Prosciutto and Arugula Pizza

Prosciutto and arugula pizza layers a really excellent classic cheese pizza with thin, silky slices of prosciutto, tangy arugula salad, and balsamic drizzle.

Why we love this recipe

This pizza — and, honestly, the course of my adulthood — is heavily inspired by our visit to the original Primo Restaurant in Rockland, Maine, decades ago. Primo was pretty new at the time, as was the farm-to-table restaurant movement, if you can believe that. We loved that place so much. It was a revelation for us at that moment, and I went on to get a lot of satisfaction from watching the rest of the country have a similar revelation in the few years after.

Our meal at Primo began with a perfect prosciutto arugula pizza that I thought about virtually every day for years afterward. (That says a lot about the pizza, and at least as much about me, I realize.)

At this point I can't remember exactly how closely my version tracks the original, but time and distance allowed me to create exactly the pizza I wanted. It's got:

• My favorite New York-style crust
• Just enough of a really good tomato sauce and regular old, nothing fancy mozzarella
• And then (!) — thin slices of prosciutto draped on top
• A big mess of punchy arugula dressed in good olive oil, fresh lemon juice, flaky sea salt and black pepper
• Judicious shards of good parmesan
• A sweet drizzle of balsamic glaze

This pizza feels special but really couldn't be easier. The recipe finally made it to Umami Girl back in 2017. I've since updated the post for clarity and altered the quantities a bit, but the recipe otherwise remains the same.

What you'll need

Here's a glance at the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe.

• You can start with purchased pizza dough or make your own. I've linked my favorite recipe for New York-style crust below. This recipe works with any size and style of pizza you'd like to make.
• You'll make a nice, thick sauce by stirring together equal parts marinara and tomato paste. This gives you tons of flavor and no unwanted moisture.
• A combination of shredded low-moisture mozzarella and good-quality grated parmesan provides a gently amplified version of that classic cheese pizza vibe. This combo is easy to work with as long as you don't overdo it. Shred and grate the cheeses yourself to avoid additives that will prevent your pizza from tasting and behaving its best. You'll also use a vegetable peeler to slice some of the parmesan over the top of the pizza before serving.
• Properly sliced prosciutto should be on the thin side but not so thin that it falls apart. Use any variety that you enjoy eating. I like to drape it over the pizza slices just before serving, but you can slice it into ribbons and bake it with the pizza if you prefer.
• A lightly dressed arugula salad piled high in the middle of this pizza contributes a bright, peppery dimension. Arugula varies a lot in flavor and intensity throughout the year and across brands, so find one that you like. You'll dress it simply with some olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, flaky salt, and pepper.
• You can make your own balsamic glaze by simmering regular balsamic vinegar until it's thick and syrupy, but I usually just buy it in a bottle. We like drizzling it over everything from salads to steak, so it never goes to waste.
• An equal mixture of cornmeal and semolina flour works beautifully to help your pizza slide onto and off of the peel.

How to make it

Here's an overview of what you'll do to make a fabulous prosciutto and arugula pizza. You can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.

1. First you'll stretch the dough, spread on the sauce, and sprinkle on the cheeses.
2. Bake until dough is cooked through, and slice. Drape a piece of prosciutto over each slice.
3. Toss the arugula with the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pile the salad into the center of the pizza.
4. Drizzle with balsamic glaze, top with thin pieces of parmesan, and sprinkle with flaky salt. That's it!

Pizza protips

Here are a few secrets to success with homemade pizza.

• You can use purchased or homemade pizza dough. Here's my favorite recipe for New York-style crust. It makes two 14-inch pies or four 10-inch pies.
• Use thick sauce. Mixing one part marinara with one part tomato paste creates a spreadable, rich-tasting sauce that won't slosh around.
• A combination of shredded low-moisture mozzarella and really good grated parmesan adds tons of flavor and classic cheesy vibes. If you'd like to work with fresh mozzarella, keep in mind that it adds a lot of moisture, and use it sparingly.
• Top your pizzas judiciously. If you share my more-is-more inclinations, this can be harder than it sounds. But it's important to exercise a bit of restraint to yield the best possible pizzas.
• Transferring your pizza onto a peel and into the oven takes a bit of practice, and that's okay. You can use a mixture of cornmeal and semolina flour or, if baking in a regular home oven, a piece of parchment. The process gets easier over time. I recommend this metal peel or this wooden one.
• If using your oven, crank it up as high as it goes (typically 500-550°F), with a rack in the center. Consider investing in a pizza stone, which retains heat like a dream and helps you create crisp, tender crust.
• If you're looking for a countertop pizza oven, I recommend the Breville Smart Oven Pizzaiolo. It's pricey and takes up quite a bit of counter space, but it gets much hotter than a home oven and really enables you make pro-level pizza at home.

Expert tips and FAQs

More favorite pizzas

• Amatriciana
• Pear gorgonzola with prosciutto
• Pesto, feta, and zucchini