Italian Sausage & Artichoke Cheese Pizza

Italian Sausage Artichoke Cheese Pizza is a mouthwatering combination of robust flavors that is perfect for pizza night or any night! A pre-made or homemade crust is topped with savory Italian sausage, tender artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes and mozzarella cheese then baked until golden brown. This classic white pizza will be a new favorite! 

I love a delicious white pizza recipe and I love it even more when it’s loaded with sausage, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes and olives like this Italian sausage artichoke and cheese pizza. 

It might be a mouthful to say but I guarantee you that you will love every bite of this delicious pizza recipe!

This pizza has it all going on! It’s full of savory, salty and sweet taste with a cheesy, crispy and crunchy texture. Instead of using a traditional red pizza sauce, this dish is what Italians would call “Piatti Bianchi” (white dishes). A few other white sauce dishes we love include white sauce lasagna, grilled zucchini pizza and this cheesy white sauce gnocchi!

This pizza is not only crowd-pleasing but versatile, too. I often make it with a pre-made focaccia dough, but you can make your own homemade pizza dough or focaccia if you would like! This artichoke cheese pizza is easy enough for a weeknight dinner but impressive enough to serve guests. 

Why You Will Love This Pizza Recipe

• Easy to make: Using pre-made focaccia dough, this Italian sausage artichoke cheese pizza can be ready in under 30 minutes! 
• Healthier: This pizza is loaded with so many delicious ingredients and then topped with arugula which makes it like a pizza with a salad on top. What could be more nutritious than that? 
• Customizable: Use more of what you like and leave out what you don’t! I love a pre-made dough to make this simple, but you can use no yeast pizza dough or even no knead dough if you would like! 
• Versatile: Serve it as an easy dinner on a busy weeknight or as a simple appetizer with friends! 

Ingredients Needed

This Italian sausage pizza only requires a few ingredients! Since there are only a few, using good quality ingredients can make a huge difference in both quality, taste and texture. 

• Pizza crust: You can use a premade pizza crust, focaccia dough or make your own homemade pizza dough. 
• Italian sausages: You can use 2-3 large Italian sausages or even ground sausage. Pork sausage, chicken sausage or even turkey sausage all work. 
• Artichokes: Whole artichokes that are packed in oil then drained and sliced are best to use in this pizza. 
• Sun-dried tomatoes: These will need to be drained and sliced if under oil. 
• Mozzarella: Freshly shredded mozzarella cheese from a block will melt the best. 
• Black olives: Sliced black olives are my preference but green olives or kalamata olives would also work.
• Optional: Chopped rucola,  also known as arugula or rocket adds a burst of fresh, peppery taste before serving! 

How to Make Italian Sausage Artichoke Cheese Pizza

First you will need to pre-bake your pizza dough. Place dough on a lightly greased pizza pan, brush with olive oil and bake.

While your pizza crust is baking, remove Italian sausage from the casing, chop into small pieces and cook sausages in a large skillet over medium heat with olive oil until brown then drain.

On top of your prebaked crust, add half the mozzarella cheese, top with sausage mixture, add artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, olives and then a sprinkle of dried basil and oregano. Top with remaining mozzarella.

Bake your Italian sausage artichoke cheese pizza in the oven until the cheese has melted. Top with arugula if desired.

Variations and Substitutions

• Meat: Instead of Italian sausage you could use thinly sliced prosciutto or even chopped pancetta or bacon. 
• Greens: Try fresh baby spinach for a spinach artichoke pizza instead of an arugula pizza.
• Balsamic: Before serving, drizzle the pizza with a balsamic reduction. 
• Cheese: Shredded fontina or Parmesan cheese could be used instead of or in combination with the mozzarella cheese. A blend of cheeses would add so much flavor! 
• Dried herbs: Instead of basil and oregano you can use a blend like Italian seasoning.
• Fresh herbs: Top the pizza with fresh basil or fresh parsley before serving. 

Expert Tips

• Preheat the oven so it is hot: The initial burst of heat will ensure a crispy crust. 
• Lower oven rack: Baking pizza on the lower oven rack will ensure the best golden brown pizza crust.
• Artichokes: Flavorful, tender, olive oil marinated artichoke hearts are best to use. Avoid canned artichokes as they can be soggy and taste rubbery. Pat your artichokes dry and then roughly slice them as a whole artichoke will be too heavy on the pizza.
• Full fat firm mozzarella: Full fat (whole milk) firm low moisture mozzarella that is shredded fresh from a block will melt the best. Fresh mozzarella is not recommended for this pizza.
• Extra sun-dried tomatoes?  I often buy a large jar of sun-dried tomatoes! If you are like me, make this sun-dried tomato olive bread and spaghetti with sun-dried tomatoes and pancetta with your leftover tomatoes! 

Recipe FAQs

How to store leftover pizza?

Store leftovers on a plate covered with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to two days. While cold pizza is delicious, if you would like to reheat the leftovers you may want to remove the arugula as it will wilt when hot. Reheat in the air fryer if you would like it to be crispy, the microwave if you are in a hurry or even in the oven. 

Can I use a pizza stone?

Yes, this Italian sausage artichoke pizza can be baked on a pizza stone. I recommended heating your pizza stone for at least 30 minutes before you add your pizza to ensure the best crispy pizza crust. 

Can I add a sauce to the white pizza? 

Yes! A white pizza is technically any type of pizza made without a tomato sauce so a Parmesan cream sauce or Alfredo sauce would work best on the pizza. I would use just a small amount so as not to detract from the other ingredients. 

What other toppings can I add to this Italian sausage white pizza?

Some other favorite toppings you could add or use in place of include caramelized red onions, banana peppers, green pepper, white onion or even topping with feta cheese.

What should I serve with white pizza?

Salad is the perfect side dish for pizza! This creamy Italian dressing is great over any crisp salad greens or this Italian chickpea salad is a favorite, too! You can’t go wrong with a classic Caprese salad when serving this pizza in the summertime. 

Whenever Pizza night is for you, I hope you give this Italian Sausage and Artichoke Pizza a try! Buon Appetito!

Updated from March 15, 2016.