Well, we’re down to one week left before Christmas is finally here! We had a little dusting of snow the other night that had me feeling like I was ready for the celebrations. I’m going to be off work between Christmas and NYE and am looking forward to some down time, just relaxing with a good movie and so today I wanted to share a tasty pizza recipe perfect for making during your down time with your friends and loved ones. This sausage and pesto pizza is easy to make, loaded with flavor and turns out perfectly when made on today’s pizza stone giveaway!
My husband and I really enjoy making homemade pizza and the crust is always the most important part. You want it to turn out airy with a slight chew and perfectly crisp on the bottom. The dough is important but also important is the surface in which you cook your pizza. The new Square Pizza Stone from Emile Henry is the perfect solution to a crispy crust. This stone withstands high heat so it’s great for making pizzas on the grill too. The handles on the stone make it easy to put in and out of the oven without getting burned.
While this pizza may seem slightly basic, there is no compromise on the flavor combination. I use a mild sausage but you can easily spice it up with a spicier Italian blend. The pizza is topped off with sautéed onions, mozzarella cheese and a drizzle of pesto and fresh basil when it comes out of the oven. It’s fresh and delicious and if you’re feeling adventurous you can mix up the types of cheese on the pizza.
I have featured the recipe for my favorite crust on the blog before. This is a quick rising dough that turns out airy and crusty but if you want to make it ahead of time you can cover it loosely in the refrigerator and let it sit longer. You also want to be sure you don’t over-kneed the dough because that will remove all of those airy bubbles. AND NEVER, NEVER use a rolling pin to stretch out the dough!
Emile Henry is being so generous and offering one of my lucky readers their beautiful Square Pizza Stones! Here’s how you can enter to win:
- To enter the blog giveaway: Leave a comment on this post telling me about your favorite pizza toppings.
- Bonus Entry #1: Head over to Instagram and follow my profile AND comment on today’s post. Then come back here and comment on this post telling me you have done both.
- Bonus Entry #2: Head over to Instagram and follow Emile Henry and then come back here and comment on this post telling me you did so!
- Bonus Entry #3: Share this giveaway on your Facebook page then come back here and leave a link to your post.
- US entrants only, winners will be chosen 12/26/19 and notified via email the next day! GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED
And now for the pizza!
- 1 pound fresh pizza dough (this recipe is perfect)
- ½ cup pizza sauce
- ½ pound ground Italian sausage, cooked
- ½ medium onion, sautéed slightly with olive oil
- 2 cups low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ⅓ cup fresh basil pesto
- Fresh basil leaves for topping
- Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F with a pizza stone inside.
- On a large cutting board or pizza peel, stretch out your dough to be slightly smaller than that of your pizza stone. Spread an even layer of sauce over the crust. Top with sausage crumbles, sautéed onions and cheese.
- Carefully slide the pizza onto the hot pizza stone in the oven and cook for 8-12 minutes. Keep an eye on the pizza and remove it just as the cheese is melted and slightly golden.
- Drizzle the pesto over the top of the pizza and top with fresh basil before cutting and serving.

I like pepperoni, canadian bacon, and hamburger.
I love sausage and mushrooms on my pizza.
Follow you on IG and commented.
Follow Emile Henry on IG (susitravl)
I love to top my pizza with mushroom and onion!
I have a new favorite pizza. It has a garlic sauce and then it’s topped wild mushrooms, caramelized onion, bacon and fresh mozzarella. It’s truly amazing!!
I follow you and commented on today’s post. My handle is @thehippiehut32
I follow Emile Henry on instagram.
My favorite pizza toppings are pepperoni and onion with double cheese…and top that with Parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes.
Follow on Instagram as @bethelderton and commented
Follow Emile Henry on Instagram as @bethelderton
I shared on Facebook. Here is my link. https://www.facebook.com/brenda.haines.50/posts/2662345103854338
Pineapple and ham
We love bbq chicken pizza with caramelized onions.
I love most veggies or Canadian bacon and pineapple.
@lexiquin left comment on your Instagram
I like canadian bacon, pineapple, bacon, mushrooms, pepperoni on my pizza.
Followed and commented on IG: https://www.instagram.com/cherylchervitz/
Followed Emile Henry on IG: https://www.instagram.com/cherylchervitz/
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MY FAVE TOPPING IS SPINACH
Mushrooms MUST be on my dream pizza!
Thanks for a great giveaway.
FOLLOWING YOU IG AND COMENTED ON IG POST . MY IG USER NAME IS RANNYDAYZ
FOLLOWING EMILE HENRY ON IG @RANNYDAYZ
SHARE ON FACEBOOK AT THIS LINK https://www.facebook.com/ranadurham87/posts/2469733169908817
My favorite pizza topping change with the season, fresh ingredients are always the best! In the summer, nothing beats vine ripened tomatoes plucked right from my garden and fresh basil!
One of my favorite pies is topped with garlic hummus, spinach, pine nuts, feta cheese, sundried tomatoes, mozzarella, provolone and fresh basil.
I follow you on Instagram and commented on the post with the handle @firerunner2379.
I follow Emile Henry on Instagram with the handle @firerunner2379.
I love onions and mushrooms on pizza.
I am following Emile Henry USA on Instagram
I follow you on Instagram
I also commented on this post on Instagram
I shared the giveaway post on FB https://www.facebook.com/melissa.storms.56/posts/10162794030395343
I like mushroom mushroom mushroom pizza!
It’s Friday Night Pizza every week for my husband and me. We aren’t too heavy on the cheese, and meat, if any, is usually a fennel seed-chilli sausage or prosciutto, and instead love pies with garlic oil or pesto bases + loads of whichever veg, herbs, even fruit are in season!
Like you on IG and commented on this post there.
Liked Emile Henry on IG as well!
I’m a veggie pizza lover. I especially have to have banana peppers and mushrooms.
I follow you on IG and left a comment (@amymadduxcooley).
I’m following Emile Henry on IG (@amymadduxcooley).
I shared on FB.
https://www.facebook.com/1431425887/posts/10222525509993112/
I love a good veggie pizza! Peppers, tomatoes, onion, and anything else I have on hand! Your pizza looks amazing!!
I commented on your Instagram picture! I also follow you!
I already follow Emile Henry on Instagram! Love this!!
I shared this to my Facebook page!
https://www.facebook.com/heather.lynn.353?__tn__=%2CdC-R-R&eid=ARCBNCcG5_YpXvue5DPovmhDb9LSshRSdfEQEXYqxV5vS6n7kbBWv71jtBnQxZtp_NPa_iKDVODthKnB&hc_ref=ARRgmp1R6kxE29_h9xaC-Ir9m4TmcXQNo8kVNWp4z6-Domfj9bmSAiTreLTyWaqzOLY&fref=nf
All veggies
Already follower and commented on this post on IG: alinapicazo
Already an Emile Henry follower on IG: alinapicazo
This pizza looks amazing! Following on IG and commented: seanrconn
Following Emile Henry on IG: seanrconn
Would love to have this in my kitchen. Our family LOVES pizza and we have pizza night every Friday.
IG: brixstaff
Love Emile Henry products. Just bought a pie dish a couple of weeks ago.
IG: brixstaff
My favorite pizza toppings are onions, peppers, black olives and sausage.
Honey is so good drizzled on a cheese pizza with extra red pepper flakes.
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I like topping with onions, peppers, olives, and mushrooms
karengdelaney follows you and commented
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FB share at https://www.facebook.com/karen.g.delaney/posts/10216325038654868
I like tomatoes, basil, and cheese on my pizza!
I follow on Instagram and commented @grops77
I now follow Emily Henry too!
Love sausage and ham! I’m also one of those people who likes pineapple on my pizza too.
Did all three bonus entries but for some reason I cannot copy the link to my fb from my phone. You can find it under Cassandra Christ
Got it! https://www.facebook.com/1565951655/posts/10220751842777024/?d=n