Hot Honey Pizza with Ricotta & Arugula Recipe

Name: Hot Honey Pizza with Ricotta
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons corn meal (sliced); 1 lb pizza dough (divided into two balls); 1 cup pizza sauce; 1/2 cup parmesan cheese; 3/4 cup ricotta cheese (I used whole milk ricotta); 2 tablespoons hot honey (sliced); 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes; 2 cups fresh arugula

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This hot honey pizza with recipe is an easy elegant recipe, topped with caramelized onion, sliced pear, thyme and a drizzle of honey. A simple and delicious dinner, perfect for company.

Ricotta cheese is one of the best pizza toppings – it’s tangy, earthy, and pairs nicely with fresh veggies and greens. I love serving this pizza with a family-style spinach salad and easy homemade garlic knots for a complete meal.

hot honey ricotta pizza recipe with arugula and tomato sauce

Table of Contents

We love a good pizza night, especially one where I can load up my favorite toppings: ricotta cheese, fresh arugula, and a drizzle of smoky hot honey. It’s the ultimate sweet & savory combination, with loads of flavor in every bite.

I first had hot honey pizza at the Chapel Grille and couldn’t wait to make my own vegetarian version at home with my homemade hot honey.

What I love is that you can mix up any of your favorite toppings on this pizza – it’s super versatile! This recipe starts with fresh pizza dough crisped in the oven, spread on pizza sauce and cheese, and add fresh greens and a drizzle of honey once it’s out of the oven. A simple and easy recipe that’s fantastic pizza night meal!

Why This Recipe Works

It’s creamy, savory, and tangy – with ricotta cheese and fresh greens in each bite.
The hot honey adds a complex sweet/spicy flavor combination that is out of this world.
Pizza is fairly simple to make in your oven – especially if you use store-bought pizza dough or pizza sauce.
It’s versatile – add your favorite toppings or see our suggestions below!
A great vegetarian pizza without mozzarella cheese.

Ingredients You’ll Need

ingredients for ricotta arugula honey pizza with parmesan cheese and pizza sauce and crust

Hot Honey – I used my super simple 15-minute smoky hot honey recipe which added the perfect flavor!
Ricotta Cheese – I love the soft, creamy texture of ricotta cheese on pizza. It’s especially great when baked on the pizza. It pairs nicely with sweet and salty flavors, making it the perfect addition.
Pizza Dough – I make my own (from my pizza dough recipe) , but you can buy it premade from the store OR pick it up from your local pizza place.
Pizza Sauce – You can use any store-bought pizza sauce, or just plain marinara sauce. I like making my own tomato paste pizza sauce with a few simple ingredients like olive oil, garlic and Italian herbs.
Arugula – I absolutely love a pizza topped with fresh arugula – it’s bitter, peppery, and so tasty with the ricotta and honey.
Parmesan Cheese
Chili Flakes – I like to sprinkle a few chili flakes on top for a little extra heat.

Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!

Additions and Substitutions

You could use a store-bought hot honey or just regular honey drizzled on top.
Instead of arugula (or in addition to!) add roasted red peppers, olives, mushrooms, caramelized onions, or sundried tomatoes.
Add a handful of mozzarella cheese or a pizza blend cheese on top of the sauce for a more classic cheese pizza flavor.

How to Make This Recipe

cornmeal sprinkled over a pizza stone hot out of the oven

Step 1: To a pizza stone (or pizza pan) add a sprinkle of cornmeal. Roll out the pizza dough, into two 9-inch pizzas. Place the dough on top of the corn meal pan and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

homemade pizza dough with tomato pizza sauce and a hand crimping dough into a crust

Step 2: Once oven has reached temperature. Spread the pizza sauce over the dough. Fold the edges of the pizza dough into a crust (optional). Bake the dough and sauce for 6 minutes.

pizza baked in the oven topped with parmesan cheese

Step 3: After 6 minutes, carefully remove the pizza from the hot oven, and sprinkle on the parmesan cheese.

ricotta cheese on tomato pizza with parmesan cheese and a half baked crust

Step 4: Take a spoon and scoop out thin dollops of ricotta cheese and slide them onto the pizza. Repeat until pizza reaches desired cheesiness.

baked pizza with ricotta cheese and parmesan cheese with tomato sauce

Step 5: Place the pizza back into the oven and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes, until crust begins to crisp and brown.

fresh arugula on top of ricotta hot honey pizza with chili flakes

Step 6: Add handfuls of arugula on top of the ricotta cheese.

a honey dipper drizzling hot honey over pizza with chili flakes and ricotta cheese.

Step 7: Drizzle hot honey over the arugula and sprinkle (optional) chili flakes for a little extra heat.

hot honey ricotta cheese pizza with arugula sliced into 6 pieces for dinner.

Step 8: Slice and enjoy hot!

Recipe FAQs

What’s a good substitute for honey?

If you don’t want to use honey, you can make this recipe with agave nectar which has a similar texture to honey and is deliciously sweet.

Does ricotta cheese work on pizza?

Absolutely! Ricotta is a creamy and light cheese which is fantastic paired with bold flavors: hot honey, arugula, and a fiery tomato sauce pair well with this delicious mild cheese.

How to store leftover hot honey pizza

If you have leftover slices, store them in an airtight container or a plastic bag and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Expert Tips

When adding scoops of ricotta cheese, try to make them roughly the same size. You want the ricotta be consistent and even throughout the pizza.
Don’t want to make pizza dough? Call the parlor! I love to swing buy and purchase pizza dough directly from them instead of making my own. You can buy dough at almost any pizzeria, and it’s usually super inexpensive.
Season to taste. Everyone’s preferences can vary. Before fully digging in, taste the pizza and add a bit more parmesan cheese (or chili flakes) if needed.

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If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!

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