This Cheesy Flatbread Pizza with Salami and Honey Goat Cheese Almond Pesto hits all the best notes: crispy crust, salty salami, sweet honey, tangy goat cheese, and bright, fresh, nutty almond pesto. Oh, and it wouldn’t be a cheesy flatbread pizza without the addition of cheddar and provolone cheese. Top with a lemony, peppery arugula salad and get ready for a flavor bomb in your mouth!
I’m keeping it quick and easy (and less messy) with pre-made raw dough from the grocery store. A simple recipe that is SO satisfying. It’s perfect for brunch, dinner, or as an appetizer!
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Cheesy Flatbread Pizza with Salami and Honey Goat Cheese Almond Pesto
The title of this recipe may sound long, fancy and intimidating; but I’m here to tell you (and show you) that it’s really freakin’ easy.
- Prep the flatbread pizza dough
- Blend the ingredients for your Honey Goat Cheese Almond Pesto
- Slice the salami and shred the cheese
- Make a quick salad of lemon and arugula, for garnishing
Flatbread Pizza Dough
I know using store-bought flatbread pizza dough may seem lazy, but sometimes you just need convenience, you know?
Let’s face it, we will be cleaning the kitchen repeatedly until the end of time. One minute it’s sparkling clean, next thing you know, there’s flour scattered in places it does not belong; on the cabinets, in your eyes, even on the dog! With that being said, this evening I’m opting for a cleanish kitchen and scratch-made flatbread pizza dough from the bakery.
Technically flatbread and pizza dough are different; flatbread calls for unleavened dough (no yeast), and pizza calls for dough that has been made using yeast with required rising time. Call it what you’d like; the toppings are what really counts!
Honestly, you can use whatever you want for the crust. Maybe you have a favorite store-bought brand or homemade recipe for flatbread/pizza dough, or a great cauliflower crust recipe. Anything goes here but be sure to adjust the cooking times as necessary!
How to Make Flatbread Pizza Crispy
One word: prebake!
I typically use a pizza stone, which I preheat in a 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260 degrees Celsius) oven for twenty minutes (you can prepare the honey goat cheese almond pesto, cheese, and salami during this time). Once the pizza stone is scorching hot, I then place the floured and stretched flatbread pizza dough on the stone, drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt + pepper, and prebake it for three minutes. When using oily/wet ingredients such as pesto, prebaking is essential because it prevents the crust from becoming soggy, resulting in an airy on the inside, crispy on the outside crust!
Warning: if you have any grease drippings, crumbs, etc. in your oven, be prepared for absolute chaos when you heat your oven at such a high temperature for twenty minutes. Your house may become extremely smoky, fire alarms blaring, husband rushing to open all the doors (mid-winter), dog spazzing and barking. I was just reminded that I need to clean my oven. 😅
Instead of an indoor oven, you could also use an Ooni Pizza Oven! My parents got us one for Christmas and we absolutely love it. I think we’ll be baking all our pizzas and flatbreads outside in the pizza oven from now on! No smoky chaos, plus it’s just more fun baking pizza outside, especially when you’re snowed in.
Honey Goat Cheese Almond Pesto
While your pizza stone is preheating in the oven, now is a great time to begin making your honey goat cheese almond pesto. This can also be prepared the night before or even at the beginning of the week (hello, meal prep)!
EASY STEPS TO MAKING HOMEMADE ALMOND BASIL PESTO RECIPE IN A FOOD PROCESSOR:
You could always buy pre-made pesto from the store; however, my homemade honey goat cheese almond pesto is so easy, flavorful, and unique. It’s worth the extra few minutes, pinky promise!
- Combine basil, garlic and almonds and blend until coarsely chopped.
- Slowly stream in EVOO and pulse until smooth.
- Add Pecorino Romano, salt + pepper, and lemon juice – briefly process until combined.
Now that the almond pesto is finished, the last step would be to add in the star of the show: the honey goat cheese. It adds a subtle sweetness and pungent tanginess that pairs SO well with all the other ingredients and flavors found in the Cheesy Flatbread Pizza with Salami and Honey Goat Cheese Almond Pesto.
Pulse the goat cheese into the pesto until well combined. Once finished, the pesto will be creamy from the goat cheese, yet coarse and crunchy from the small bits of almonds throughout. It’s realllllly good!
My honey goat cheese almond pesto would also be the perfect pasta sauce; just toss a bit of pasta water with the pesto and pasta and you have yourself a quick and easy dinner. Or, add it to your next charcuterie board! Yum.
The Final Steps: Shred, Slice, Assemble and Bake
Shred the medium cheddar and provolone (unless you’re using slices) and slice your salami. Spread half of the honey goat cheese almond pesto on each prebaked flatbread pizza crust, top with white cheddar, then salami, then provolone. Finish baking in the oven for eight to ten minutes, or until done in the center and golden brown and crispy on the edges.
Lastly (and don’t you skip it), place your micro arugula in a bowl and toss with a nice squeeze of lemon juice and a crack or two of sea salt + pepper. The fresh, peppery arugula and bright acidity of the lemon juice really cuts through the richness of the other flatbread pizza ingredients and rounds the dish out so nicely!
Do this at the very last minute or the arugula will get soggy.
If you can’t find micro arugula, regular sized arugula will work too! 🌿
Remove the baked flatbread pizzas from the oven, top with arugula salad, slice, and EATTTTTTTTT.
As always, I’d love to hear from you all! About your experience with this dish, any alterations you may have made and loved (or didn’t love), or just life and cooking in general. Please leave a review/comment/question below, reach out via email (jenna@heavenlyspiced.com), and/or stay connected with me on social media, which I have linked below!
MORE BRUNCH INSPIRATION:
Cheesy Flatbread Pizza with Salami and Honey Goat Cheese Almond Pesto.
- Total Time: 36 minutes
- Yield: 2 flatbread pizzas 1x
Description
Honey goat cheese is blended with homemade almond pesto for a twist on the traditional sauce. It’s then spread on flatbread pizza dough and topped with salami and a blend of cheeses, then baked until crispy. A fresh salad of arugula and lemon completes this quick and easy brunch, dinner, or appetizer recipe!
Ingredients
Honey Goat Cheese Almond Pesto:
- 2 ounces fresh basil leaves, stems and tiny leaves removed
- 1/4 cup almonds
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon – save the other half for later)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese
- 4 ounces honey goat cheese
Flatbread Pizza Dough and Additional Toppings:
- 1 pound raw homemade or store-bought pizza or flatbread dough
- 6 ounces medium white cheddar cheese
- 6 ounces provolone cheese
- 4 ounces salami
- 1 cup arugula + pinch of sea salt and pepper + a good squeeze of lemon juice
Instructions
- PREPARE YOUR FLATBREAD PIZZA AND PIZZA STONE. Remove your dough from the fridge at least 20 minutes before handling. Place your pizza stone(s) in the oven and set it to 500 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Sprinkle flour on a clean surface and your hands/rolling pin. Stretch or roll the dough into a thin oval shape and set it aside.
- HONEY GOAT CHEESE ALMOND PESTO. In a small food processor; combine basil, garlic, and almonds and pulse until coarsely chopped. Slowly stream in extra-virgin olive oil and blend until well combined. Add Pecorino Romano cheese, salt, pepper, and lemon juice; pulse a few times. Lastly, drop in your honey goat cheese and process until smooth and creamy yet still a little crunchy (from the almonds).
- PREPARE CHEESES AND SALAMI. Depending on the size of your salami, you can halve it or just leave it whole. I suggest freshly grating the cheddar and provolone from a block; however, if you already have slices or pre-shredded on hand, which will do!
- PREBAKE FLATBREAD PIZZA DOUGH, ASSEMBLE, THEN BAKE AGAIN. Once your pizza stone is preheated; transfer your prepared dough to the stone and drizzle with a thin stream of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and freshly cracked pepper. Bake in the 500-degree oven for three minutes. Remove the prepared dough from the oven then spread an equal amount of honey goat cheese almond pesto on each flatbread and top with half of the cheddar, salami, and provolone. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 more minutes, or until the edges are golden-brown and to your desired crispiness.
- ARUGULA SALAD TOPPING. When your flatbread pizzas are almost done baking, prepare your simple arugula salad. Squeeze about a tablespoon or so of lemon juice and a good pinch of salt + pepper. Don’t make this in advance as the arugula will become wilted and soggy.
- REMOVE, COOL, TOP, AND SERVE. Remove the flatbreads from the oven and allow them to cool on the pizza stone for a couple of minutes. Top with arugula salad, slice, and serve! 🍽️
Notes
- Remove dough from fridge and allow to come to room temperature approximately 20 minutes to an hour before handling.
- Makes two flatbread pizzas. If you are planning to eat one the next day and want to make it fresh, just store the other half of the dough in an airtight container in the fridge! Learn more here.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 21 minutes
- Category: Main Dishes, Appetizers
- Method: Oven or Pizza Oven
- Cuisine: Bar Food
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I haven’t made this pizza yet, but I am still giving it 5 stars. It looks wonderful and I know that it will be delicious. . The pesto sounds delicious!
★★★★★
I loved this recipe! I’ve never had pesto before but it was so good! I highly recommend thus recipe!!
★★★★★
Wow! This is so delicious dear! Would love to do it also. Keep postinggg.
★★★★★
Thank you so much, Andrea! I hope you try the recipe. 😊
This looks so good and I like the topping on this one. First time to know such a pizza. I will save it on my list to try it.
It’s different, but tasty! I’d love to know how it turns out. 😊
This recipe looks so yummy. I really appreciate that you included healthier options. Thank you for sharing. ☺️
Pastor Natalie (ExamineThisMoment)
Letstakeamoment.com
★★★★★
Thank you for taking the time to view my recipe! I’m so glad you found my healthier options helpful. 😊
I will be making this soon! Sounds so flavorful.
★★★★★
This recipe is definitely not lacking in the flavor department. I hope you enjoy my recipe! 😊
Yes please! This pizza looks phenomenal, and the ingredients are ones I already enjoy using. Can’t wait to try it, and I will definitely be looking into that pizza oven.
★★★★★
Thank you so much, Jenn! Yes, the Ooni pizza oven is amazing. 🍕
This looks incredible!! Definitely going to try to make this!
I’m so glad to hear that! I hope you love the recipe. 😊
Love a good flatbread pizza. I usually use the Naan flatbread., Thanks for showing us that purchasing the pizza dough at the store as opposed to making it, saves us a lot of time. However, love that you use freshly made pesto sauce. looks delicious, Jenna.
★★★★★
I love Naan! That sounds like a great option, Kevin. Thank you so much for stopping by!
I will be the first to admit that I’m the weirdo who got super excited about the microgreens on the top of the pizza, before I even read the pizza ingredients! This looks absolutely amazing, and what an exciting way to sneak in all those greens!
★★★★★
You’re not a weirdo Susan! Microgreens are so exciting! 😂 Thank you so much. I do really enjoy these flatbread pizza ingredients together. The goat cheese, pesto…so tasty!
Love a good homemade pizza. Love the pesto sauce and goat cheese you use in your recipe. they are a unique combination. I usually use Naan bread, but nothing beat good pizza dough. Will be pinning this for future reference.
★★★★★
Thank you, Kevin! Yes the honey goat cheese tastes so good mixed in with the pesto. It’s good as a pasta sauce too with a little pasta water mixed in. Naan would be great too! I’ll have to try it with that sometime.
Love your blog. Everything is so mouthwatering! Saved this recipe, trying it out for the weekend. thank you
Thank you so much, Lani! I appreciate your kind words. This is a good one! I hope you love it. 🤗
Love this recipe, since I love both bread and cheese it is ideal for me.
★★★★★
I’m so glad this recipe looks appealing to you, Lois! Bread and cheese is the best. 😊