Gourmet Four Cheese Margherita Pizza (Easy with Pre-Baked Crust!)
Make an incredible Four Cheese Margherita Pizza! This easy recipe uses pre-baked crusts, garlic-marinated tomatoes, mozzarella, fontina, Parmesan, feta, and fresh basil.
Ingredients
(Original recipe yields 8 servings – likely 4 slices per pizza)
Tomato Marinade & Toppings:
- ▢ ¼ cup olive oil
- ▢ 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3-4 cloves)
- ▢ ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ▢ 8 Roma tomatoes, sliced (about ¼-inch thick)
- ▢ 10 large fresh basil leaves, washed, dried, and coarsely chopped or chiffonaded
Cheese Blend & Crust:
- ▢ 2 (12 inch) pre-baked pizza crusts
- ▢ 8 ounces shredded Mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
- ▢ 4 ounces shredded Fontina cheese (about 1 cup)
- ▢ ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ▢ ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
1. Marinate the Tomatoes and Preheat Oven:
- Gather all your ingredients.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the ¼ cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and ½ teaspoon sea salt.
- Add the sliced Roma tomatoes to the bowl and toss gently to ensure all the slices are coated with the garlic-oil mixture.
- Allow the tomatoes to stand and marinate at room temperature for at least 15 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- While the tomatoes marinate, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). If using a pizza stone, place it in the oven while it preheats.
2. Prepare Pizza Crusts and Layer Cheeses:
- Take your two pre-baked pizza crusts. Brush each crust lightly with some of the excess garlic-oil marinade from the tomato bowl. This adds extra flavor to the crust.
- Sprinkle the pizzas evenly with the shredded Mozzarella cheese, followed by the shredded Fontina cheese, dividing the amounts between the two crusts.
3. Add Tomatoes and Remaining Toppings:
- Arrange the marinated tomato slices evenly over the top of the cheese layers on both pizzas.
- Sprinkle the coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves over the tomatoes.
- Finish by sprinkling the freshly grated Parmesan cheese and the crumbled feta cheese evenly over both pizzas.
4. Bake:
- Carefully place the prepared pizzas directly onto the preheated pizza stone or onto a baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for about 10 minutes.
- The pizzas are done when the cheeses are all melted, bubbly, and the edges are lightly golden brown.
5. Serve:
- Carefully remove the pizzas from the oven.
- Let them cool for a minute or two before slicing into wedges with a pizza cutter or sharp knife.
- Serve hot and enjoy your delicious Four Cheese Margherita Pizza!