Margherita Flatbread

Margherita flatbread is a fun appetizer or a simple dinner! It’s bursting with flavor from homemade pizza sauce and gooey mozzarella.

Here’s an easy appetizer or quick dinner idea that riffs on the Italian classic pizza: Margherita Flatbread! This simple way to make a pizza harnesses the flavors of Margherita pizza to make a killer appetizer. It’s got a flavor popping tomato sauce, gooey mozzarella cheese, and pops of herbaceous fresh basil. Making it with purchased flatbread cuts out the need to make a pizza dough. Of course, there’s nothing like a true Pizza Margherita: but this one is ideal for shortcuts! Our entire family loves this one.

What you need for Margherita flatbread

Margherita flatbread is a quick way to make margherita pizza, the most famous of all Italian pizza flavors. 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. Common belief is the flavor was named after Queen Margherita of Savoy, an Italian queen in the 1800’s. This flatbread version uses a purchased flatbread instead of pizza crust to make a quick and simple version of the original. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Naan breads (or other purchased flatbread)
• Fresh mozzarella cheese
• Easy Pizza Sauce or purchased pizza sauce
• Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
• Tomatoes (optional)
• Basil
• Balsamic reduction or glaze (purchased or homemade)

Use naan or other purchased flatbread

A flatbread pizza is a pizza made with a dough base that’s already baked instead of pizza dough. The difference with a standard pizza is that the pizza dough is raw when you make a pizza. We like using naan for flatbreads (like this Caprese flatbread), since it’s a nice size and thickness. Here are some favorite options for the flatbread base:

• Purchased naan works well! It should be easy to find in the bread aisle at your local grocery store. (If you’re feeling ambitious, try homemade naan.)
• Or, look for other types of purchased flatbread. You’ll want it to be roughly 1 inch thick (or use homemade flatbread).
• Update the “pre-toasting” timing for other types of bread. You’ll toast the naan or flatbread in the oven first until it’s lightly crisp. The timing for other types of flatbread may be slightly different than naan, so adjust accordingly (check a few minutes before the recipe indicates to make sure).

Working with fresh mozzarella

Fresh mozzarella cheese is gooey and stretchy: perfect for topping a margherita pizza or flatbread. But this type of cheese contains a lot of water: much more than a typical shredded mozzarella cheese! There are a few best practices when it comes to fresh mozzarella cheese:

• Cut the cheese pieces and let it sit 15 minutes. Slice ¼-inch thick pieces and let it sit on a paper towel to remove moisture while you prepare the pizzas. Dab the mozzarella with the paper towel to remove any additional moisture before using it.
• After baking, dab the flatbread with a paper towel if necessary. Fresh mozzarella can be watery even after baking, depending on the brand. If necessary, use the corner of a paper towel to dab at the moisture.

Best with homemade pizza sauce

The best way to get great flavor for Margherita flatbread? Try our 5 minute Homemade Pizza Sauce. This sauce will blow your mind with the fresh, garlicky robust flavor. It takes only 5 minutes, and all you’ll need is a can of fire roasted tomatoes and a few staples. Here are a few notes on the sauce:

• This pizza sauce takes 5 minutes in a blender (do it while the oven preheats). All you need are canned fire roasted tomatoes, garlic, oregano, salt and olive oil. Go to our Pizza Sauce recipe.
• Fire roasted tomatoes are key for the flavor! This type of tomatoes are roasted on an open flame before canning, making them taste sweet right out of the can.

How to serve Margherita flatbread

Ready to serve your margherita flatbread? Here are a few notes on serving this tasty appetizer or dinner recipe:

• Add basil after baking. Never cook a pizza with basil in the oven: it turns brown! Add the basil afterwards.
• Slice into triangle shapes. Naan looks more fun as a flatbread pizza when sliced into triangles: we think it looks more appetizing than the squares you get on an oval base (like this).
• Serve warm or at room temperature (for parties). The best part? Margherita flatbread tastes great at room temperature, making it a great appetizer to set out on a platter when you’re entertaining.

More flatbread recipes and pizzas

Love using purchased flatbread as a base? Here are a few more ideas for you:

• Try Caprese Flatbread
• Go for Flatbread Pizza
• Opt for a French Bread Pizza, Quick Tortilla Pizza or Easy Pita Pizza

01

Caprese Flatbread

02

Flatbread Pizza

03

Easy Pita Pizza

04

French Bread Pizza

This Margherita flatbread recipe is…

Vegetarian.

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