The Best Homemade Alfredo Pizza Recipe: Easy, Creamy, and Delicious!
Get ready to indulge in the ultimate comfort food: homemade Alfredo Pizza! Forget about complicated recipes or expensive takeout – this guide brings the rich, creamy, and undeniably delicious flavors of authentic Alfredo sauce right to your pizza crust. Combining a simple, from-scratch garlic Alfredo sauce with an easy-to-master pizza dough, this dish is destined to become an instant family favorite. It’s wonderfully cheesy, incredibly satisfying, and versatile enough to be customized with your favorite toppings, from savory grilled chicken to fresh, vibrant tomatoes. Whether you’re a seasoned home cook or a beginner, our detailed, step-by-step instructions will help you create a pizza that’s simple to make, packed with cheesy goodness, and absolutely delicious!
Why This Homemade Alfredo Pizza Will Be Your New Go-To Recipe
There’s something uniquely comforting about a truly great pizza, and this homemade Alfredo Pizza takes that comfort to an entirely new level. It quickly became an instant family favorite in my home, all thanks to the perfect marriage of a fantastic pizza dough recipe and a luscious creamy Alfredo sauce. This combination creates a pizza that’s rich, flavorful, and incredibly satisfying. Children, in particular, adore the cheesy goodness, which makes dinner preparations a breeze for parents. While a classic cheese Alfredo pizza is always a hit, adding fresh tomatoes transforms it into a delightful white pizza, and various other toppings can elevate it even further.
I’ve received countless compliments and recipe requests for this particular Alfredo pizza, which motivated me to share it widely. It’s a recipe I frequently revisit myself, often printing it out for my own collection, proving its enduring appeal. The joy of creating something so delicious from scratch, knowing every ingredient that goes into it, is truly unparalleled. This recipe isn’t just about making pizza; it’s about creating memorable meals and bringing smiles to the dinner table with minimal effort and maximum flavor.
A Special Thank You to Valya’s Taste of Home
Before we dive deeper into the recipe, I want to extend a huge thank you to Valya for her fantastic foundational recipes. Her Taste of Home Blog is a treasure trove of family-oriented recipes, including many authentic Russian and Ukrainian dishes. Her dedication to wholesome, delicious cooking is truly inspiring, and her original pizza dough and Alfredo sauce recipes are essential to the success of this incredible pizza. Be sure to check out her blog for more culinary delights and homemade goodness!
Homemade Alfredo Pizza: The Ultimate Recipe Guide
Crafting a delectable homemade Alfredo pizza might seem daunting, but with our detailed recipe and step-by-step instructions, you’ll be baking like a pro in no time. This recipe is designed to yield two generous large pizzas, making it perfect for feeding a hungry crowd, a family dinner, or ensuring you have delicious leftovers for later enjoyment. We’ll start with the foundation: a perfectly risen, fluffy pizza dough, then move on to preparing our rich, garlicky Alfredo sauce from scratch, and finally, guide you through assembling and baking your cheesy masterpiece to golden perfection.
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Alfredo Pizza
Ingredients
Pizza Dough:
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5 cups all-purpose flour
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1 Tbsp yeast
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2 Tbsp dry milk
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2 Tbsp sugar
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1 tsp salt
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2 Tbsp butter
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2 cups warm water
Pizza Toppings:
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2 cups alfredo sauce divided
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4 cups grated mozzarella cheese divided
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1/2 cup parmesan cheese divided
Alfredo Sauce:
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1 oz cream cheese
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2 Tbsp butter
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1 cup heavy cream
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3 cloves garlic
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1/8 tsp salt and pepper
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1 cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
Pizza Crust:
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In a large bowl combine all the pizza dough ingredients (flour, yeast, dry milk, sugar, salt, butter, warm water) and knead for 10 minutes until you achieve a smooth, elastic dough. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size (approximately 45 minutes in a warmed oven, or longer at room temperature).
How to Make Alfredo Sauce:
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In a small saucepan, melt the cream cheese over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once softened, whisk in the butter until the mixture is smooth and fully combined. Pour in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, whisking continuously. Reduce the heat to low, add the minced garlic, salt, and pepper, and simmer until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Finally, whisk in the Parmesan cheese until it’s completely melted and incorporated. Remove the sauce from heat immediately.
How to Assemble Alfredo Pizza:
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Preheat your oven to a blazing 450°F (230°C). Generously grease two large pizza pans with about 2 tablespoons of oil each, ensuring the entire surface is covered to prevent sticking and promote a crispy crust. Divide the risen pizza dough in half. On each greased pan, gently press and stretch one half of the dough to form two 14-inch circles. Use your fingertips to indent the center slightly, creating a natural border for a slightly thicker, chewier crust around the edges. -
Evenly spread 1 cup of the prepared homemade Alfredo sauce over the entire top surface of each pizza crust, ensuring it reaches all the way to the edges, as this helps achieve a golden, flavorful crust. -
Generously top each pizza with 2 cups of grated mozzarella cheese and a quarter cup of Parmesan cheese. Place the pizzas in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned. For even cooking, rotate the pizzas halfway through the baking time. Serve hot and enjoy your delicious homemade Alfredo pizza!
Notes
- This recipe is designed to make 2 large pizzas, perfect for sharing or enjoying as leftovers.
- For a visually appealing pizza, consider garnishing with a sprinkle of dried parsley over the cheese before baking. This adds a beautiful pop of color.
Nutrition per serving
Variations and Customizations: Making Your Alfredo Pizza Unique
One of the best aspects of homemade pizza is the freedom to customize it to your heart’s content. While a classic Alfredo pizza with just cheese is divine, adding extra toppings can elevate its flavor and texture even further. The creamy, rich base of Alfredo sauce provides a perfect canvas for a variety of delicious ingredients. Don’t be afraid to experiment with your favorite combinations to create an Alfredo pizza that’s perfectly suited to your taste buds!
- Classic Veggies: Fresh spinach and bright, juicy tomatoes are a match made in heaven for Alfredo. The slight bitterness of spinach and the acidity of tomatoes cut through the richness of the sauce beautifully, adding freshness to every bite.
- Mediterranean Flair: For a salty, tangy kick, consider adding crumbled feta cheese and briny black or Kalamata olives. These ingredients introduce a wonderful contrast to the creamy base, creating a more complex flavor profile.
- Hearty Proteins: Transform your Alfredo pizza into a substantial meal with the addition of cooked, shredded chicken (making it a classic Chicken Alfredo Pizza!), crispy bacon bits, or savory Italian sausage. These proteins pair exceptionally well with the rich sauce.
- Earthy Delights: Sautéed mushrooms or thinly sliced bell peppers (red, yellow, or green) add an earthy depth and a subtle crunch. A mix of different mushroom varieties, like cremini and shiitake, can be particularly delightful.
- Gourmet Greens: For a more sophisticated touch, try adding sautéed kale, tender artichoke hearts, or even caramelized onions. These ingredients bring unique flavors and textures that complement the creamy sauce without overpowering it.
- A Touch of Heat: A sprinkle of red pepper flakes before baking can add a pleasant warmth and subtle heat, balancing the richness of the Alfredo and adding an exciting kick.
- Fresh Herbs Finish: A final garnish of fresh parsley, basil, or chives after baking can brighten the flavors and add a beautiful aroma, making your pizza look and taste even more professional.
Choosing the Right Pizza Pans for a Perfect Crust
The secret to a beautifully crispy and evenly baked pizza crust often lies significantly in the quality and type of your pizza pan. While the recipe focuses on the dough and sauce, the right equipment can make a profound difference in the final texture and appearance of your homemade Alfredo pizza. Here are some of my top recommendations and why they work so well for achieving that perfect crust:
- Round Pizza Pan with Holes: This is my absolute first choice for achieving that desirable golden-brown, consistently crispy crust. The perforations in the pan allow for excellent airflow around the bottom of the dough, ensuring the pizza cooks thoroughly without becoming soggy. I personally own a similar, unbranded version of this type, and it consistently delivers fantastic results. Its lightweight design also makes it easy to handle and retrieve from a hot oven.
- Wilton Sturdy Pans: If you prefer a solid, non-perforated pan or simply want a reliable alternative, Wilton offers excellent sturdy options. I have the exact ones myself, and they are incredibly dependable for a good, even bake. These pans are a great choice if you’re looking for a pan that retains more heat, which can result in a slightly chewier crust texture compared to perforated pans.
- Sheet Pan Pizza Pans: For those who enjoy a rectangular, perhaps thicker-crusted, pizza experience, dedicated sheet pan pizza pans offer an interesting and versatile twist. They often come with slightly raised edges, making them perfect for preparing deep-dish or Sicilian-style crusts, or simply for maximizing surface area for creative topping arrangements when feeding a larger group.
Regardless of your pan choice, remember that ensuring it is well-greased, as explicitly mentioned in our preparation tips, is a critical step to prevent sticking and to promote that irresistibly beautiful, evenly browned crust.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Alfredo Pizza
How do you make pizza crust golden brown and crispy?
Achieving a perfectly golden brown and crispy pizza crust is a culinary quest for many home bakers, and the secret lies primarily in proper greasing, high heat, and the right ingredients. A generous application of oil to your pizza pan and along the edges of the dough is crucial. This not only prevents sticking but also helps conduct heat efficiently, promoting that desired crisp texture and a beautiful golden hue. For our Alfredo Pizza, the richness of the homemade Alfredo sauce itself plays a dual role in this process. Because Alfredo sauce is made with cream, butter, and cheese, it naturally contributes a ‘grease factor’ to the pizza. By spreading the Alfredo sauce generously over the entire surface of the dough, including the crust edges, you naturally lubricate the crust. This method allows the edges to crisp up and brown beautifully as the pizza bakes, often without needing additional oil specifically on the crust, creating a delicious, flavorful perimeter for your cheesy masterpiece. Additionally, baking at a high oven temperature, like the 450°F recommended, is essential to ensure a quick bake that crisps the crust before the toppings overcook.
What mozzarella cheese is best for pizza?
Choosing the right mozzarella cheese is paramount for a truly exceptional pizza. While mozzarella is the quintessential pizza cheese, the vast array of options – part-skim, whole milk, fresh, or pre-grated – can be quite confusing. For optimal melt, stretch, and texture on your Alfredo Pizza, I highly recommend opting for low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella. This type of mozzarella, often found in a semi-soft block form like Galbani Mozzarella cheese, is ideal because its lower water content prevents a soggy crust, and it melts into that perfect, bubbly, gooey consistency we all crave without releasing too much liquid.
The significant advantage of buying mozzarella in a block is the absence of cellulose powder, an anti-caking agent often added to pre-shredded cheeses. While convenient, this powder can sometimes inhibit a smooth, even melt and alter the final cheese texture, leading to a less desirable result. Therefore, grating your own block of cheese just before assembly is always the superior choice for the best outcome. If you’re a bulk buyer like me, you might occasionally mix freshly grated cheese with a high-quality pre-shredded option for convenience. However, if pre-grated is your only option, look for brands specifically noted for good melting and minimal additives, such as this recommended pre-grated mozzarella cheese, to ensure the closest possible experience to freshly grated.
What’s the difference between white sauce and Alfredo?
While both white sauce and Alfredo sauce share a creamy, pale appearance, they are distinct culinary creations with different flavor profiles and applications, especially when used on pizza. A classic “white sauce” is typically a béchamel, which is one of the five mother sauces of French cuisine. It’s fundamentally made by creating a roux (a cooked mixture of butter and flour) and then slowly whisking in milk to achieve a thick, smooth, and relatively mild white sauce. Béchamel provides a subtle, milky base often used in dishes like lasagna, gratins, or other creamy casseroles.
Alfredo sauce, on the other hand, elevates this basic concept with richer ingredients and more pronounced flavors. While it also starts with a creamy base (though often primarily heavy cream-based rather than roux-based for a lighter texture in some recipes), the key differentiators are the generous additions of real Parmesan cheese and fresh garlic. These ingredients transform a simple creamy sauce into something far more decadent, savory, and aromatic. The Parmesan provides a sharp, nutty, and salty depth, while fresh garlic infuses the sauce with its signature aromatic punch. This makes Alfredo sauce a much bolder, more luxurious choice, perfect for rich pasta dishes and, of course, as the star base for our creamy Alfredo Pizza, offering a flavor explosion that a basic white sauce simply can’t match.
Expert Tips for the Perfect Alfredo Pizza
To ensure your homemade Alfredo pizza turns out perfectly every single time, keep these expert tips in mind. These little tricks can make a significant difference in achieving a restaurant-quality result right in your own kitchen:
- Embrace Toppings for Enhanced Flavor: While a pure cheese Alfredo pizza is fantastic, don’t hesitate to experiment with various toppings. As discussed in our variations section, ingredients like grilled chicken, sautéed spinach, fresh tomatoes, or even a sprinkle of red pepper flakes can introduce new layers of flavor and texture, transforming your pizza into a gourmet experience.
- Achieve a Golden, Crispy Crust with Alfredo: For that coveted golden-brown and satisfyingly crispy crust, liberally spread your homemade Alfredo sauce not just over the center of the pizza, but all the way to the edges of the dough. The cream and butter in the Alfredo sauce act as natural greasing agents, promoting a beautiful browning and crisping of the crust during baking without needing extra oil specifically on the edges.
- Prioritize Freshly Grated Cheese: For the best melting consistency, stretch, and rich flavor, always grate your own soft, low-moisture part-skim mozzarella block. Pre-shredded cheeses often contain anti-caking agents (like cellulose powder) that can hinder a smooth melt and affect the overall texture, making it less gooey. Freshly grated cheese melts more evenly and delivers that desirable, authentic pizza pull.
- The Best Way to Reheat Leftovers: Leftover Alfredo pizza is a treat, but proper reheating is key to maintaining its deliciousness. Avoid the microwave, as it can make the crust soggy and the cheese rubbery. Instead, reheat individual slices in a toaster oven or a conventional oven preheated to 350°F (175°C) for 5-10 minutes, or until the crust is crispy and the cheese is bubbly and melted again. This method revives the pizza to almost its original glory.
- Preheat Your Oven Thoroughly: Always preheat your oven to the specified temperature (450°F or 230°C) for at least 15-20 minutes before placing your pizza in. A hot oven is absolutely essential for a quick, even bake and a wonderfully crispy crust that cooks through efficiently.
- Don’t Overload Your Pizza: While a variety of toppings is great, too many can weigh down the crust and make the pizza soggy. Stick to a balanced amount to ensure every bite is perfect and the crust remains firm.
- Garnish for Visual Appeal: For a prettier pizza that’s ready for its close-up, consider garnishing with some dried or fresh parsley over the cheese before baking, or a sprinkle of fresh basil after it comes out of the oven. This adds a delightful pop of color and a fresh aroma.