This super flavorful Spinach and Feta Pizza is loaded with fresh garlicky spinach, creamy mozzarella cheese, and tangy feta, with sweet shaved red onion! It’s fresh, Greek-inspired, and incredibly delicious!
JUMP TO RECIPEThere are few dishes I love more than a delicious slice of pizza! For this take on a Greek-Style Feta Cheese Pizza, I use my homemade garlic cream sauce as the base, with plenty of creamy shredded mozzarella cheese, salty and tangy feta in brine, sautéed garlic baby spinach, ultra-thin shaved red onion, and a touch of of crushed red pepper flakes for a homemade pizza that brings all the flavor in under 25 minutes!
The flavor combination in this Spinach Feta Pizza is so delicious, and so simple to make- using homemade pizza dough or store bought, with simple ingredients for a fresh and zippy pizza that is better than takeout, for a fraction of the price!
Table of Contents
- Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ingredients
- Step by Step Instructions (with photos)
- Variations
- FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
- More Pizza Recipes
Why you’ll love this recipe
Easy to make. This Spinach and Feta Pizza is quick and easy to make, using either homemade or store bought pizza dough, and the ingredients require minimal prep!
Homemade white sauce. This pizza is made with a super flavorful homemade creamy white sauce, and it only takes about 3 minutes!
Loaded with flavor. With a flavorful sauce base, mozzarella and feta cheese, garlicky spinach, and shaved red onions- this pizza has incredible flavor!
It's vegetarian-friendly. This pizza can be made fully vegetarian by omitting the chicken bouillon from the sauce, or replacing it with a little white miso!
Ingredients
Pizza dough. You can use homemade pizza dough or store bought pizza dough for this recipe! My hands down favorite store bought pizza dough is Mama Cozzi's from Aldi, but any of your favorite pizza doughs will do the trick!
White sauce and mozzarella. This recipe calls for a quick and easy homemade white sauce, made with heavy cream, butter, parmesan, and spices. The key to it's intense and deliocus flavor is a pinch of chicken bouillon powder, and some dried oregano. You'll layer the sauce over the dough, and top with a generous portion of shredded mozzarella cheese as the base.
Mozzarella Tip: I prefer to work with low-moisture part skim mozzarella that i shred myself from a block of cheese. Using low moisture gives the pizza some structural integrity, and shredding it yourself makes for better melting and flavor.
Fresh spinach, red onion, and feta (in brine). The toppings for this pizza are simply prepared garlic spinach, super thinly shaved fresh red onion (I love to use a mandoline slicer for this), and chunks of feta cheese.
Feta Tip: For best flavor and texture, I recommend using feta in brine. Feta that is stored in brine retains the cheese's moisture incredibly well, for a creamier, more flavorful pizza (plus, it lasts much longer in the fridge!). Skip the pre-crumbled stuff for this pizza, as it can be rather dry, and sometimes contains anti-caking agents, which affect the flavor and texture of the feta.
Step by Step Instructions (with photos)
Below is a step by step visual guide to help you make the perfect Spinach and Feta Pizza, every time!
Variations
Add meat! Crumbled cooked Italian Sausage makes a great addition, as well as cooked chopped chicken breast!
Try caramelized onions instead. Caramelizing the onions before adding to the pizza will give the pizza a sweeter profile, and is a nice twist. See my French Onion Soup Dip recipe for tips on how to get perfect caramelized onions!
Swap the cheese. Try halloumi or goat cheese in place of the feta! Both cheeses have great flavor, and the goat cheese is even more intensely flavored, with a creamier texture.
Use frozen spinach. You'll need about 1 cup of frozen chopped spinach (thawed and cooked) to top the pizza.
Make it vegetarian! Omit the chicken bouillon powder from the sauce,or replace it with a bit of white miso (about ¼ tsp).
Add fresh herbs! A bit of fresh dill, chives, or basil pair perfectly with this pizza right when it comes out of the oven!
Spinach and Feta Pizza Recipe
Equipment
- 12" pizza pan, or pizza stone
- mandoline slicer (recommended)
Ingredients
White Pizza Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon powdered chicken bouillon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- a pinch of fresh grated nutmeg
Pizza
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 5 oz package of baby Spinach
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or minced
- salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced , (mandoline slicer recommended)
- 1 cup Feta in brine, cut into ½” cubes
- 1 8 oz block of low moisture Mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven:Preheat your oven to 500 degrees f. For best results, do this about 30 minutes prior to baking the pizza.Make the Sauce:1. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.2. Once butter is melted, add the flour and garlic, and stir well until fully combined (no lumps or flour remain). Cook 30 seconds, until just fragrant.3. Slowly add in the milk, stirring constantly until well incorporated, then str in salt, pepper, dried oregano and chicken bouillon powder.4. Cook the sauce for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.5. Turn off the heat, and fold in the fresh grated nutmeg and grated parmesan cheese.6. Remove pot from heat and set aside until ready to use.Cook the Spinach: 1. Cook garlic in oil 1 minute over medium heat, stirring occasionally until fragrant but not browned. 2. Add the baby spinach and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally until wilted, 2-3 minutes. Assemble the Pizza:1. Stretch your pizza dough and place on your pizza pan. Layer sauce over the dough in an even layer, leaving about a ¼” border on the outer edges. 2. Layer on your shredded mozzarella cheese in an even layer over the sauce. 3. Add the cooked spinach, then the cubed feta. Top with thinly sliced red onion and red pepper flakes. 4. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, turning clockwise halfway through (to promote even browning) until crispy, browned, and bubbly.5. Allow to rest a few minutes, then slice and serve!
Notes
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Will the feta cheese melt?
Technically, no! While feta cheese will soften and become creamy, it does not melt like traditional cheese, due to it's high acidity and calcium content. That's why I use both mozzarella and feta for this pizza recipe. Consider the feta more of a delicious creamy topping.
I love to use it to make Baked Feta as an appetizer, in Chickpea Feta Salad, or with Eggs on Toast!
What type of cheese is feta?
Feta is traditionally made from sheep's milk, or a combination of sheep and goat's milk. It is crumbly and slightly grainy, and stored in an acidic brine. It is salty, tangy, and totally delicious!
What's the best way to stretch pizza dough?
To get the perfect crust, allow your finished or store bough pizza dough to come to room temperature for about 1 hour prior to stretching to allow it to relax. I like to stretch it on a well floured surface until it is nice and thin prior to placing it on my pizza pan and adding the sauce and toppings. If the dough springs back when you try and stretch it, let it rest some more. Here is a great article on working with pizza dough for more information!
What is the best oven temperature for pizza?
For the perfect pizza that baked up beautifully, I like to preheat my oven to 500 degrees f for 30 minutes prior to baking my pizza. This ensures the oven is fully at temp, and cooks the pizza fast and evenly.
How can I make the crust extra crispy?
To get an extra crispy crust on my pizza, I like to brush a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil on my pizza pan before adding the pizza dough, or a small even sprinkle of cornmeal. The high heat baking does a great job all by itself, so these tips are optional.
More Pizza Recipes
Try my spicy Harissa Pizza with Smoked Mozzarella, Tomato, and Proscuitto, made with homemade pizza dough!
Make my Philly Cheesesteak Pizza recipe, which uses the same delicious homemade white pizza sauce as this Spinach Feta Pizza!
Try my Springtime favorite- Corn, Squash, and Goat Cheese Pizza!
Whip up my Fig French Bread Pizza with fresh figs and toasty Italian bread!
© Jawns I Cooked. All images & content are the sole property of Jawns I Cooked. Please ask permission prior to using my photos. If you would like to share one of my recipes, please link back to this post and re-write the instructions in your own words.
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