Chef notes
Summer squash may be one of the more mild vegetables on the market, but this pizza is anything but basic. And it’s so easy to make homemade pizza at home. A classic cheese and tomato pie is amazing, but white pizzas are criminally underrated. This one is a perfect summer meal, and it’s great to serve with a glass of chilled white wine or a sparkling mocktail.
Instead of the usual tomato sauce, we make a quick white sauce by whisking together heavy cream, goat cheese and grated garlic. It does the same job as tomato sauce, creating a saucy barrier between the dough and all of the toppings.
Speaking of pizza dough, you could certainly make your own recipe, but we like to use store-bought pizza dough here. It cuts down on some prep time and effort, making this a meal that you can throw together on any busy weeknight. Once you spread the creamy goat cheese sauce over the dough, layer on even more cheese — this time, mozzarella (a classic). All of the delicious summer squash and sliced shallots top it all off before it goes into a hot oven.
Technique Tip: The key to amazing pizza made at home is to cook the pie at a very high temperature and on the lowest oven rack. The base of the oven is the hottest part, so the heat that is omitted from the bottom of the oven will ensure the crust gets crisp on the bottom and is evenly cooked through. Finish the pizza with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes (or a drizzle of your favorite pesto).
Get Ingredients: If you don’t have everything you need on hand, you can easily purchase all of the ingredients (just click the orange button below that says ‘Get Ingredients’). You can pick and choose exactly what ingredients you need based on what’s in your pantry and they’ll be on your doorstep before you know it.
