Broccoli Rabe Burrata Pizza.
This pizza is the sort of recipe I reach for when I want something a little bit special without a lot of fuss. It leans on one bold green—broccoli rabe—paired with creamy burrata and bright basil. The result is both rustic and elegant: bitter greens, briny olives, melty mozzarella and that indulgent, soft burrata that finishes everything with a silky surrender.
I make it when friends are coming over, when the weeknight needs a lift, or honestly when I want to feel like I ordered something glorious at a neighborhood pizzeria. The technique is straightforward: sauté the broccoli rabe, use the remaining oil as a light “sauce,” and finish with burrata so it heats just enough to soften but not disappear.
Below you’ll find the ingredient rundown, the exact step-by-step directions, and practical tips I use to get a reliable crust and a beautifully balanced topping. Nothing fussy — just smart steps to make a pizza that looks and tastes like you spent all afternoon on it.
Ingredient Rundown
- 1 pound pizza dough (homemade or store-bought) — The foundation; divide for two smaller pizzas or use whole for one large. Room temperature dough stretches more easily.
- 1/4 cup olive oil — Used for sautéing the broccoli rabe and as the “sauce” to coat the dough for flavor and browning.
- 1 large bunch broccoli rabe — The star green; cooks quickly and brings a pleasant bitter note. Substitute broccolini if you can’t find broccoli rabe.
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes — Adds heat; adjust to taste or omit for no spice.
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated — Brightens the oil and complements the greens. Grating gives a subtler distribution than chopping.
- 1/3 cup kalamata olives, halved — Salty, briny pops that cut through the creaminess of the cheeses.
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, finely chopped — Stir some into the toppings before baking and reserve some for finishing to keep the herb vibrant.
- 8–10 slices pepperoni (optional) — If you want a little cured-meat edge. Leave off for a fully veggie pie.
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese — The workhorse for melty, stretchy texture. Tear or slice and scatter most over the pizza.
- 8 ounces fresh burrata cheese — Added after the first bake so it melts slightly and stays luxuriously creamy.
- Salt + pepper, to taste — Essential finishing touches; taste thoughtfully because olives add saltiness.
How to Prepare (Broccoli Rabe Burrata Pizza)
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Position a rack in the middle of the oven and lightly grease a baking sheet.
- Heat a large, high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 1/4 cup olive oil. Add the broccoli rabe, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until wilted, about 3–4 minutes.
- Add the 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes and the 2 cloves minced garlic to the skillet and cook another 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant. Remove the skillet from the heat and leave the oil in the pan; transfer the cooked broccoli rabe to a bowl or plate.
- Lightly flour your work surface. If making two pizzas, divide the 1 pound of dough in half; otherwise use the full amount for one pizza. Use your hands or a rolling pin to flatten and stretch the dough into your desired shape and thickness. Place the shaped dough onto the greased baking sheet.
- Use a spoon to drizzle some of the olive oil left in the skillet over the dough to lightly coat the surface (this will act as your “sauce”). Spread the 1/3 cup halved kalamata olives over the dough, then distribute the cooked broccoli rabe evenly. Sprinkle half of the 1/2 cup finely chopped basil over the toppings.
- Tear or slice the 8 ounces fresh mozzarella and scatter most of it over the pizza (reserve a little if you prefer). Add the 8–10 slices pepperoni, if using. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Bake the pizza in the preheated oven for 8–10 minutes, or until the mozzarella is melted and the crust is golden.
- Remove the pizza from the oven. Tear the 8 ounces fresh burrata into pieces and distribute it over the hot pizza. Return the pizza to the oven just until the burrata is warmed and slightly softened, about 1–2 minutes.
- Remove the pizza, sprinkle with the remaining basil, and season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Let rest briefly, slice, and serve immediately.
Why It Works Every Time
There are a few simple reasons this pizza hits the mark. First, broccoli rabe is bright and a little bitter; that flavor cuts through the fat from cheese and oil, keeping each bite lively. Second, using the oil left from sautéing as the “sauce” ties the toppings together: it carries garlic and chile heat across the crust without weighing the pie down.
High oven heat (450°F/230°C) gives you that quick pizzeria-style bake: crisp crust and melted cheese without drying out the burrata. The two-stage cheese approach—melting mozzarella first, then gently warming burrata—keeps the burrata’s creamy center intact. Finally, briny kalamata olives and optional pepperoni add contrast and structure to every bite.
Vegan & Vegetarian Swaps
Vegetarian: This recipe is already easy to make vegetarian—simply omit the pepperoni. The burrata and mozzarella provide plenty of richness for a satisfying veggie pie.
Vegan: For a vegan version, swap the mozzarella for a high-quality vegan melting cheese and replace the burrata with a thick cashew cream or store-bought vegan burrata if you can find it. Keep the broccoli rabe, olives and oil as written; they carry the dish. Finish with fresh basil and a drizzle of good olive oil for the best texture and flavor.
What’s in the Gear List
- Large high-sided skillet — Needed to properly wilt and flavor the broccoli rabe with the oil.
- Baking sheet (lightly greased) — A rimmed sheet lets the crust bake evenly and catch any drips.
- Rolling pin or hands for stretching dough — Hands are gentler; a rolling pin is faster.
- Mixing bowl or plate — For transferring and holding the cooked broccoli rabe until assembly.
- Sharp knife or kitchen shears — To divide dough if making two pizzas and to tear burrata and mozzarella cleanly.
Avoid These Traps
- Skipping the pre-sauté: putting raw broccoli rabe on the pizza will release water and steam the crust. Cook it first so it stays vibrant and concentrated.
- Overheating the burrata: baking burrata too long makes it weep and lose that creamy center. Add it after the first bake and warm only briefly.
- Using cold dough: cold dough is tight and springs back. Let it come to room temperature so it stretches easily without tearing.
- Over-salting: kalamata olives are salty. Taste before adding much extra salt, especially at the end.
Holiday & Seasonal Touches
In spring, add a sprinkle of lemon zest after baking for a bright lift. In winter, roasted garlic in place of raw minced garlic softens the flavor and adds depth. For holiday hosting, scatter toasted pine nuts after the pizza comes out of the oven for a festive crunch. If figs are in season, thin slices under the burrata add a sweet contrast to the bitter greens.
Little Things that Matter
Tear the burrata with your fingers rather than slicing it; the ragged pieces spread their cream more naturally across the pizza. Let the pie rest for a minute or two after the final short bake so the burrata sets just slightly and the cheese pulls together when you slice it. When scattering basil, add some before baking and some after—the pre-bake basil mellows and infuses, the post-bake basil stays bright and aromatic.
Shelf Life & Storage
Leftover pizza is best eaten within 1–2 days. Store slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Because burrata changes texture on refrigeration, remove any leftover burrata before storing; keep it separate and use fresh burrata if you want that same creamy finish when reheating.
To reheat, warm slices briefly in a hot skillet over medium heat or in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 5–7 minutes until the crust is crisp and the cheese is warmed. Avoid microwaving if you want to preserve texture.
Helpful Q&A
- Can I make this on a pizza stone? Yes. Preheat the stone in a hot oven and slide the assembled pizza onto it for a crisper base. Reduce baking time slightly and watch closely.
- What if I can’t find broccoli rabe? Use broccolini as noted in the ingredients. It’s milder but still offers green texture and flavor.
- Do I have to use burrata? You can substitute fresh mozzarella if you prefer, but burrata provides a creamier, more indulgent finish.
- How spicy does it get? Mild to moderate with 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; adjust to taste during the sauté step.
- Can I prep parts ahead? Yes. Sauté the broccoli rabe up to a day ahead and store it in the fridge. Bring dough to room temp before shaping.
- Can I freeze leftovers? I don’t recommend freezing a pizza with burrata. If you must freeze, do so before adding burrata and reheat from frozen, then add fresh burrata after warming.
Make It Tonight
Timeline: preheat oven and grease the sheet (5 min), sauté broccoli rabe (7–8 min), shape dough (5–10 min), assemble (5 min), bake (8–10 min), add burrata and warm (1–2 min). In roughly 35–40 minutes from start to finish you’ll have a pizzeria-worthy pie on the table.
Practical game plan: preheat the oven first so it’s ready when you assemble. While the skillet heats and the broccoli rabe sautés, bring your dough to room temperature. Use the skillet oil as your “sauce” to get a glossy, garlicky foundation without weighing the crust down. Bake until the mozzarella melts and the crust edges brown, then add torn burrata and return to the oven for just a moment. Finish with fresh basil and a final grind of pepper.
Go on—slice into that billowing burrata, enjoy the contrast of bitter greens and briny olives, and tell me how it turned out. It’s a simple technique with a restaurant-worthy result, and it’s one of my favorite ways to elevate a weeknight dinner.
Broccoli Rabe Burrata Pizza.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Position a rack in the middle of the oven and lightly grease a baking sheet.
- Heat a large, high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 1/4 cup olive oil. Add the broccoli rabe, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until wilted, about 3–4 minutes.
- Add the 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes and the 2 cloves minced garlic to the skillet and cook another 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant. Remove the skillet from the heat and leave the oil in the pan; transfer the cooked broccoli rabe to a bowl or plate.
- Lightly flour your work surface. If making two pizzas, divide the 1 pound of dough in half; otherwise use the full amount for one pizza. Use your hands or a rolling pin to flatten and stretch the dough into your desired shape and thickness. Place the shaped dough onto the greased baking sheet.
- Use a spoon to drizzle some of the olive oil left in the skillet over the dough to lightly coat the surface (this will act as your "sauce"). Spread the 1/3 cup halved kalamata olives over the dough, then distribute the cooked broccoli rabe evenly. Sprinkle half of the 1/2 cup finely chopped basil over the toppings.
- Tear or slice the 8 ounces fresh mozzarella and scatter most of it over the pizza (reserve a little if you prefer). Add the 8–10 slices pepperoni, if using. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Bake the pizza in the preheated oven for 8–10 minutes, or until the mozzarella is melted and the crust is golden.
- Remove the pizza from the oven. Tear the 8 ounces fresh burrata into pieces and distribute it over the hot pizza. Return the pizza to the oven just until the burrata is warmed and slightly softened, about 1–2 minutes.
- Remove the pizza, sprinkle with the remaining basil, and season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Let rest briefly, slice, and serve immediately.
Notes
*If you are feeling extra fancy, adding goat brie to this pizza is pretty epic!
