Garlic Lovers’ Pizza Recipe: Crispy Garlic Pizza with Herb Oil

With its blistered, crispy crust and an irresistible garlic aroma, garlic pizza proves that the simplest dishes are often the most satisfying. This deeply browned, savory pizza—made from everyday ingredients you likely already have—will quickly become a go-to for weeknight dinners, pizza nights, or potlucks.

Garlic pizza is elegant in its simplicity: a stretched pizza dough brushed with homemade garlic oil, topped with freshly grated Parmesan and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Bake until the crust is bubbly, chewy, and deeply browned. Finish with a little more grated Parmesan and a scattering of chopped fresh herbs for brightness.

This recipe isn’t just a tasty side—it’s a crowd-pleaser that shines on its own or alongside salads and soups. I often serve it with an arugula salad, but it also pairs nicely with dishes like lasagna soup, Tuscan braised beef, or a vegetable tortellini soup.

Garlic Bread Pizza

Is it garlic bread or pizza? It’s a delicious hybrid: garlic bread pizza (or garlic pizza bread). This vegetarian-friendly recipe combines the best elements of both classics—crispy edges, soft center, and bold garlic flavor.

Ingredients

1. Pizza dough (homemade, store-bought, or from a local pizzeria)
2. All-purpose flour (for dusting)
3. Cornmeal or semolina (to prevent sticking)
4. Freshly grated Parmesan (or Romano/Asiago)
5. Fresh garlic cloves, minced
6. Extra virgin olive oil
7. Fresh herbs (parsley, chives, or oregano), minced
8. Optional: crushed red pepper flakes

Notes on ingredients: Avoid canned “pop-open” dough for this recipe; it doesn’t hold up as well. Use only enough flour to dust your work surface, and use cornmeal or semolina on your peel or pan so the dough slides easily. Freshly grated cheese performs best in high heat. To make this vegan, substitute a vegan Parmesan-style cheese; for a non-vegetarian option, add anchovy fillets before baking.

I like to toss together whatever fresh herbs I have—parsley, chives, or oregano—and sprinkle them on the pizza just before serving. It’s optional but elevates the flavor and aroma.

Equipment

You can make this with basic kitchen tools or with pizza-specific gear. Here are practical options depending on what you own.

If you have a stone or steel

1. Home oven
2. Pizza steel or pizza stone
3. Pizza peel (for transferring pizza to and from the stone/steel)
4. Cutting board
5. Cheese grater
6. Chef’s knife
7. Optional: pastry brush

If you don’t

1. Home oven
2. Pizza pan or half-sheet pan
3. Oven mitts
4. Cutting board
5. Cheese grater
6. Chef’s knife
7. Optional: pastry brush

A pizza steel is a worthwhile investment if you want your home oven to mimic a wood-fired oven: it stores and distributes heat very evenly. A pizza stone is a solid alternative. A peel is extremely helpful for transferring the uncooked pizza to a hot surface and removing it when done; you can manage without, but a peel makes the process easier.

Garlic Pizza

Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C).

1. Combine minced garlic and olive oil in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Stretch a 1/2 pound ball of pizza dough into a roughly 10–12 inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to a pizza pan or a peel dusted with cornmeal or semolina.
3. Use a fork to lift as much of the raw garlic from the oil as possible and scatter it over the dough. Brush or drizzle about two-thirds of the garlic oil evenly over the crust.
4. Sprinkle with all but about 1 tablespoon of the grated Parmesan.
5. Transfer the crust to the preheated oven: bake on a baking steel or stone for 6–8 minutes, or on a pizza pan for 10–12 minutes, until the crust is golden and the bottom is crisp.
6. Brush the baked crust with the remaining garlic oil, sprinkle with the reserved Parmesan and minced fresh herbs, and add a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like heat. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm, or cold.

Storage and reheating: This pizza is best the day it’s made. To reheat in an air fryer, warm slices at 360°F for 2–3 minutes. To reheat in an oven, loosely wrap slices in foil, place them in a cold oven, then preheat to 350°F; by the time the oven reaches temperature the pizza will be warmed through.

Notes: You may use homemade dough or dough from a grocery store or pizzeria; avoid canned dough. If using frozen dough, be sure it is fully thawed and proofed before shaping.