The ultimate pizza pie, in our opinion? The pure and simple pizza Margherita. This iconic Italian pie is truly something special: stretchy mozzarella cheese, garlicky pizza sauce, and peppery basil all piled on a chewy, charred crust. We’re so enamored with it that we’ve spent years researching authentic Italian pizza methods, interviewing experts, and even traveling to Naples Italy to taste it for ourselves! Here are the secrets to making the very best margherita pizza.

What is margherita pizza?

Invented in the 1800s, pizza margherita showcases the colors of the Italian flag: red from the tomato sauce, white from the mozzarella, and green from the basil. The story goes that the margherita is named after Queen Margherita of Savoy, an Italian queen in the 1800’s.

How to pronounce margherita pizza? With an proper Italian accent, it sounds like pit-za mar-geh-REE-ta. It sounds like the classic Mexican cocktail, the margarita, which incidentally is a common misspelling of this word!

Tools for homemade margherita pizza

It’s easy to make margherita pizza with a few tools and tips! To get that authentic Italian crispy-on-the-outside crust, you need to bake it at a very high temperature. The key? A blazing hot pizza stone. Here are the tools you’ll need to make truly great pie:

• Pizza stone: This is what makes the crust crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Here’s the pizza stone we recommend, and a bit more on how to care for it.
• Pizza peel: A peel is a paddle used to slide a pie onto the hot stone in the oven. We recommend this standard pizza peel or this conveyor pizza peel. The conveyor makes it incredibly easy to slide onto the stone (it’s worth the investment!).
• Pizza oven (optional): If you really want to step up your game, true artisan pizza is cooked at temperatures much hotter than your standard oven can achieve. Here’s the Ooni pizza oven we use: it’s relatively inexpensive and heats quickly to 1000 degrees Fahrenheit.

How to make pizza dough

Great margherita pizza needs a great dough. Here at A Couple Cooks, we’ve been working on our recipe for over 10 years. Our dough recipe incorporates tips from some of the premiere pizza chefs in America, who themselves have studied the pizza in Naples. Here’s what to know:

• For next level dough, use Tipo 00 flour. The best flour is Tipo 00: it’s what Neapolitan pizza restaurants use. It makes for a beautiful, supple and fluffy dough. We buy our Tipo 00 flour online. All-purpose flour also works if you prefer, but Tipo 00 really makes a difference.
• Use a great pizza dough recipe! This Pizza Dough Master Recipe is the best method for fluffy, artisan-style pizza dough. You can make it using a stand mixer or knead it by hand. Or you can try Easy Thin Crust Pizza, which similar but rolled out using a rolling pin.

Margherita pizza ingredients

In Italy, the traditional margherita pizza ingredients for toppings are mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, and basil. The sauce is generally made from crushed tomatoes, seasoned with garlic, salt and herbs. Often the cheese used is mozzarella di bufala, a fresh cheese made from the milk of water buffalos that has a creamy texture and delicate flavor. Because the toppings are so simple, they must be top quality. The margherita pizza ingredients you need are:

• Tomatoes: This easy pizza sauce is quick and made with canned fire roasted tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, salt and herbs. Fire roasted tomatoes have a sweet smoky flavor and are easily available at most US grocery stores. Another great option is canned San Marzano tomatoes. If you can’t find either, use the best quality canned tomatoes you can find.
• Cheese: Use fresh mozzarella cheese, the kind sold in balls, then cut it into small pieces for overall coverage. A light topping of grated Parmesan cheese adds complexity.
• Basil: Using fresh basil is key to the flavor of a great margherita pizza. Make sure to add to the pizza after baking so that is stays beautifully green. Fresh basil that is baked in the oven turns black in minutes.

It takes a little bit of practice, but you’ll be making homemade margherita pizza in no time! You can put your know-how to use in our other favorite pizza recipes, too. Let us know what you think of this Italian icon: it really is the best pizza you can make at home!

More homemade pizza recipes

Love a great homemade pizza? Here are a few more of our favorite homemade pizza recipes:

• Go classic with The Best Homemade Pizza or Neapolitan Style Pizza
• Try Pesto Pizza or Homemade Cheese Pizza
• Try these 20 Popular Pizza Toppings
• Opt for Breakfast Pizza or Best Ever Taco Pizza

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Perfect Neapolitan Pizza Recipe

02

Homemade Cheese Pizza

03

The Best Homemade Pizza

04

25 Popular Pizza Toppings

This margherita pizza recipe is…

Vegetarian. For gluten-free, use our Gluten-Free Pizza Dough.

Homemade Margherita Pizza

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★★★★★

4.4 from 5 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 1 hour
• Cook Time: 7 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 7 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings (2 slices each)

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Description

This margherita pizza recipe tastes like an artisan pie from Italy! It’s the perfect meld of zingy tomato sauce, gooey cheese and chewy crust.

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Ingredients

For the pizza dough

• 1 ball Best Pizza Dough (or Food Processor Dough or Thin Crust Dough)
• Semolina flour or cornmeal, for dusting the pizza peel

For the pizza sauce

• 1 small garlic clove (1/2 medium)
• 15 ounces crushed fire roasted tomatoes or San Marzano tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• Scant ½ teaspoon kosher salt

For the toppings

• 1/4 to 1/3 cup pizza sauce
• ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese or 2 to 3 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
• Parmesan cheese, for topping
• Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

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Instructions

1. Make the pizza dough: Follow the Best Pizza Dough recipe to prepare the dough. (This takes about 15 minutes to make and 45 minutes to rest.)
2. Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500°F. OR preheat your pizza oven (here’s the pizza oven we use).
3. Make the pizza sauce: Cut the garlic into a few rough pieces. Place the garlic, tomatoes, olive oil, oregano and kosher salt in a blender. Blend until fully combined. (You’ll use about ⅓ cup for the pizza; reserve the remaining sauce and refrigerate for up to 1 week.)
4. Prepare the cheese: If using fresh mozzarella cheese, slice it into ¼ inch thick pieces (see the photos of the pre-baked pizza above). If it’s incredibly watery fresh mozzarella (all brands vary), you may want to let it sit on a paper towel to remove moisture for about 15 minutes then dab the mozzarella with the paper towel to remove any additional moisture.
5. Bake the pizza: When the oven is ready, dust a pizza peel with cornmeal or semolina flour. (If you don’t have a pizza peel, you can use a rimless baking sheet or the back of a rimmed baking sheet. But a pizza peel is well worth the investment!) Stretch the dough into a circle; see How to Stretch Pizza Dough for instructions. Then gently place the dough onto the pizza peel. 
6. Spread a thin layer of the pizza sauce over the dough, using about ¼ to ⅓ cup. Add the mozzarella cheese. Top with a thin layer of fresh grated Parmesan cheese and a few pinches of kosher salt.
7. Use the pizza peel to carefully transfer the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone. Bake the pizza until the cheese and crust are nicely browned, about 5 to 7 minutes in the oven (or 1 minute in a pizza oven).
8. Allow the pizza to cool for a minute or two before adding the basil on top (whole leaves, lightly torn, or thinly sliced). Slice into pieces and serve immediately.

• Category: Main Dish
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Italian

Keywords: margherita pizza recipe, margarita pizza, homemade margarita pizza

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Ever tried making meatballs…with eggplant? We’d been hearing for years that eggplant makes great vegetarian meatballs, we just didn’t really believe it…until now. Try this amazing Eggplant Meatballs recipe! Garlic, herbs, breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese make one insanely juicy and savory meatball. Roasted eggplant makes them moist and textured, vs dry or mushy like lots of vegetarian balls. Combine it with marinara sauce and it’s out of this world delicious. In fact, we took one bite and yelled “Wow!” (True story.)

Want meatless meatballs in half the time? Try our Easy Vegan Meatballs.

Ingredients for eggplant meatballs

It’s a short ingredient list here! All you’ll need to make eggplant meatballs is the following:

• Eggplant: you’ll need 2 pounds; 3 medium or 2 large (it’s helpful to weigh out exactly at the store!
• Garlic
• Jarred sundried tomatoes
• Italian panko: Panko are large, fluffy breadcrumbs. You’ll need to locate the Italian version, which has added salt and herbs. See below for more!
• Grated Parmesan cheese: Make sure it’s the powdery stuff: not shredded, which looks like little sticks!
• Salt and pepper

What’s Italian panko? Is there a substitute?

Panko is a flaky bread crumb mixture used in Japanese cooking for fried foods. It’s also made its way into international cooking because it’s the perfect breading and frying. Italian panko are made with seasonings and salt. Panko is available in most grocery stores and online. You can also find gluten-free panko or Italian panko online, to make this a gluten free recipe! If you can’t find Italian panko, here’s what to do:

• Use regular panko and add salt and Italian seasonings. See the recipe below for quantities.
• Look for coarse breadcrumbs instead, or make them! Some purchased breadcrumbs have very fine texture, which isn’t as ideal (but you can still use them). Italian breadcrumbs have the salt and herbs added, so they are a good substitute. If all you can find is plain, use the salt and herbs from the recipe below as well.

Roast the eggplant small diced, skin on (here’s why!)

The key to these eggplant meatballs is this. Roast the eggplant chopped very small, then mash it with a potato masher before forming the balls. Here’s why:

• Roasting with the eggplant skin on makes the very best juicy, meaty texture that’s incredibly satisfying. You’ll have some chunks in the meatballs: but that’s good!
• Using a food processor or blender or removing the eggplant skin makes a texture that’s gooey rather than meaty: not nearly as delicious. Speaking of…

A few tips on forming eggplant meatballs

These eggplant meatballs have lots of texture to the dough, which can make forming them a little different than say, falafel. Here are a few tips on the forming process:

• Include the eggplant skin right into the the balls: try to evenly disperse them throughout each meatball.
• You can also discard a few of the skin pieces if it’s hard to form the balls. But again, the skins and chewy parts are what you need for a meaty, interesting texture: so don’t worry that it’s not a smooth dough!

You’ll need about 1 hour: or they’re great for make-ahead!

Keep in mind: in total, this eggplant meatballs recipe takes about 1 hour to make. We’re obsessed with fast and easy recipes around here, as you may know. But guess what: this recipe is so good, it’s absolutely worth the 1 hour prep time! Here’s what to know about planning and meal prep to make it fit into your lifestyle:

• Eggplant meatballs save very well: you can refrigerate or freeze! If you can make them ahead, it makes dinner time a breeze! Store them refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months, stored in a single layer in a freezer safe container.
• To reheat, simply warm them in a skillet with marinara. That’s it! So easy.
• Or, make them on a weekend or when time allows. If you have the time, it’s a perfect recipe for a Saturday or Sunday dinner.

Make it a meal: main dish, pasta, and more!

Take one bite of these eggplant meatballs and you’ll be amazed by the amount of flavor going on with these babies. Don’t even think of them as a vegetarian meatball: they’re just DELICIOUS. Now, you don’t need to serve them with pasta: but you can. The only thing that’s required is the marinara sauce (use your favorite jar). Here are a few ways you can eat these eggplant meatballs:

• Over pasta. Try bucatini: it’s like a hollow spaghetti. Try GF or legume pasta for gluten free.
• With a salad. Add arugula salad, goat cheese salad with arugula, fennel orange salad, shaved fennel salad, frisee salad, endive salad, or Italian salad to class it up.
• With broccoli & couscous or quinoa. Make our pan fried broccoli and whip up a pan of easy couscous or perfectly seasoned quinoa.
• Zucchini noodles. We know some of you adore these! They’re easy to make or purchase.
• Spaghetti squash. If you’re feeling ambitious, serve with spaghetti squash noodles: roasted or Instant Pot.
• With sautéed veggies. Add these ultimate sauteed veggies for all the nutrients.

How would you serve them? Let us know in the comments below!

More eggplant recipes

Eggplant is one unexpectedly delicious vegetable, when you cook it correctly! Here are some more eggplant recipes to try:

• Try stunning and delicious Eggplant Parmesan, Eggplant Lasagna or Eggplant Rollatini
• Go classic with Perfect Roasted Eggplant or Sauteed Eggplant
• Simmer a pot of Classic Ratatouille and dollop with pistou, the French version of pesto
• Try Japanese Eggplant with Garlic & Ginger
• Make Easy Eggplant Pizza, Eggplant Caponata or Roasted Eggplant Pasta

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Eggplant Rollatini

02

Eggplant Lasagna

03

Eggplant Parmesan (Eggplant Parmigiana)

04

20 Tasty Eggplant Recipes

This eggplant meatballs recipe is…

Vegetarian. For gluten-free, use gluten-free panko.

Best-Ever Eggplant Meatballs

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★★★★★

4.8 from 5 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 20 meatballs (4 servings)

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This eggplant meatballs recipe is truly amazing! The purple veggie makes a surprisingly juicy texture and a delightful Italian style dinner.

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Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 pounds eggplant (3 medium or 2 large, about 12 cups diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon jarred sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 ¼ cups Italian panko (use gluten free as needed)*
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (not shredded)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• For serving, 1 large jar marinara sauce, 8 to 12 ounces spaghetti or bucatini pasta or zucchini noodles

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cut the eggplant into 1/2-inch chunks by slicing 1/2-inch rings and then cutting the rings into cubes. The size of dice is important for the final texture! (If you weren’t able to weigh the eggplant, measure out 12 cups 1/2-inch diced). 
3. In a large bowl, quickly mix the eggplant with olive oil and kosher salt (the eggplant soaks up the oil in an instant, so mix as soon as you add it!). Pour the eggplant onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread it into an even layer.
4. Roast for 25 minutes, then stir and roast 10 minutes more until browned and very tender. Remove and reduce the oven heat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 
5. Add the warm eggplant to a bowl and mash it with a potato masher until chunky and mostly mashed. Stir in the minced garlic, finely chopped sundried tomatoes, Italian panko and grated Parmesan cheese. Taste and add any salt to taste (we added only 1 pinch; remember that the marinara sauce will also add flavor after baking).
6. Use your hands to form the dough into 20 balls. You’ll include the eggplant skin right into the the balls: try to evenly disperse them throughout each meatball.  You can also discard a few of the skins if it’s hard to form the balls. But the skins and chewy parts are what you need for a meaty, interesting texture: so don’t worry that it’s not a smooth dough! See the photos above. 
7. Place the meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until lightly browned on top and very browned on the bottom. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, or longer if desired (the balls will firm up). At this point, you can serve immediately, refrigerate for 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months (in a single layer in a freezer safe container). While the meatballs bake, you can boil the pasta or prep the zucchini noodles. 
8. To serve, add the marinara sauce to a skillet and add the meatballs in a single layer. Heat for 1 to 2 minutes until warmed. Serve over the noodles, then top with grated Parmesan cheese (and chopped fresh basil, if desired). You can also serve as a vegetarian main dish with a few sides, like broccoli and couscous, rice or quinoa.

Notes

*We recommend Italian panko for the best results. If all you can find is regular panko, use 1 ¼ cups regular panko, mixed with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning (or 1 tablespoon dried oregano and ½ tablespoon each dried basil and thyme). If you can’t find panko at all, you can substitute coarse breadcrumbs — the texture of store-bought is very fine, so chunkier homemade breadcrumbs are ideal (but you can use either). Italian breadcrumbs work in a pinch; adjust the salt to taste. If you eat gluten-free, you can find gluten-free panko online.

• Category: Main dish
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Italian inspired
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Eggplant meatballs, eggplant meatballs recipe

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Are you a lasagna lover? Us too. Lately we wondered: is cheese essential to that classic Italian baked pasta? After lots of testing…turns out, no! Vegan lasagna is a thing, and it’s extremely tasty. In fact, we agreed: this is our favorite lasagna recipe, period. You can make this huge pan on a budget, so it’s a healthy dinner recipe that’s affordable to all! It pleases everyone, even meat eaters, and is great for entertaining or a casual family dinner. Ready to get started?

What makes it the best vegan lasagna recipe?

No matter how you eat, this vegan lasagna will be a hit. We promise! We had a few friends over for dinner to try it, and here’s what they had to say: “Wow! This is so good. I can’t stop eating it. I need another piece!” Somehow we stumbled upon a truly delicious way to make a dairy free lasagna. Even better, it’s easy to make and made with all whole foods. No cheese or meat substitutes here! Here’s what makes this vegan lasagna recipe special:

• Really good pasta sauce. We used an organic tomato basil pasta sauce that has a great, robust flavor. You’ll want to use the best sauce you can find.
• Mushroom, cashews, & spinach. For a meaty filling, chop mushrooms and cashews, and sauté with spinach.
• Hummus! Our secret ingredient is hummus! It stands in for the typical creamy ricotta cheese filling and infuses huge flavor.
• “Parmesan” Cashews blended with garlic powder make for a Parmesan-like topping.

Watch how to make vegan lasagna

No boil noodles are required!

This vegan lasagna is made with no boil lasagna noodles. No boil noodles are required here: no substitutions please! No boil noodles are different from standard noodles: they’re made especially so you don’t have to cook them before baking lasagna. This makes prep time shorter. Even better, some people even argue that no boil noodles have the superior texture for a lasagna. So wins all around!

More liquid is required in a lasagna when making it with no boil noodles. This recipe is specially formulated to cook the no boil noodles while baking. Bottom line: Don’t try this vegan recipe with standard noodles or it could end up too watery.

Another noodle note: If you have a large 9 x 13” aluminum pan with square sides, you’ll need 13 ounces noodles. A 9 x 13” glass baking dish with rounded sides only needs 10 ounces of pasta noodles! Because baking dish shapes and noodle shapes can vary, make sure you have enough pasta based on the baking dish you plan to use.

Use a high-quality pasta sauce

The only other “must” for this recipe: find a high-quality pasta sauce! We made this vegan lasagna recipe especially to use pasta sauce because: let’s face it! Lasagna takes a while to make, and a jarred sauce truly speeds up prep time.

There are lots of high-quality pasta sauces these days, even organic. Find your favorite and use it for this lasagna. You could of course substitute your favorite homemade marinara sauce. For this recipe, we used Simply Nature organic tomato & basil pasta sauce from ALDI. It had fantastic flavor and really made this vegan lasagna shine.

Are there any time savers?

Lasagna is notoriously time-intensive. We’ve optimized this vegan lasagna recipe so that it’s as easy to make as possible. If you’re looking for ways to save time when baking it the day of, here are a few options:

• Use a food processor (optional). A food processor is not required for this recipe! We used ours because it makes chopping the mushrooms and making the “Parmesan” topping very fast. If you don’t have one, you can use a regular large knife for chopping.
• Make the mushroom filling and Parmesan in advance. The main prep steps here are the mushroom filling and the dairy free “Parmesan” topping. You can make and cook the filling in advance: just store it refrigerated until making the lasagna. Make and store the Parmesan topping at room temperature.

Sides to serve with vegan lasagna

Ready to make this vegan lasagna into a meal? The best side to serve with lasagna is the good old standard: a green salad! Here are a few we’d recommend:

• Apple Salad Easy to whip up, with tangy apples covered in a zingy balsamic vinaigrette. Make it while the lasagna bakes! (Omit the cheese crumbles for vegan.)
• BEST Kale Salad Features a tangy lemon vinaigrette that makes kale taste like a dream! (Omit the Parmesan cheese.)
• Favorite Chopped Salad or Perfect Italian Salad Our favorites, with crisp veggies and tangy Italian dressing. (Omit the Parmesan cheese.)
• Sauteed Spinach or Sauteed Broccoli add a splash of green.
• Easy Garlic Toast It’s garlicky, crunchy and vegan.

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Crisp Apple Salad

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Easy Kale Salad

03

Favorite Chopped Salad

04

Garlic Toast

This vegan lasagna recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant based, and dairy free. For gluten free, use gluten free no boil lasagna noodles.

Favorite Vegan Lasagna (Easy & Dairy Free!)

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★★★★★

4.8 from 5 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 35 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
• Yield: 12

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This vegan lasagna recipe will become your new favorite: guaranteed. It’s full of flavor and a winner with everyone!

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Ingredients

• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms
• 1 cup roasted cashews, divided
• ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 ounces baby spinach
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice + 1 teaspoon lemon zest (1/2 lemon)
• ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 25-ounce jars tomato basil pasta sauce or marinara sauce
• 2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce
• 10 to 13 ounces no boil lasagna noodles* (see note!)
• 8-ounce container hummus (or garlic hummus)
• Dried oregano, for sprinkling
• Fresh ground black pepper

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Make the spinach mushroom filling: Pull out the stems of mushrooms with your fingers. In a food processor or with a large knife, roughly chop the mushrooms, ½ cup of the cashews and the rosemary. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a skillet and bring to medium heat. Sauté mushrooms and cashews for 3 minutes until soft but still hold their shape. Add the spinach (saving out a few leaves for the garnish) and sauté until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in ¼ teaspoon of the kosher salt, a few grinds of pepper, and the lemon juice. Let stand until assembling.
3. Make the dairy free Parmesan topping: in a food processor or blender, blend ½ cup cashews with the garlic powder and lemon zest until it’s ground into about the texture of a shaker can of grated Parmesan. (Alternatively, chop as finely as possible with a knife.)
4. Mix the sauce: In a large bowl, mix together the pasta sauce and tomato sauce.
5. Layer the lasagna: In a 9 x 13” baking dish, spread tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan. Then top with 1 layer of noodles (our pan held 3 noodles longwise and ¾ noodle widthwise), breaking noodles as necessary**. Spread with half of the hummus, half of the mushrooms and a tomato sauce layer. Repeat again: 1 layer of noodles, half of the hummus, half of the greens and tomato sauce. Finally, top with noodles, then tomato sauce again. Sprinkle the entire top with the “Parmesan” and dried oregano.
6. Bake: Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes, then 10 minutes uncovered. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving (this allows the lasagna to set). If you’d like, finely chop spinach leaves to use as a garnish (for looks only!). Cut into pieces and enjoy.

Notes

*Important: You must use no-boil lasagna noodles for this recipe! Do not substitute standard noodles. The amount of sauce is formulated for no boil noodles, which need more liquid than standard lasagna noodles.

**If you have a large 9 x 13” aluminum pan with square sides, you’ll need 13 ounces noodles. A 9 x 13” glass baking dish with rounded sides only needs 10 ounces of pasta noodles! Baking dish shapes and noodle shapes can vary, so make sure you have enough pasta based on your baking dish.

• Category: Main Dish
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Italian

Keywords: Vegan Lasagna, non dairy, dairy free, cheeseless, lasagna, italian

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

This vegan shepherd’s pie is like wearing a fuzzy sweater while drinking mulled cider: cozy comfort food to the max! Imagine: a creamy gravy filled with tender vegetables, lentils and scented with fennel and sage. It’s topped with a fluffy layer of Yukon gold potatoes and fresh rosemary, then layered in a baking dish and baked until golden. “Wow” is all we can say about this one! It’s perfect for impressing guests…or just yourself.

Why it’s the best vegan shepherd’s pie

Vegan shepherd’s is cozy, slow-cooked comfort food, so you’ll need 1 hour to make this recipe. We think you’ll agree with us that this is 1 hour very well spent! Pull this one out when you’re looking to impress…it’s perfect for a Sunday dinner or warming winter meal. If you’re well organized, you can serve it on a weeknight, too! Here’s why we think this recipe stands out:

• The filling is thick, meaty and savory. It’s hard to make vegan recipes taste as satisfying as meaty dishes. Here, fennel seed tricks your brain into thinking there’s meat (it’s an ingredient used in sausage). The gravy is ultra thick, and the tender French cut-onions are vaguely reminiscent of a meaty texture.
• It’s full of plant-based protein. This shepherd’s pie is filled with plant-based protein: lentils and peas help it to have sticking power.
• It can be made in about 1 hour. A shepherd’s pie recipe can often take multiple hours to make. But we’ve created this one to be as easy as possible (and even faster than our vegetarian shepherd’s pie!).

Make sure to use Yukon gold potatoes!

Some people claim the best shepherd’s pie is made with Russet potatoes. But we beg to differ! Maybe you can pull it off if you load them with dairy. But for a vegan shepherd’s pie: use Yukon gold potatoes. They have a naturally buttery flavor and creamy texture that can withstand the lack of dairy. It also makes for a beautiful bright yellow color!

Time saver: canned lentils vs cooked

Here’s a little time saver: you can use canned lentils instead of cooked for this vegan shepherd’s pie recipe! This speeds up the recipe so you don’t have to get out yet another pot. Here are a few notes:

• Look for canned lentils near the canned beans in the grocery store. Use any type of canned lentils you can find. Make sure to drain before adding them to the filling.
• Or, cook your own lentils! Add 1 ½ cups cooked lentils to the filling, following this brown and green lentils recipe or black lentils recipe. Cook them in water and omit the seasoning listed in the recipe. Do use the kosher salt listed in the recipe, but don’t add extra salt after cooking since the filling will be seasoned. If possible, do this step in advance and refrigerate until making the filling.

Some meal prep tips: make it even faster!

The canned lentils are a little trick to make this vegan shepherd’s pie quicker to prepare. Here are a few more things you can do to make your life easier the day of baking:

• Make the mashed potatoes in advance. This will actually work to your advantage since it also helps the texture set. Refrigerate the Vegan Mashed Potatoes until serving, then reheat them to make it easier to spread onto the filling.
• Make the filling in advance (if you’re really motivated!). You can make the filling in advance too, then refrigerate until serving. Reheat it before baking to keep the same bake time in the recipe (20 minutes). Or, you can bake it from cold: just add a few minutes to the bake time. Let us know if you try that out!

Step up vegan shepherd’s pie: add truffle oil!

Serving this vegan shepherd’s pie to impress? Stir a little truffle oil into the potatoes layer! Truffles are a luxury flavor of mushroom that’s used in Italian cooking. The exotic flavor is often paired with potatoes, like in these Truffle Fries. Stirring in a little truffle oil to taste would add a layer of magic to this dish. Here’s more about truffle oil: how to use & where to buy it.

More vegan comfort food recipes

Want a few more dinner ideas? These vegan comfort food recipes are fan favorites:

• Vegan Pot Pie It’s next level: hearty vegetables, a gooey sauce, and a flaky, sage crust!
• Favorite Vegan Lasagna Full of flavor, this vegan lasagna is a winner with everyone.
• Best Vegan Pizza A total crowd pleaser! The veggie pizza toppings are so full of flavor no one notices it’s cheeseless.
• Vegan Tacos These tasty tacos star a flavor-bursting taco meat with classic toppings like pico and lettuce.

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Best Vegan Pot Pie

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Best Homemade Vegan Pizza

03

Favorite Vegan Lasagna Recipe

04

Easy Vegan Tacos

This vegan shepherd’s pie recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free (with cornstarch).

Vegan Shepherd’s Pie (Best Ever!)

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★★★★★

4.7 from 21 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 40 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 6

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Here’s the very best vegan shepherd’s pie! The hearty veggie and lentil filling contrasts fluffy potatoes in this stunning plant based dinner recipe.

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Ingredients

• 1 recipe Vegan Mashed Potatoes
• ¼ cup olive oil, divided
• 8 ounces portabella mushrooms (2 large mushroom caps)
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 large carrots
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or cornstarch for gluten-free)
• 1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon dried sage
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 15-ounce can lentils, drained (or 1 ½ cups cooked lentils; see note*)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or liquid aminos)
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary, for the garnish

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Start the mashed potatoes: Start the Vegan Mashed Potatoes recipe**. (You can also make these in advance; just reheat before spreading onto the filling to bake.)
3. Prep the vegetables: Meanwhile, dice mushrooms into bite-sized chunks. Peel and slice the carrots into thin half-circles. Cut the onion into thin slivers length-wise (also called French cut; see the instructions in 1:40 of the linked video).
4. Make the filling: In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil on medium high heat. Cook the mushrooms for 5 minutes until golden and tender. Reduce the heat to medium and add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the sliced onion and carrots. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and cook 5 to 7 minutes until the onions are tender and just browning.
5. Reduce the heat to medium low. Stir in the flour (or cornstarch), fennel seeds, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and dried sage and cook for 1 minute. Add the vegetable broth, peas, lentils (drained if canned), soy sauce and remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Cook for about 5 minutes until the broth is very thick and the vegetables are heated through.
6. Finish the mashed potatoes: When the potatoes are done cooking, mash them according to the instructions in that recipe.
7. Bake: Pour the filling into a 2-quart small baking dish. Spread the mashed potatoes in a layer on top. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are lightly browned. If desired, broil for 1 to 2 minutes to brown the top. Garnish with chopped rosemary and serve warm.

Notes

*If you can’t find canned lentils, cook your own lentils and add 1 ½ cups of the cooked lentils to the filling. Use our Brown Lentils, Green Lentils, French Lentils, or Black Lentils recipes: you can cook them in water and omit the seasoning (or leave it for extra flavor!). Do cook with the kosher salt, but don’t add extra after cooking.

**Want to impress? Stir in a little truffle oil to the mashed potatoes to taste. Here’s our favorite All Natural White Truffle Oil.

• Category: Main Dish
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Vegan

Keywords: Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Here’s a dish that will be a winner any day of the week: Baked Ziti! This Italian American casserole is packed with savory flavor and cozy nostalgia. Its surface is filled with pockets of seasoned ricotta, lakes of garlicky tomato sauce, and punctuated by strands of gooey mozzarella. Side benefit: the wafting aroma makes your kitchen smell like a dream! This baked pasta is ideal for feeding a crowd, or a half recipe works for a cozy romantic dinner. What are you waiting for?

Ingredients in baked ziti

Baked ziti appears to be an Italian American invention, though the tradition of baked pasta dates back to the late Middle Ages in Italy. As with any classic recipe, there are many ways to make baked ziti. Most recipes include pasta, tomato sauce and a filling of ricotta cheese and Parmesan, topped with mozzarella and baked until bubbly. Many include sausage, but ours is a vegetarian spin that’s one step easier but still full of flavor. Here’s what you’ll need for this baked ziti recipe:

• Ziti pasta (or penne or rigatoni)
• Garlic
• Fennel seeds
• Olive oil
• Marinara sauce and fire roasted tomatoes
• Ricotta, Parmesan and mozzarella cheese
• Lemon zest

Keys to the flavor

This baked ziti recipe is easy, with a few simple tricks for big flavor. Here’s what to note about this recipe:

• It uses both marinara sauce and canned fire roasted tomatoes. This way, you can round out the flavor of the purchased marinara with some homemade flavor of your own. See below for some notes on fire roasted tomatoes.
• Fennel evokes the flavor of sausage. You can skip the sausage here: using fennel seed adds a meaty, hearty flavor to the interior (fennel seed is also used in Italian sausage!).
• Lemon zest adds brightness. The lemon adds a nice lift to the flavors!

Find fire roasted tomatoes for best flavor

This baked ziti uses a combination of purchased marinara sauce and homemade flavors to make a quick homemade sauce. The key? Canned fire roasted tomatoes. Here’s what to know about this variety:

• Fire roasted tomatoes are a type of canned tomato that’s roasted over a flame before canning. They’re sold by several different brands; look for them in the canned tomato section in your local grocery. We like Muir Glen.
• Fire roasted tomatoes taste sweet right out of the can. This means you can cook them for less time than standard tomatoes.
• What’s a substitute for fire roasted tomatoes? Use the highest quality canned tomatoes you can find. Consider adding 1 teaspoon sugar and a hint of smoked paprika (½ teaspoon) if you have it to round out the flavors.

Cook the ziti to just before al dente

The key to a baked pasta? Cook the pasta to just before al dente. Baked pasta cooks while it’s in the oven, so you’ll want to pull it out of the boiling water just before you normally would. Try about 1 to 2 minutes before it’s al dente: so it should still have some crunch.

As a note: typically the pasta package instructions indicate to cook a little too long! So cook it about 3 minutes before the package instructions indicate.

Make a half recipe in a 9 x 9

This baked ziti recipe makes a big 9 x 13″ pan that feeds at least 8 servings. Not in the mood for such a huge portion? Make a half recipe in a 9 x 9! It works just as well, especially since this pasta is tastiest the day of making. But it works as leftovers too!

Leftover storage

Leftover baked ziti lasts for up to 3 days refrigerated. This baked pasta does taste best the days it’s made, as the noodles can become a bit soggy over time. (That’s another reason to make sure not to overcook the pasta!) When you’re eating the leftovers, add a few pinches of salt and reheat it in a skillet to revive the flavors.

What to serve with baked ziti

This baked ziti works as a meal for a crowd, or an intimate romantic dinner (as a half recipe). Here are a few side dishes that pair well:

• Try a green salad like Perfect Italian Salad, Favorite Chopped Salad, Pear Salad, or Kale Salad
• Opt for bread like Garlic Toast or an artisan loaf
• Keep the oven free and go for for sautéed veggies like Sauteed Green Beans, Ultimate Sauteed Vegetables, Sauteed Peppers and Onions, or Pan Fried Broccoli

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Perfect Italian Salad

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Ultimate Sauteed Vegetables

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Favorite Chopped Salad

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Sauteed Green Beans

This baked ziti recipe is…

Vegetarian. For gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta.

Easy Baked Ziti

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★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 8

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Description

Baked ziti with ricotta is Italian comfort food at its finest! This easy recipe is simple to bake up and feeds a crowd. Make a half recipe in a 9 x 9 baking dish if you prefer!

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Ingredients

• 1 pound ziti pasta (or penne or rigatoni)*
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
• 28-ounce can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 pound ricotta cheese
• ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
• Basil leaves, for garnish (optional)

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than al dente (about 3 minutes before the package instructions indicate). Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. If it’s cooked before the sauce is done, stir in a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.
3. Meanwhile, mince the garlic. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and fennel seeds, crushing the fennel with your fingers as you add it, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce and fire roasted tomatoes and stir to combine. Simmer for 10 minutes, then taste and add a pinch of salt if the flavor doesn’t pop (this will depend on the marinara brand). Then pour the tomato sauce into the drained pasta and stir to combine.
4. In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, ½ cup of the grated Parmesan cheese, ¾ cup of the mozzarella cheese, the lemon zest, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, and a few grinds of black pepper.
5. Grease a 9″ x 13″ baking dish*. Pour in the pasta mixed with the tomato sauce. Add large dollops of the ricotta mixture to the top of the pasta, then use the side of a large spoon to swirl it into the top of the pasta, leaving some larger pockets of ricotta. Top with the remaining ¾ cup mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.
6. Bake for 30 minutes until the cheese on the top is melted and browned. Allow to stand for 10 minutes prior to serving. If desired, top with basil leaves and serve. Leftovers last for up to 3 days refrigerated, though they taste best the day of (add a few pinches of salt and reheat in a skillet to revive the flavors). 

Notes

*Want to make a half recipe? Use half the ingredients and make it in a 9 x 9″ baking dish.

• Category: Main dish
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Italian American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Baked ziti, baked ziti with ricotta

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Welcome to your new favorite fall dinner: Butternut Squash Lasagna with Sage! The flavors are impeccable: creamy ricotta, punchy Pecorino, and fresh sage envelop the sweet squash in a cozy embrace. In fact, an embrace is just what it feels like when you take a bite! It’s a bit of prep work, but we’ve simplified a few steps so you don’t need a nap once you throw it in the oven. Every mouthful is a bit of sweet, savory, creamy, herby, and altogether irresistible.

Ingredients in butternut squash lasagna

Butternut squash lasagna can take ages to make, especially if you roast the squash and make a béchamel sauce. This recipe is simplified: you’ll boil the squash and make a quick sauce using ricotta cheese that doesn’t require any heating on the stovetop. Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe:

• Butternut squash (medium)
• Ricotta, Mozzarella and Pecorino cheese
• Milk
• Lasagna noodles
• Olive oil
• Garlic powder, nutmeg salt and pepper
• Fresh sage
• Lemon

This recipe comes out stunning: it’s ideal for entertaining! It’s perfect for fall dinner parties, and would be a great Thanksgiving recipe or for Christmas dinner.

How to cut butternut squash: some tips!

The hardest part of making a butternut squash lasagna? Cutting the squash. Butternut squash is a notoriously difficult vegetable to tackle. We’ve got a few tips for cutting squash without breaking into a sweet:

1. Watch the video! First, watch this quick video of How to Cut Butternut Squash. It’s helpful to watch the method.
2. Use a serrated peeler. A serrated blade makes it easier to peel the tough skin than a normal vegetable peeler, which can easily slip. Don’t have one? Try this serrated vegetable peeler.
3. Cut off the neck and chop it separately from the base. Don’t cut the entire squash together. Chop off the neck, then peel it and chop into squares! Do the same for the base. 

A few time savers in this butternut squash lasagna

If you follow along with us, you might know we’re sticklers for simple recipes (we even wrote a cookbook about it). While lasagna is almost never easy, the concept is pretty simple. But a typical butternut squash lasagna requires quite a bit of prep work. Here’s how we simplified this recipe to save time:

• Boil the butternut squash instead of roasting it. Roasting is our favorite technique for cooking vegetables, but it’s got a longer lead time. Roasted butternut squash takes about 45 minutes with preheat time, whereas you can whip up boiled squash in about 10 minutes with boiling time.
• Make a quick ricotta sauce. A bechamel sauce is more traditional in a butternut squash lasagna, but that also takes time and dirties a pot. This recipe uses ricotta, milk and some seasonings to make a quick and dirty sauce.

The sauce is not a traditional cream sauce, so the lasagna has a firmer texture. It’s not as gooey as you might expect, but it’s 100% delicious.

Make ahead and storage info

Butternut squash lasagna is a bit of a project for a weeknight: it takes about 1 ½ hours start to finish. We love making this for guests: but you can also make it on a weeknight with some additional prep steps! Here are some ideas:

• Make ahead ideas: Boil the butternut squash in advance and refrigerate it until ready to bake (or use leftover roasted butternut squash). You can also boil the noodles in advance and refrigerate: just make sure they’re coated in a little olive oil before refrigerating.
• Or make ahead the entire pan: Make the entire lasagna prior to baking, then refrigerate overnight. Increase the bake time as needed to cook until it’s warmed through and the cheese has browned.
• Storage info: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days. Or freeze them: it’s easiest to cut it into single servings and freeze each in separate containers. To reheat, defrost the lasagna the refrigerator, then place in a baking dish, cover with foil and reheat at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, until warmed through.

More butternut squash recipes

When squash season is upon us, it’s easy to get squash obsessed! Here are a few of our top butternut squash recipes:

• Try delicious Butternut Squash Curry, or fresh Butternut Squash Salad
• Go for Baked Squash, Mashed Butternut Squash or Butternut Squash Puree
• Opt for Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta or Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
• Blend up creamy Creamy Squash Soup or Curried Butternut Squash Soup
• Stir a pot of Butternut Squash Risotto

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Butternut Squash Curry

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Curried Butternut Squash Soup

03

Creamy Butternut Squash Risotto

04

Butternut Squash Salad

This butternut squash lasagna recipe is…

Vegetarian. For gluten-free, use gluten-free noodles.

Butternut Squash Lasagna with Sage

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★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 9

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Description

This butternut squash lasagna recipe is incredible! Ricotta, Pecorino, and sage make a stunning dinner that pleases everyone.

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Ingredients

For the butternut squash

• 2-pound butternut squash (medium)
• ½ tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

For the lasagna

• 9 to 12 lasagna noodles (6 to 8 ounces, gluten-free if necessary)
• 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh sage, divided, plus additional leaves as desired
• Zest of 1/2 lemon (about 2 teaspoons)
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
• 16 ounces (2 cups) whole milk ricotta cheese
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 1 cup shredded Pecorino cheese, divided
• 8 ounces (2 ½ cups) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

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Instructions

1. Preheat: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Boil the squash: Peel and cut the butternut squash into small cubes about 1/2-inch thick. (Go to How to Cut Butternut Squash for a video! A serrated vegetable peeler works best.) Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the squash and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes until fork tender (test a piece to see if it is done). Drain, then place in a medium bowl. Mix with the olive oil, kosher salt and garlic powder.
3. Meanwhile, boil the noodles*: Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Boil the noodles until just before al dente, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Drain the noodles, then drizzle a baking sheet with a bit of olive oil. Lay the noodles flat onto the sheet, then turn them over so they become coated with olive oil to prevent sticking.
4. Prepare the ricotta sauce: Add 1 tablespoon chopped sage to a medium bowl and reserve about ½ tablespoon for topping the lasagna. To the bowl, add the lemon zest, nutmeg, ricotta cheese, salt and pepper and milk. Stir.
5. Layer the lasagna: In a 9” x 13” baking dish, spread ½ cup ricotta sauce on the bottom of the pan. Then top with 1 layer of noodles, ½ of the cooked squash, scant 2/3 cup cheese sauce, 1 cup mozzarella and ⅓ cup Pecorino cheese. Repeat again: 1 layer of noodles (you may need to cut a noodle in half for the side, depending on your pan), the remaining squash, scant 2/3 cup cheese sauce, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and ⅓ cup Pecorino cheese. Finally, top with noodles (again, you may need to cut a noodle in half for the top layer), then the remaining ricotta sauce spread with a spatula. Sprinkle the entire top with the remaining ½ cup mozzarella cheese, ⅓ cup Pecorino cheese, and ½ tablespoon sage.
6. Bake the lasagna: Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and bake another 20 minutes, until the top is browned. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Leftovers can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days and reheated in a 400°F oven. (See make ahead and storage notes below.)

Notes

*If you use fresh lasagna noodles, they don’t need to be boiled.

Make ahead ideas: Boil the butternut squash in advance and refrigerate it until ready to bake. Boil the noodles in advance and refrigerate, making sure they’re coated in a little olive oil.
Or make ahead the entire pan: Make the entire lasagna prior to baking, then refrigerate overnight. Increase the bake time as needed to cook until it’s warmed through and the cheese has browned.
Storage info: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days. Or freeze them: it’s easiest to cut it into single servings and freeze each in separate containers. To reheat, defrost the lasagna the refrigerator, then place in a baking dish, cover with foil and reheat at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, until warmed through.

• Category: Main dish
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Pasta
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Butternut squash lasagna, butternut squash lasagna recipe

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Need mealtime inspiration? If you’re anything like us, we always need new ideas. So we’ve compiled this list of our top easy dinner ideas for two: designed for couples by a couple! Each recipe linked below is easy, healthy and delicious: and easy to scale down or saves well as leftovers. Plan to either make a half recipe or a full recipe and save the leftovers. There are options for seafood, vegetarian, and vegan options. Either way: you’ll be head over heels by these delicious options to cook…together!

And now…the top easy dinner ideas for two!

Pistachio Crusted Salmon

First up in our easy dinner ideas for two: Pistachio Crusted Salmon! The flavor tastes like a restaurant, but it’s so simple to make! The aroma wafting from the oven will have you salivating before the food even reaches your plate. Each bite of tender fish and the crunchy, Parmesan pistachio topping makes you immediately want to take another.

Total time: 20 minutes

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Easy Mushroom Tacos

Here’s a quick and easy taco recipe for two: try these Mushroom Tacos! Portobello mushrooms have enormous savory flavor: throw them in a skillet with some punchy seasonings and they make plant-based magic. This recipe is for when you have just a few minutes to throw together a meal: combine those portobellos with creamy refried beans and the quickest slaw, and you’ve got dinner!

Total time: 20 minutes

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Creamy Shrimp Pasta

You’ll want to bookmark this dinner idea for two: Creamy Shrimp Pasta! It’s ultra classic: juicy, savory shrimp and al dente pasta swimming in a creamy sauce. Pick from one of two sauces: a white wine sauce, bursting with tangy flavor, or an easy cream sauce, a Parmesan sauce that’s actually made with no cream at all.

Total time: 30 minutes

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Sheet Pan Salmon and Asparagus

Here's an easy dinner for two to whip up on a sheet pan: baked salmon and asparagus! It’s simple, it’s elegant, but it tastes like something you’d order at a restaurant. Roasting it up on a sheet pan with lemon slices and fresh herbs adds effortless flavor that feels fresh yet refined. Make it with a piece of salmon of any size!

Total time: 20 minutes

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Baked Quesadillas

Want to make quesadillas for two, but stepped up a little? Enter: quesadillas in the oven! This recipe makes the humble solo meal into a delicious dinner. The quesadillas are all done at the same time and come out with a beautifully crispy exterior. Serve with salsa and guacamole.

Total time: 25 minutes

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Coconut Tofu Curry

Here’s an easy dinner that takes just 30 minutes and results in so much flavor…you’ll put it on your regular rotation immediately. Try this Tofu Curry recipe! The brilliant red broth is flavored with coconut milk and red curry paste, with the zing of lime and a hint of spicy sweetness. The Thai-style flavors are the perfect way to introduce tofu to those wary of it. Make a half recipe or save the rest for leftovers.

Total time: 30 minutes

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Easy Black Bean Soup

This Quick Black Bean Soup recipe is ideal for two, with leftovers for lunches (or make a half recipe). It’s creamy, garlicky and hearty, and a big bowl feels positively restorative. Top it with pico de gallo for a bright and zingy contrast in flavors. Then take it over the top with crushed tortilla chips and pickled peppers, or serve it with a baked quesadilla.

Total time: 30 minutes

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Poke Bowls

Poke bowls are ideal for two and easy to scale! This Hawaiian bowl of seasoned raw fish, rice and crunchy veggies has caught on here on the mainland, and everybody’s doing it! Because poke is that good. And guess what? You can easily make poke in the comfort of your own home: it's a fun activity with your partner!

Total time: 30 minutes

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Shrimp and Broccoli

Looking for a healthy and easy weeknight dinner for two? Try this shrimp and broccoli! The pair are cooked with soy sauce and and rice vinegar until bright and savory. The contrast of the crisp tender broccoli against the juicy shrimp is really something. Serve it with rice or noodles to make it a complete meal that comes together quickly.

Total time: 20 minutes

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Cajun Salmon

This Cajun Salmon is so tender and full of savory flavor, your partner will fall head over heels! This beautiful piece of fish has a crispy blackened top, seasoned with a special blend of homemade Cajun spices. It packs a bit of heat, just enough to make you immediately want another bite. Even better: pan searing salmon is the fastest and easiest way to cook it! 

Total time: 20 minutes

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Cozy White Bean Soup

Here’s a healthy soup you’ll immediately add to your regular rotation…because it’s just that good. Try this White Bean Soup, full of humble ingredients and huge flavor! Tender white beans float in the cozy broth with soft potatoes and leafy kale. Lemon zest lends brightness and tarragon brings an herby nuance. Make a big pot and freeze the leftovers.

Total time: 35 minutes

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Epic Vegetarian Fajitas

Here's a great vegetarian dinner for two: Vegetarian Faijtas! These are so full flavored and satisfying, they please everyone around the table: even the meat lovers! This fajita recipe stars our favorite fajita veggies, blackened in the oven and finished on the stove, with pinto beans cooked in a flavorful fajita sauce. 

Total time: 30 minutes

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Smoked Salmon Salad

Here’s a genius easy dinner idea for two with no cooking required. Try this Smoked Salmon Salad! It’s healthy, fresh, and 100% cook free. Imagine: savory smoked salmon, fresh greens, fluffy goat cheese dollops and a tangy shallot vinaigrette. It comes together in 15 minutes flat.

Total time: 15 minutes

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Loaded Baked Potato & Toppings

Here's a dinner for two we fall back on time and time again: the Loaded Baked Potato! Mix and match any variety of baked potato toppings and you’ve got a delicious dinner that works for almost any diet. There are endless ideas for customizing the meal and it lets every eater get creative. 

Also try: Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Total time: 1 hour (mostly hands off)

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Easy Tortelloni

Here’s a delicious skillet to share: a tangy, garlicky tomato sauce, with a touch of richness from a hint of cream. It’s a great way to make them into a tasty vegetarian dinner idea. Make a half recipe or save the rest for leftovers.

Total time: 30 minutes

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Pesto Salmon

This pesto salmon is another stunning dinner idea for two! Bright green pesto goes hand in hand with tender baked fish. The savory, garlicky sauce makes the flaky fish pop: you’ll already be taking your second bite before finishing the first. It’s easy enough for a weeknight, but impressive enough for date night. Pair with 20 Top Salmon Side Dishes.

Total time: 30 minutes

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Quick Burrito Bowl

Here’s a quick dinner idea that’s always satisfying and works for nearly every diet. That’s right, the good old Burrito Bowl! We can thank Chipotle for its widespread popularity, but it really is a killer idea. Throw rice, veggies, and burrito fillings in a bowl and call it meal! Here’s the thing: a good burrito bowl can actually take a while to make at home with all the components. Want a burrito bowl that’s lightening fast to make? We’ve got you. In fact, you can make this one 15 minutes (we timed ourselves).

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Quick Shrimp Stir Fry

Here’s a go-to in the fast and easy dinner category: shrimp stir fry! It’s quick to put together and the umami-packed stir fry sauce is full of irresistible flavor. Add your favorite vegetables to make a super-satisfying dinner that pleases both of you.

Total time: 25 minutes

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Ultimate Taco Salad

Here’s an easy dinner idea for two that's always a hit: Taco Salad! This Tex-Mex salad has been impressing for decades, and it gives us all the 1990’s nostalgic vibes. It's customizable for any diet and easy to scale up or down based on whether you want leftovers.

Total time: 25 minutes

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Honey Garlic Shrimp

And last dinner idea for two: Honey Garlic Shrimp! There’s nothing quite like the sweet savory combination of honey garlic glaze and juicy shrimp. The best part? It takes 10 minutes to make. This one is hits all the comforting, satisfying dinner notes with a lightning fast prep speed. It’s hard to find those recipes with that elusive trifecta of healthy, easy and delicious: and this one has it in spades.

Total time: 10 minutes

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Vegetarian, vegan and gluten free dinners

These ideas include some of our favorite vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free dinner recipes. But need more? We’ve got dedicated recipes just for you:

• Try these delicious 25 Top Vegetarian Dinner Recipes
• Go for 20 Easy Vegan Dinner Recipes
• Opt for 20 Tasty Gluten Free Dinner Recipes
• Grab 25 Top Gluten Free Dairy Free Recipes

Side dishes to pair

Need sides to pair with these healthy and easy dinner ideas for two? We’ve got lots of side dish inspiration. Here are some of our favorite easy sides to serve with various recipes:

• Easy: Fast and easy is our jam. Here are 35 Easy Side Dishes.
• Healthy: Health conscious? Try these 20 Great Healthy Side Dishes.
• Veggie-packed: Opt for 20 Best Vegetable Side Dishes.
• Pairings: Try 10 Best Sides to Go with Tacos or 20 Top Salmon Side Dishes.

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35 Easy Side Dishes

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25 Tasty Healthy Side Dishes

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30 Best Sides for Salmon

04

15 Easy Healthy Vegetable Recipes

20 Easy Dinner Ideas for Two (Baked Salmon & More)

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★★★★★

5 from 1 review

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 2

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Description

Try this delicious Pistachio Crusted Salmon for Two, or any of the recipes linked above! It’s the perfect easy dinner to impress, topped with a crunchy topping of nuts and Parmesan cheese.

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Ingredients

• 1/2 pound salmon fillet or fillets, skin on (wild caught if possible)
• 1/4 + ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped pistachios
• 1 tablespoon Italian panko (or Italian breadcrumbs)*
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Bring the salmon to room temperature and pat it dry. Season the salmon with the salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix the Dijon mustard and honey, then brush it on to the fish in an even layer. 
3. In another small bowl, mix together the finely chopped pistachios, Italian panko, and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the pistachio mixture on top of the fish.
4. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the salmon flakes with a fork; the internal temperature should be between 125 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit in the center. Serve immediately. 

Notes

*We recommend Italian panko or Italian breadcrumbs because they’re already seasoned. Panko is best since it’s the lightest and crunchiest. If all you can find is regular panko, mix 2 tablespoons panko with 1 pinch kosher salt and ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning (or ¼ teaspoon each dried oregano and dried basil).

• Category: Main Dish
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Gluten Free

Keywords: Easy dinner ideas for two, dinner ideas for two, healthy dinner ideas for two

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Here’s a recipe that’s guaranteed to get ooo’s and ahh’s whenever you serve it: this classic Vegetarian Paella! Paella is a traditional Spanish dish that has loads of variations. Often it’s made with seafood, but we’ve tasted many delicious vegetable-based versions while traveling in Spain! The saffron-scented rice is loaded with a colorful assortment of vegetables, and it’s a true delight. We love serving it for dinner guests, but if you’re organized this one is easy enough to work for a weeknight. (It’s a vegan paella, too!)

Ingredients in this vegetarian paella recipe

Vegetarian paella is also called paella de verduras: a rice dish cooked in a shallow pan and loaded with vegetables. This recipe is based on loads of research from our recent trip to Spain. Alex and I wanted this recipe to reflect vegetables you might see in a Spanish paella, not just any old veggies! Here’s what you’ll need for an epic vegetarian paella:

• Traditional paella pan: you can also use a large skillet (see below)
• Bomba rice: you can also use Arborio rice
• Tomato, onion and garlic to make a quick “sofrito”
• Saffron and pimentón aka smoked paprika (see below)
• Artichokes
• Peas
• Chickpeas
• Roasted red peppers (jarred)
• Lemon wedges: garnishing with lemon is the perfect bright finish

Use a large skillet or paella pan

There are some people who say it’s not paella if it’s not made in a paella pan! (Purists.) But not everyone has access to this special type of pan, or wants to store it. We highly recommend one if you plan to make paella regularly. Here’s what to know about finding one:

1. A paella pan is a large round, shallow pan with handles used for cooking paella. The shallow shape lets rice cook consistently. This recipe is for a 15-inch paella pan that serves 4 people. If you’re looking for one, here’s a link to purchase a 4-person paella pan.
2. Don’t have one? Use your largest skillet. The larger the better! You may need to adjust the cook time slightly if you are using a skillet. Keep an eye on it!

Note that paella pans are made of carbon steel and can rust. If you buy one, make sure to dry the pan completely after cleaning it. Rub it with a bit of vegetable oil to prevent rusting.

Best rice: bomba or arborio

The best rice for this vegetarian and vegan paella recipe? Bomba rice! Bomba rice is a white short grain rice that’s used for making paella. It can be hard to find at some grocery stores, but it’s easy to order it online: Bomba rice.

Another option is Arborio rice! This is the type of short grain rice that’s used for risotto. Arborio rice can result in a gummier texture than bomba, but it still works. Bomba is most consistent, if you can find it!

Paella spices: saffron and pimentón

There are two classic spices in a Spanish paella that bring in the authentic flavor. You may have heard of saffron, but it’s the combination with smoked paprika that makes the best hearty flavor in this vegetarian paella. (Bonus: we use it in lots of vegan recipes to bring in a meaty flavor.)

• Saffron brings an earthy flavor and a beautiful color to the dish. It’s expensive but worth the splurge. If you can’t find it or don’t want to splurge, a good substitute is ½ teaspoon turmeric.
• Smoked paprika (aka pimentón): This bright red spice gives the dish more color and a smoky undertone. Use leftovers for more of our top smoked paprika recipes.

How to cook vegetarian paella: a few tips!

Once you’re ready to cook this vegetarian paella, it’s mostly set it and forget it. Mostly! Here are a few tips for the cooking process:

• Don’t stir it! That’s right: no stirring allowed! The broth and spices boil through the rice, leaving everything perfectly cooked. Traditional paella gets a nice brown crust on the bottom of the rice. The Spanish call this socarrat. (Note that it’s a little harder to get it if you’re using a skillet.)
• Keep an eye on it. You’ll want to make sure the heat isn’t so hot that the broth cooks too fast or it will burn on the bottom and the rice will be uncooked! Slow and steady. See the recipe below for more tips!
• If you’re using a paella pan, rotate the pan over the burners. Our paella pan can fit over multiple burners, so we rotate it during cooking so it stays even.

Side dishes for vegetarian paella

Once you’re done cooking, bring it to the table and spritz with lemon wedges. Unveil your brilliantly vegetable-filled vegan paella and everyone will ooo and ahh (we promise!). It’s great for entertaining, but we sometimes make them for weeknights too. What to serve with it to make it a meal? Here are a few ideas:

• Accessorize with slices of Manchego cheese and marinated olives 
• Add Pan Con Tomate, garlicky tomato bread
• Mix up an easy arugula salad or citrus salad
• Pair with bread: a crusty baguette with olive oil for dipping is perfect
• Go super Spanish with patatas bravas and sangria
• Start with a cooling classic gazpacho

More types of paella

Want to make paella over an open fire? Or use the traditional seafood? Here are our top variations on paella recipes:

• Try our classic Spanish Paella
• Have a classic outdoor party with an Open Fire Seafood Paella
• Opt for an Easy Shrimp Paella

01

Spanish Paella Recipe

02

Seafood Paella on an Open Fire

03

Easy Shrimp Paella

This vegetarian and vegan paella recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

Easy Vegetarian Paella

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★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 4 to 6 servings

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Description

This vegetarian paella recipe is full of delicious, hearty flavor! A vegan spin on the classic Spanish recipe, it pleases everyone.

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Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion
• 6 garlic cloves
• 2 to 3 roma or plum tomatoes (1 ½ cups finely chopped)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 large pinch saffron
• 1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 1 ½ cups short grain Bomba rice or arborio rice
• ½ cup frozen peas, rinsed under warm water
• 12 ounces artichoke hearts, quartered (marinated if desired)
• 1 to 2 jarred roasted red peppers, sliced into strips
• Lemon wedges from ½ lemon
• Chopped parsley, for garnish

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Instructions

1. Prep the vegetables: Mince the onion. Mince the garlic. Finely chop the tomatoes, removing the cores but keeping the seeds with their juices. Slice the roasted red peppers into strips, and set aside.
2. Measure out the ingredients: Measure out all the remaining ingredients before you start. The cooking process goes fast!
3. Cook the paella: In your largest skillet or a 4-serving paella pan, heat olive oil on medium heat. Saute the onion and garlic until just translucent, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chopped tomatoes, the smoked paprika and red pepper flakes and ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and cook until the tomatoes have broken down and most of the liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in the stock, chickpeas, saffron and the remaining 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Stir, then immediately sprinkle the rice evenly across the broth and tap the pan with a spoon to evenly spread the rice. Bring to a medium simmer and cook without stirring until liquid is absorbed, about 18 to 22 minutes (adjust the cook time as necessary if using a skillet). If your pan is large enough to span multiple burners on your stovetop, adjust the heat on each burner so you achieve a steady medium simmer. Rotate the pan every few minutes for an even cook.
4. Add the artichokes and peas (10 minutes into cook time): When the top of the rice is beginning to show through the liquid, about 10 minutes into the cook time, press the artichokes, peas, and red pepper strips lightly into the rice.
5. Assess whether the paella is done: In last few minutes, carefully watch the paella and rotate pan more frequently. As the paella finishes, you’ll see the steam start to slow down as the water cooks out. If desired, peek at the bottom of a pan by using a knife to scrape back the rice — you shouldn’t see any standing water. The sound will start to change from a simmer to a crackle. This indicates the crust is forming. Let the crackling continue for about 2 minutes before removing from the heat. If you smell any burning, remove immediately.
6. Serve: When the paella is done, squeeze the lemon wedges onto the top of the pan. Sprinkle with a pinch or two of kosher salt and add the parsley, if using. Serve with additional lemon wedges.

• Category: Main Dish
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Spanish
• Diet: Vegan

Keywords: Vegetarian paella, vegetarian paella recipe, vegan paella

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Want to eat salad and pizza…at the same time? Try this Arugula Pizza recipe! You’ve probably seen this style of pizza at artisan-style pizzerias: a gooey, cheesy pie topped with fresh baby greens. Yep, that’s seasoned baby arugula! This Italian way of serving pizza is all about contrast: fresh peppery baby greens against a rich, saucy pizza. Here’s our favorite arugula pizza, made in a sheet pan! Or you can simply use the topping on your favorite pizza.

Making arugula pizza: 3 tips to note!

You can use this arugula pizza recipe as a guide for topping your pizzas with fresh greens! This topping idea works for any pizza recipe, or you can use our amazing and tasty sheet pan pizza: more on that below. Here’s all about need to know about adding arugula as a pizza topping:

• Use only baby arugula. This does not work with standard arugula: it’s sold in bunches and has large leaves that are very spicy. Instead look for baby arugula: it has a lovely feathery texture and milder flavor.
• Season the arugula with olive oil and salt. Dry arugula on a pizza is not good (trust us). All you have to do is toss it in a bowl with olive oil and salt.
• Use the recipe below, or eyeball the quantities. Once you’ve done this once, you can just eyeball the quantities. Then add to your favorite pizza recipe!

Use arugula with any toppings

You can use arugula topping to go with pizzas of any toppings! Below we used our favorite combination, but it works with just about anything.

• Try pizza sauce, smoked gouda and mozzarella. Head to the recipe below for our favorite combo with arugula! It stars our Easy Pizza Sauce and smoked gouda cheese for a savory twist.
• Make arugula and Prosciutto pizza. Salty cured Italian ham (Prosciutto) is the perfect pair with arugula! Just add a few pieces to the recipe below.
• Or, use it with any of your favorite toppings! Seasoned baby greens work with just about anything: pesto pizza, burrata pizza, margherita pizza, and more!

Try it as a sheet pan pizza

The recipe for this arugula pizza below is a sheet pan pizza. It’s not our standard way to make pizza: instead it’s made in a sheet pan! Here are the pros and cons to this style of pizza:

• Pros: it makes a big pan and it’s easy to make. A sheet pan pizza has 12 pieces, so it serves quite a bit! You can skip making 2 pizzas and make just one. Also, you don’t need as much equipment, like a pizza stone or pizza peel. You can press it right into a sheet pan!
• Cons: it takes a little longer. This style of pizza takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes to prep, a little longer than our standard cheese pizza (which takes 1 hour and less prep work). But it’s well worth it in our opinion!

Or, make a standard pizza or use purchased dough!

You can also make this arugula pizza as a standard pizza! We’ve included the instructions for that in the recipe below in the Notes section. Here’s a little overview:

• Dough: You can use our Italian Pizza Dough recipe, which has incredible flavor and makes a medium sized pizza! Or use store-bought dough.
• Pizza stone: The best homemade pizza uses a pizza stone, which gets blazing hot in the oven. The higher temperature makes a crispy crust on the outside that’s doughy on the inside. Here’s the best pizza stone we’ve found.
• Pizza peel: The pizza peel is a paddle used to slide the pizza onto the stone. We recommend this Standard pizza peel or this Conveyor pizza peel.

What to serve with arugula pizza

We love this arugula pizza because it’s absolutely delicious and it makes us feel a little bit healthier! The arugula adds a fresh, peppery flavor and fluffy texture that’s incredibly satisfying. We’d still recommend adding a few salads to make it a meal. Pro tip: make one pizza and two salads, instead of two pizzas and one salad! Here are some favorite sides for pizza:

• Use leftover arugula for this Easy Arugula Salad or Goat Cheese Salad with Arugula
• Go Italian-American with this Big Italian Salad or Favorite Chopped Salad
• Try this super refreshing Celery Salad or Carrot Salad
• Add protein with a Classic Three Bean Salad
• Go for a tasty Classic Wedge Salad

01

Goat Cheese Salad with Arugula & Apple

02

Perfect Italian Salad

03

Classic Wedge Salad

04

Simple Carrot Salad

This arugula pizza recipe is…

Vegetarian.

Ultimate Arugula Pizza

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★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 12 pieces

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Description

This arugula pizza features a topping of baby greens! The fresh, peppery flavor is a great contrast to the rich cheese below.

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Ingredients

For the pizza dough*

• 375 grams (3 cups) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon instant or active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon each dried oregano and garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 264 grams (1 cup – 2 tablespoons) warm water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for the sheet

For the arugula pizza

• 1 ¼ cup pizza sauce (purchased or our favorite Easy Pizza Sauce)
• 1 cup (3 ounces) shredded smoked gouda cheese
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
• 4 cups (3 ounces) baby arugula
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
• Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

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Instructions

1. Make the dough (5 minutes): In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, yeast, kosher salt, oregano and garlic powder. Add the warm water and olive oil and stir until flour is incorporated.
2. Knead the dough (8 minutes): Knead the dough by pushing with the base of your palm, then reforming it into a ball. Continue kneading for 8 minutes until the dough feels pillowy and has a smooth, stretchy exterior. If the dough is very sticky, add a small amount of flour while kneading. Alternatively: attach the dough hook to a stand mixer and start the mixer on medium-low speed, then allow the mixer to knead for 8 minutes.
3. Roll out and rest the dough in a sheet pan (15 minutes): Using floured hands, gently shape the dough into a boule (ball shape) by folding the dough under itself. Add a light sprinkle of flour to the boule. Then roll out dough on floured surface to roughly the shape of the 13×18 sheet pan. Brush 3 tablespoons olive oil on the bottom and sides of a standard 13″x 18″ sheet pan. Add the dough and brush it lightly with oil. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and rest for 15 minutes to relax the dough.
4. Rest the dough again (45 minutes): Press the dough back into the corners of the pan so it evenly covers the pan. Cover and rest 45 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 500F.
6. Bake the pizza dough* without toppings: After the 45 minute rest, bake the pizza dough for 6 minutes without sauce and toppings.
7. Add the toppings and bake again: Remove the dough from the oven. Add the pizza sauce, smoked mozzarella, fresh mozzarella (torn into pieces), and Parmesan cheese, and top with a few pinches of kosher salt. Take care, since the pan will be hot! Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly brown.
8. Add the arugula topping: In a small bowl, mix the baby arugula with the olive oil and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Sprinkle the pizza with torn basil, then add the arugula on top. Cut into pieces with a knife (a pizza cutter doesn’t get all the way to the pan edges) and serve immediately.

Notes

*Or, use store-bought pizza dough for quicker prep. For this method you can skip pre-baking the crust. Here’s what to do: Make our Best Pizza Dough or use storebought dough. Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500°F. When the oven is ready, dust a pizza peel with cornmeal or semolina flour. (If you don’t have a pizza peel, you can use a rimless baking sheet or the back of a rimmed baking sheet. But a pizza peel is well worth the investment!) Stretch the dough into a circle; see How to Stretch Pizza Dough for instructions. Then gently place the dough onto the pizza peel. Top the pizza as noted above (you can use less cheese since the pizza will be smaller). Use the pizza peel to carefully transfer the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone. Bake the pizza until the cheese and crust are nicely browned, about 5 to 7 minutes in the oven (or 1 minute in a pizza oven). Slice into pieces and serve immediately.

• Category: Main dish
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Italian
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Arugula pizza

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Want to make pizza that feeds a crowd? Let’s make Sheet Pan Pizza! This style of pizza is a bit different than the standard circular variety, but it’s become an instant favorite around here. Why? It makes a big pan the equivalent of 3 medium pizzas, and it’s so easy to make! You don’t need any special equipment, and you don’t have to bother with shaping the dough. Even better, it’s even quicker than our Pan Pizza or Focaccia Pizza. Let’s get baking!

How to make sheet pan pizza: an overview

Sheet pan pizza is a style of pizza where you make the dough in a sheet pan, instead of stretching it into a circle like our traditional Italian pizza dough. You can also skip using a pizza peel and stone, because you’ll bake it right in the pan. This method is great for pizza beginners and lets you bypass several standard steps in the process.

The sheet pan version is even quicker than some of our other alternate methods (pan pizza and focaccia pizza), so it’s now our top choice when it comes to easy weeknight pizza recipes. You’ll need 1 hour and 15 minutes of prep time, then 15 minutes to bake. Here’s a breakdown of the timing in this recipe:

The keys: two proof times and two bake times

The keys to this sheet pan pizza? You’ll see there are two rest or proof times, and then two bake times. Here’s what to know about this:

• Two proof times makes for the best fluffy dough texture. The longer you proof bread or pizza dough, the fluffier and better texture it gets. We’ve optimized this recipe to be very fast, so you won’t want to shorten any of the proof times. It’s essential for making the best crust! (Focaccia pizza has even thicker crust and even longer rest times.)
• Bake the crust without toppings, then add toppings and bake more. This helps to get the best crispy on the bottom, fluffy in the middle texture to the pizza crust. It’s not a standard way to cook pizza, but once you try it you’ll appreciate the method. (Note that this is not required with our standard Pizza Dough, only sheet pan pizza.)

This sheet pan pizza is 3 in 1!

Another great feature of this sheet pizza: it’s the equivalent of 3 pizzas in 1! That means you don’t have to make separate pizzas for the family. Just make this one sheet pan, and it’s enough for everyone. If you’d like, you can make different toppings on different parts of the pizza.

Topping ideas for sheet pan pizza

You can top this sheet pan pizza in so many ways! Here we amazing Easy Pizza Sauce, then topped it with smoked mozzarella cheese and fresh mozzarella. Then we sprinkled it with a topping of seasoned baby arugula, like this Arugula Pizza. Head to the recipe below for instructions! Or, here are some of our other favorite pizza topping ideas! You’ll just need to double or triple them for this pizza (you can eyeball it):

• Make the Perfect Margherita Pizza
• Go spicy with Incredible Jalapeno Pizza
• Ditch the pizza sauce for 3 Cheese Shrimp Pizza, Ricotta Pizza, White Pizza or Spinach Pizza
• Go classic with Homemade Cheese Pizza or Pesto Pizza
• Try delicious fusion Best Ever Taco Pizza

01

Homemade Margherita Pizza

02

Pesto Pizza Recipe

03

Best Ever Taco Pizza

04

White Pizza (Pizza Bianca)

This sheet pan pizza recipe is…

Vegetarian.

Best-Ever Sheet Pan Pizza

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★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 12 pieces

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Description

Here’s how to make the best ever sheet pan pizza! This easy method makes a big pan for everyone to enjoy with your favorite toppings.

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Ingredients

For the pizza dough*

• 375 grams (3 cups) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon instant or active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon each dried oregano and garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 264 grams (1 cup – 2 tablespoons) warm water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for the sheet

For the pizza toppings

• 1 ¼ cup pizza sauce (purchased or our favorite Easy Pizza Sauce)
• 1 cup (3 ounces) shredded smoked mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
• Optional topping: 4 cups (3 ounces) baby arugula, 1 tablespoon olive oil,  and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

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Instructions

1. Make the dough (5 minutes): In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, yeast, kosher salt, oregano and garlic powder. Add the warm water and olive oil and stir until flour is incorporated.
2. Knead the dough (8 minutes): Knead the dough by pushing with the base of your palm, then reforming it into a ball. Continue kneading for 8 minutes until the dough feels pillowy and has a smooth, stretchy exterior. If the dough is very sticky, add a small amount of flour while kneading. Alternatively: attach the dough hook to a stand mixer and start the mixer on medium-low speed, then allow the mixer to knead for 8 minutes.
3. Roll out and rest the dough in a 13″ x 18″ sheet pan (15 minutes): Using floured hands, gently shape the dough into a boule (ball shape) by folding the dough under itself. Add a light sprinkle of flour to the boule. Then roll out dough on floured surface to roughly the shape of the sheet pan. Brush 3 tablespoons olive oil on the bottom and sides of a standard 13″x 18″ sheet pan. Add the dough and brush it lightly with oil. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and rest for 15 minutes to relax the dough.
4. Rest the dough again (45 minutes): Press the dough back into the corners of the pan so it evenly covers the pan. Cover and rest 45 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 500F.
6. Bake the pizza dough* without toppings: After the 45 minute rest, bake the pizza dough for 6 minutes without sauce and toppings.
7. Add the toppings and bake again: Remove the dough from the oven. Add the pizza sauce, smoked mozzarella, fresh mozzarella (torn into pieces), and Parmesan cheese, and top with a few pinches of kosher salt. Take care, since the pan will be hot! Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly brown.
8. Serve: If using, in a small bowl, mix the baby arugula with the olive oil and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Sprinkle the pizza with torn basil, then add the arugula on top. Cut into pieces with a knife (a pizza cutter doesn’t get all the way to the pan edges) and serve immediately.

• Category: Main Dish
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Italian
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Sheet pan pizza

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.