This sausage & sweet pepper pizza with creamy vodka sauce combines everything I love about homemade pizza. Creamy vodka sauce replaces traditional tomato sauce, while Italian sausage, caramelized sweet peppers, fresh mozzarella, and fontina create the perfect balance of richness and freshness. Finished with fresh basil and parmesan, it’s bursting with bold summer flavor.
This post is sponsored by DeLallo.
sausage & sweet pepper pizza – the inspiration
There’s something incredibly satisfying about making pizza from scratch. From stretching the dough to layering the toppings, it’s one of my favorite dishes to cook at home.
For this pizza, I wanted to build on the classic combination of sausage and peppers (and use up all the peppers I’ve been finding at the farmer’s market). A creamy vodka sauce brings richness and just a touch of heat, pairing perfectly with the sweet summer peppers and savory Italian sausage.
Starting with DeLallo’s Pizza Dough Mix makes this homemade pizza incredibly approachable. The dough bakes up with a crisp, golden crust and chewy interior, creating the perfect foundation for all of the toppings.
notes from the kitchen
Take the time to brown the sausage and caramelize the peppers in order to enhance both their flavor and texture. These ingredients are the stars of the show, so ensuring they’re prepped properly is key.
The vodka sauce comes together quickly, but don’t rush the tomato paste. Letting it caramelize for a few minutes develops a deeper, more concentrated tomato flavor before adding the cream.
When assembling the pizzas, season the fresh mozzarella with a small pinch of salt. It needs the salt to bring out flavor in the cheese.
If you’re using a pizza stone, be sure to place it in the oven while the oven preheats. Starting with a really hot stone helps create a crisp, golden crust.
plating & serving
As soon as the pizzas come out of the oven, scatter plenty of fresh basil over top and finish with another sprinkle of grated parmesan. Slice and serve immediately while the cheeses are perfectly melted and the crust is still crisp.
I love pairing this pizza with something bright and acidic to balance its richness (a simple arugula salad dressed with lemon and olive oil would be great).
PrintSausage & Sweet Pepper Pizza with Creamy Vodka Sauce
pizzas topped with creamy vodka sauce, italian sausage, caramelized sweet peppers, fresh mozzarella, shredded fontina cheese, and basil
yield: 2 (10”) pizzas
Ingredients
- 1 DeLallo Pizza Dough Mix
- 1 lb bulk mild Italian sausage
- 1 lb sweet peppers, sliced ½” (see notes)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 small shallot, minced
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup DeLallo Tomato Paste
- ¼ cup vodka
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ lb fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
- 6 oz fontina cheese, shredded
- fresh basil, for topping
- olive oil
- kosher salt
Instructions
- Follow steps 1 and 2 for the Pizza Dough Mix.
- Meanwhile, heat a 12” skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Once hot, add the sausage. Break up the sausage into small pieces and allow it to brown on all sides, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer the sausage out of the skillet.
- Add another drizzle of olive oil. Add the peppers and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the edges begin to caramelize. Stir in half of the garlic. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the peppers are tender, 5-8 more minutes.
- For the vodka sauce, heat a 12” sauté pan over medium heat. Add the butter. Once melted, add the shallot. Cook for a minute until softened. Stir in the remaining garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Season with a good pinch of salt. Add the red pepper flakes and tomato paste. Stir well, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 5 minutes to caramelize. Return the heat to medium. Pour in the vodka. Simmer for about 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol. Stir in the cream. Bring to a gentle simmer for a minute or so. Turn off the heat and let cool.
- Place a pizza stone in the oven (see notes). Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Once the dough has risen, divide it into two equal portions. Shape each portion into a 10” circle.
- For each pizza, drizzle the dough with olive oil and rub to coat. Spread half of the vodka sauce evenly across the dough, leaving a ½” border for the crust. Sprinkle a tablespoon of parmesan over the sauce. Top with half of the fresh mozzarella (season the cheese with a pinch of salt), half of the sausage & peppers, and half of the fontina cheese.
- Transfer each pizza to the pizza stone. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the crust is golden.
- Top each pizza with fresh basil and finish with more parmesan before slicing.
Notes
- I used a mix of mini bell peppers (¾ lb) and Jimmy Nardello peppers (¼ lb). For the mini bell peppers, remove the stem and seeds, then slice them in quarters. For the Jimmy Nardello peppers, remove the stem and seeds, then slice them into ¼-½” rounds.
- If you don’t have a pizza stone, you could also use a sheet pan. Invert the sheet pan and place a piece of parchment paper on top. Build the pizza right on the parchment paper. Place the entire sheet pan in the oven to bake.
