The Ultimate White Pizza with Broccolini, Fontina, and Sausage: A Weeknight Gourmet Delight

Transform your weeknight dinner routine with this sensational white pizza featuring tender broccolini, creamy fontina, and savory Italian sausage. This easy-to-follow recipe promises a gourmet experience without the fuss, perfect for busy evenings or leisurely weekends.

A beautifully crafted white pizza with broccolini, fontina, and sausage, expertly sliced and presented on parchment paper alongside a sharp knife and a bottle of olive oil, ready to be enjoyed. — Elevate your dinner game with this simple yet sophisticated white pizza masterpiece.

Imagine a quick, flavorful dinner that feels utterly indulgent, yet comes together with remarkable ease. This White Pizza with Broccolini, Fontina, and Sausage is exactly that—a culinary revelation designed to change how you approach weeknight meals. With the convenience of premade pizza dough and perhaps some leftover Italian sausage, a truly satisfying and gourmet-quality meal can be on your table in what feels like a blink. The harmonious blend of rich, creamy Fontina cheese, the delicate bitterness of vibrant broccolini, and the robust savory notes of sausage ensures every bite hits all the right sweet and savory spots, making it an instant family favorite.

Pizza is more than just a meal; it’s a canvas for endless creativity and flavor exploration. While this broccolini, fontina, and sausage combination is a star in its own right, the joy of homemade pizza lies in its adaptability. Don’t be afraid to experiment with toppings to suit your mood or what you have on hand. For those eager to explore beyond the classic, here are some other exquisite pizza combinations that capture different facets of Italian-inspired cuisine:

**Garlic Oil with Burrata, Sliced Tomato, Basil, and Rocket (Arugula):** A lighter, fresher take on pizza that celebrates the simple beauty of high-quality ingredients. The pungent garlic oil provides an aromatic base, complementing the creamy, ethereal burrata cheese. Sweet, ripe tomato slices add a burst of juiciness, while fresh basil leaves infuse a peppery-sweet fragrance. Finally, a generous scatter of peppery rocket (arugula) adds a vibrant, slightly bitter contrast, elevating this pizza to a sophisticated summer staple.
**Artichoke, Salami, Pepperoncini (Pickled Tuscan Pepper) Slices, Crushed Tinned Tomatoes, and Fontina Cheese:** This combination offers a delightful interplay of textures and bold flavors. The earthy tang of artichokes pairs beautifully with the spicy, cured notes of salami. Slices of pepperoncini introduce a zesty, vinegary kick that brightens the palate, cutting through the richness. A base of crushed tinned tomatoes provides a classic, robust foundation, all brought together by the melt-in-your-mouth creaminess of Fontina cheese. It’s a pizza that’s both comforting and exciting.
**Italian Pork Meatballs, Mozzarella, Crushed Tinned Tomatoes, Garlic, and Basil:** A hearty, comforting pizza that’s reminiscent of a classic Italian-American Sunday dinner. Tender, flavorful Italian pork meatballs, simmered in a rich tomato sauce, are scattered generously over a bed of crushed tinned tomatoes. Gooey mozzarella melts into a golden blanket, while slivers of fresh garlic and fragrant basil leaves infuse every bite with an irresistible aroma and taste. This pizza is pure satisfaction, perfect for a gathering.
**Mixed Wild and Brown Mushroom Slices, Sage, and Mozzarella:** For the mushroom lover, this pizza is an umami dream. A medley of earthy wild and brown mushrooms—think cremini, shiitake, or even some more adventurous varieties like oyster or chanterelle—are sautéed to bring out their deep flavors. Fresh sage leaves add a wonderfully aromatic, slightly peppery note that pairs exquisitely with mushrooms. All these robust flavors are harmoniously bound by the mild, stretchy goodness of mozzarella cheese, creating a pizza that feels both rustic and refined.

Beyond these specific combinations, remember that preparing your pizza components ahead of time can make a world of difference for those busy days. For instance, homemade pizza dough can be prepared 1-2 days in advance. Simply form it into a ball, lightly oil a bowl, place the dough in it, cover tightly, and refrigerate. When you’re ready to bake, pull it out to come to room temperature for about an hour before stretching. Similarly, toppings like broccolini can be blanched earlier in the day, refreshed under cold water to stop the cooking process and preserve their vibrant color, and then refrigerated. This proactive approach ensures that when dinner time rolls around, most of the work is already done, leaving you to simply assemble and bake your masterpiece. As Jennifer Joyce aptly puts it, a little prep goes a long way in enjoying delicious food without the last-minute rush.

CAN I MAKE PIZZA INTO CALZONES? ABSOLUTELY!

Thinking outside the pizza box? Or rather, inside the pizza dough? Yes, you absolutely can transform your favorite pizza recipe into delectable calzones! Calzones offer a delightful alternative, perfect for on-the-go meals, picnics, or simply a fun twist on pizza night. The process is surprisingly straightforward:

Start by stretching your pizza dough, just as you would for a regular pizza, aiming for a round or semi-oval shape. Instead of spreading the fillings over the entire surface, place all your desired ingredients—like our delicious broccolini, fontina, and sausage mix—onto one half of the dough, leaving a generous border around the edge. Before folding, lightly brush the exposed edges of the dough with a little water. This acts as a natural glue, helping the edges seal securely.

Next, carefully fold the empty half of the dough over the filling to meet the other side, forming a half-moon shape. Gently press down along the edges, then use your fingers to pinch and crimp the dough all the way around, creating a decorative and tight seal, much like you would with an empanada or a pie crust. This ensures all the delicious fillings stay safely tucked inside during baking.

Crucially, before sliding it into the oven, you’ll need to make a small slash or two on the top crust of the calzone. These vents are essential for allowing steam to escape as the calzone bakes, preventing it from bursting and ensuring an evenly cooked interior and a beautifully golden-brown crust. Once vented, slide your calzone onto a preheated pizza stone or baking tray. Bake until the crust is golden and puffed, typically 8 to 12 minutes, depending on your oven’s temperature and the size of your calzone. Serve them hot, perhaps with a side of marinara for dipping, and prepare for a truly satisfying, portable pizza experience!

White Pizza with Broccolini, Fontina, and Sausage

This quick and easy white pizza recipe, featuring tender broccolini, savory Italian sausage, and creamy Fontina cheese, is the perfect solution for a flavorful weeknight dinner. Utilizing premade dough simplifies the process, delivering a delicious, satisfying meal in a flash.

Recipe by David Leite

Course: Mains

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 4 pizzas

Calories: 934 kcal per serving

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds store-bought or homemade pizza dough, at room temperature
Semolina, polenta, or flour, for dusting
1 tablespoon olive oil
9 ounces Italian sausage, casings removed, meat pinched into 1 1/4 inch (3 cm) pieces
Salt, to taste
1 bunch (about 5 oz) broccolini or rapini (broccoli rabe), trimmed and cut into thin stalks
5 1/2 ounces fontina, provolone piccante, or Asiago cheese, thinly sliced
4 1/2 ounces fresh mozzarella, drained, torn into pieces
1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

**Prepare Oven:** Place a pizza stone, baking steel, or a heavy metal baking sheet on the middle rack of your oven. Preheat the oven to its highest possible temperature (usually 500-550°F or 260-290°C). Allow it to preheat for at least 30-45 minutes to ensure the stone or sheet is piping hot.
**Dust Peel:** Lightly dust a pizza peel, a flat baking sheet, or the back of an overturned rimmed baking sheet with semolina, polenta, or flour. This will help the pizza slide easily.
**Cook Sausage:** In a medium skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pinched Italian sausage pieces and cook, breaking them up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, which takes about 8 minutes. Remove the cooked sausage with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels to remove excess grease.
**Blanch Broccolini:** Meanwhile, bring a large pan of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Add the trimmed and cut broccolini (or rapini) and cook for just 1 minute. Immediately drain the broccolini and refresh it under cold running water to stop the cooking process and preserve its vibrant green color. Pat the broccolini very dry with paper towels.
**Stretch Dough:** Lightly dust your work surface with flour. Divide the pizza dough into 4 equal pieces. Keep 3 pieces covered with a clean dish towel to prevent them from drying out while you work on the first pizza. Using only your fingers, gently stretch and coax the dough into a 10-inch (25 cm) round. Lift and turn the dough frequently to ensure it doesn’t stick to your work surface. If your dough is at a good room temperature, it should be pliable and stretch with ease.
Expert Tip: Resist the urge to use a rolling pin. A rolling pin tends to press out all the tiny air bubbles created during the dough’s fermentation, which are crucial for a light, airy, and tender crust. Using your hands preserves these bubbles, resulting in a much superior texture.
**Top Pizza:** Carefully transfer the stretched dough to your prepared pizza peel. Evenly scatter one-quarter of the cooked sausage, blanched broccolini, thinly sliced fontina, torn fresh mozzarella, garlic slices, and crushed red pepper flakes over the dough, leaving a small border for the crust.
**Bake First Pizza:** With a swift and confident motion, carefully slide the topped pizza from the peel onto the preheated pizza stone or hot baking tray in the oven. Bake until the crust is golden brown and crisp on the bottom, and the cheese is melted and bubbly, typically 6 to 10 minutes, though cooking times can vary depending on your oven’s heat.
Tester Tip: If your oven has hot spots, especially towards the back, rotate the pizza halfway through the cooking time to ensure even browning.
**Serve & Repeat:** As soon as the first pizza is baked, remove it from the oven. While it’s cooking, stretch and top the next pizza. Immediately place the newly topped pizza into the oven once the first one is out. Continue this process for the remaining dough portions until all 4 pizzas have been topped and baked to perfection. Slice, if desired, and serve immediately to enjoy the best flavor and texture. Buon Appetito!

Adapted From

My Street Food Kitchen

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Nutrition

Serving: 1 pizza
Calories: 934 kcal
Carbohydrates: 86 g
Protein: 41 g
Fat: 48 g
Saturated Fat: 21 g
Cholesterol: 119 mg
Sodium: 2226 mg
Fiber: 3 g
Sugar: 12 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation. Individual results may vary based on exact ingredients and preparation.

What Our Recipe Testers Loved

We believe the proof is in the tasting, which is why we rely on our dedicated team of recipe testers to put our creations through their paces. Here’s what they had to say about the White Pizza with Broccolini, Fontina, and Sausage, confirming it’s not just a recipe, but a truly delightful culinary experience:

Robin Currie

Robin Currie raved about this simple yet incredibly satisfying pizza, noting that it was a huge hit with her adult daughter and husband. The individual components, while humble, came together to create a sum that was truly delicious. She shared a brilliant tip for home pizza makers: always prep your pizza on a piece of parchment paper. This clever trick makes transferring the pizza onto a hot stone incredibly easy and mess-free. She also noted that it doesn’t interfere with achieving a perfectly crisp crust, allowing for a stress-free baking experience.

Merlyn Cafaro

Merlyn Cafaro put a creative spin on the recipe, transforming the pizza into calzones due to pleasant weather encouraging outdoor activities. She used all the specified ingredients and confirmed that her calzone was utterly delicious straight from the oven. Merlyn particularly praised the broccolini, a vegetable she hadn’t cooked before, finding it very good, quick to cook, tender, and notably not bitter. Her proactive approach of blanching the broccolini several hours prior kept it bright green and perfectly crisp. She also highlighted that there was ample filling for 6 calzones and expressed her intent to make this flavor combination in traditional pizza form next time.

Daniela Trapani

Daniela Trapani declared the white pizza a “total WIN,” given her love for sausage, broccoli/broccolini/rapini, and pizza itself. While she often makes this flavor combination, her revelation came from adding fresh mozzarella, which she described as a “game changer.” The fresh mozzarella melted into a gooey, pure heaven. Unable to find broccolini, she used rapini instead, and her whole family adored it. She enthusiastically confirmed that this white pizza with broccolini, fontina, and sausage would definitely be on her regular rotation.

MaryBeth Jirgal

MaryBeth Jirgal found the combination utterly delicious. She prepared a large pizza using 9 ounces of dough, noting that with all the ingredients piled on, it was a richly loaded pie. Her pizza cooked beautifully in 10 minutes at 500°F on a preheated pizza stone. She opted for a mix of fontina and smoked mozzarella, which added another layer of flavor complexity. A final drizzle of Mike’s Hot Honey on the perfectly crisp pizza elevated the dish, making every bite a delightful experience for her and her companions.