servings: 4 Jump to recipe Often simply called white pizza, pizza bianca is quick to make—especially if you start with store-bought pizza dough. Just mix fresh ricotta with olive oil and garlic, spread it on the round of dough, and top with shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan. Bake and enjoy topped with a handful of fresh arugula tossed with olive oil. It's an elemental combination sure to make you question why you've eaten pizza with tomatoes all this time. Pizza Bianca What Is Pizza Bianca? As with many foods, there is no single answer. In the U.S., pizza bianca or white pizza, is a pizza that does not have cooked tomato sauce or fresh tomatoes. Generally, it is simply topped with cheese—usually more than one cheese, and often ricotta and mozzarella, along with an aged cheese like Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano that adds a rich, salty umami flavor, contrasting with the two creamy fresh cheeses. In Italy, pizza bianca is different. It is more like a thin, crisp, and chewy version of focaccia than what we call pizza. It is not topped with cheese, in fact it has no toppings other than olive oil, salt, and perhaps sesame seeds or rosemary. This, the original bread-like pizza bianca, is a favorite food of Romans who buy it by weight rather than by the slice. Other Toppings for White Pizza We think this white pizza is perfection topped with arugula, but here are some other topping ideas: Baby spinach makes a good substitute for the arugulaSkip the arugula and serve a salad or vegetables on the sideSautéed mushroomsRoasted red peppersCaramelized onions Don't overtop your pizza: Adding too much cheese (more than the recipe calls for) will make the pizza watery. Adding too many toppings, even when they are vegetables, makes the pizza too heavy so it won't bake as well or evenly. 19 Classic Italian Pasta Recipes Everyone Should Know How to Make Directions Preheat oven and roll dough: Preheat oven to 500°F. Lightly dust a work surface, rolling pin, and a baking sheet with flour. Roll dough out to a 13-inch round and transfer to sheet. Mix ricotta, oil and garlic: In a small bowl, stir together ricotta, 1 tablespoon oil, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Spread cheeses on dough: Spread ricotta mixture on dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with mozzarella, then Parmesan. Brush 1 teaspoon oil on edge of dough. Bake: Bake until crust is golden and cheese is melted and browned in spots, 12 to 14 minutes. Toss arugula with oil and top pizza: In a small bowl, toss arugula with 1 teaspoon oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Top pizza with arugula and serve. Cook's Notes Serve slices of this white pizza with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan, if you like. Frequently Asked Questions What is white pizza sauce made from? Unlike a typical red pizza, which is topped with tomato sauce, white pizza does not have a sauce. It is simply topped with olive oil, garlic, and cheeses. What is the difference between pizza Margherita and pizza bianca? The difference between pizza Margherita and pizza bianca is tomatoes. While pizza margarita has a topping of tomato sauce or marinara sauce with mozzarella, pizza bianca does not have any tomatoes and is a white pie. 6 More Vegetarian Pizza Recipes to Try: Tricolor-Salad Pizza Broccoli, Lemon, and Gouda Pizzas Zucchini and Caramelized-Onion Pizza Vegetable Lovers' Deep-Dish Pizza Wild Mushroom Skillet Pizza Individual Pizza With Arugula and Tomatoes Updated by Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer is an experienced food editor, writer, and recipe developer. She manages the decorvow recipe archive and is always curious about new ingredients and the best techniques. She has been working in food media for over 20 years.