Swiss Chard & Pepperoni Pizza
Enjoy this delicious homemade pizza featuring garden-fresh Swiss chard and savory pepperoni! Perfect for pizza night, this recipe combines the earthy flavor of homegrown greens with the spicy kick of pepperoni, all on a crispy, golden crust. Quick, easy, and bursting with flavor, it's a great way to use your harvest.
Equipment
- pizza stone I only make pizza with a pizza stone, but you can also use a sheet pan, or cast iron skillet. I've included notes below on both options.
Ingredients
- 1 pizza dough of your choice
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3 leaves Swiss chard thinly sliced, using the stems, too. They give wonderful texture and soften up while baking.
- 1 cup pepperoni diced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup yellow cornmeal for dusting pizza peel
Instructions
Preheat the oven
- If you have a pizza stone, place it on the bottom rack and preheat the oven to 500°F (or as high as your oven will go).
- Let the stone heat up for at least 30 minutes.
- If you're using a baking sheet or cast iron skillet, preheat the oven to 450°F and lightly grease the sheet with olive oil.
Prep the Swiss chard
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Once hot, toss in the chopped Swiss chard and sauté for 2-3 minutes, just until it wilts.
- Season with a little salt and pepper.
- Set aside to cool slightly.
Stretch the dough
- On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll your pizza dough into a 12-inch round.
- Transfer it carefully to a pizza peel, liberally dusted with cornmeal (or directly onto your baking sheet if you’re not using a peel).
Assemble the pizza
- Spread an even layer of pizza sauce over the dough, leaving about a ½-inch border around the edges.
- Sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese over the sauce.
- Layer on the sautéed Swiss chard and diced pepperoni.
- Finish with the rest of the cheese.
Bake
- Slide the pizza onto the hot stone (or pop the baking sheet into the oven).
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly and browned in spots.
- Start checking at 10 minutes, but every oven is different!
Serve
- Remove from the oven and let it cool for a couple of minutes.
- Slice it up and enjoy your garden-fresh creation!
Notes
- Feel free to substitute with other leafy greens like spinach, kale, or even arugula. Just make sure to sauté them briefly, like the chard, to reduce excess moisture and ensure they cook evenly on the pizza.
- If using store-bought dough, let it sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before stretching it out to make it easier to handle.
- For extra crispy crust, you can also par-bake the pizza dough for 5 minutes before adding the toppings, then bake the assembled pizza until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden.
- I usually use only mozzarella for pizzas, since I buy it in bulk at Costco, but you could mix in some provolone or Parmesan for extra flavor. If you like a more artisanal taste, try a little crumbled goat cheese or ricotta for creaminess.
- If you have leftover pizza, store slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, pop them in the oven at 375°F for about 8-10 minutes until the crust is crispy again. Microwaving will work, but the crust won’t stay as crisp.
Nutrition
Serving: 8slicesCalories: 321kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 14gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 936mgPotassium: 235mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1423IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 158mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!