Easy Homemade Bacon Pizza with Garlic Mayo Sauce
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Make your next pizza night extra special with this Easy Homemade Bacon Pizza with Garlic Mayo Sauce topped with crispy bacon pieces, peppery arugula, juicy tomatoes, and gooey mozzarella cheese.
Why you’ll love this BLT Pizza!
What’s the next best thing to a fresh, toasty BLT sandwich? You guessed it — a cheesy BLT Pizza with a garlic-mayo sauce, loads of bacon crumbles, red onion rings, and more fresh ingredients that will make you forget all about a classic BLT.
Did I mention this Bacon Pizza recipe is all set upon a creamy and tangy mayo sauce with olive oil and fresh garlic? Now that is next-level pizza!
Ingredient notes
- Pizza dough | Use the ready-made dough to make the recipe simple, or check out this homemade pizza dough recipe.
- Bacon | For the best flavor, choose center-cut bacon strips and fry them crisp, crumbling them before beginning the recipe.
- Tomato | Slice one large red tomato to top the pizza.
- Baby arugula | In place of the romaine lettuce on a classic BLT sandwich, top the baked pizza with nutty and peppery baby arugula.
- Red onion | For a tangy and slightly bitter taste, add sliced red onion, separated into rings. If preferred, add chopped green onions instead.
- Mozzarella | Sprinkle the pizza with shredded mozzarella. Freshly grated from the block will give you the perfect melty cheese, but store-bought shredded cheese also works.
- Parmesan | Add a little more variety to the cheese by sprinkling on some freshly grated parmesan cheese.
- Mayonnaise | Make this creamy and simple pizza sauce with a low-fat olive oil mayonnaise base.
- Oil | Add a little olive oil for a more fluid and spreadable mayo pizza sauce.
- Garlic | Mix in a minced garlic clove for a burst of flavor. If necessary, substitute it with garlic powder.
How to make Pizza with Arugula
Who needs take-out when you can make this delicious fresh homemade BLT pizza in under an hour? Pizza and a classic sandwich — it’s the best of both worlds in one recipe.
STEP 1 | Set out pizza dough
First, allow the pizza dough to rest at room temperature so it will be elastic and easier to shape.
STEP 2 | Prep tomato
Next, slice the tomato into very thin slices and place them on a plate or tray lined with paper towels. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper and allow the pieces to drain for 20-30 minutes.
STEP 3 | Heat oven and stretch pizza dough
Then, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, spray a 12-inch pizza pan with cooking spray, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cornmeal to prevent the bottom of the crust from sticking.
Shake off any excess and set it aside. Roll or stretch the dough into a 12-inch circle on parchment paper and transfer it to the pizza pan.
STEP 4 | Add the sauce
In a small bowl, combine the pizza sauce ingredients (mayo, olive oil, and garlic), then spread the mayonnaise mixture evenly over the dough.
STEP 5 | Layer toppings and sprinkle cheese
Next, layer the toppings in the following order: add half of the bacon, the red onion rings, and the mozzarella cheese.
Then, add the fresh tomatoes, reserving extra slices to chop for a garnish. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and toss it in the oven.
STEP 6 | Bake
Bake at 400 degrees for 18 – 20 minutes or until the pizza crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
STEP 7 | Garnish, slice, and serve!
Lastly, top the pizza with baby arugula, extra bacon crumbles, chopped tomatoes, and chopped red onion, if desired. Allow the pizza to cool a bit before slicing, then serve fresh!
tips
- Set out the dough and prep the ingredients up to one hour before baking.
- Use a pizza stone for an extra crisp crust.
- It may help to use a pizza peel to remove the hot pizza from the oven or pan.
Must-Have Pizza Stone
XL Baking Stone For Pizzas use in Oven, Grill or BBQ
- Rectangular Stone 15 x 12″ Inches
- includes long-handled aluminum pizza peel
Variations and substitutions
- Use store-bought bacon pieces if preferred, but expect the flavor quality to be less than fresh bacon.
- We love the peppery flavor of arugula on this pizza, but if desired, stay true to the BLT ingredients using shredded lettuce instead.
Storage and reheating tips
- Store any leftover pizza slices in a large ziplock bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (without the arugula topping).
- My favorite way to reheat leftover pizza is in the air fryer. Place slices in a preheated air fryer for 4 to 5 minutes until hot and bubbly. Serve topped with fresh arugula.
Frequently asked questions
Tired of the same old tomato sauce? No problem! This recipe uses a mayo-based sauce with fresh garlic and olive oil. But you can also try other alternatives, like BBQ sauce, pesto, or even Italian dressing.
Because of the fresh ingredients, this recipe is best served as directed. However, you can save the pizza in the refrigerator for a couple of days and later heat it in a preheated oven for just a few minutes. Remove the fresh ingredients, if preferred.
This pizza recipe will last about three days when stored correctly in the refrigerator in an airtight container or sealed with plastic wrap.
Looking for more easy pizza recipes??
I’ve got you covered! Try my Salami Pizza with Garlic Dijon Aioli or this easy Prosciutto Pita Bread Pizza, perfect for the busiest nights. And in the spirit of summer and fun family cookouts, check out this BBQ Chicken Pizza that will surely be a crowd-pleaser!
What to serve with Bacon Pizza
Nothing pairs better with a hot and fresh homemade pizza than a flavorful and light salad. Pair a slice or two with a side salad, like this Citrus Grilled Shrimp Salad or my Chopped Kale Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing, olives, and salami.
For something extra refreshing in the heat of the summer, try my crisp and classic Wedge Salad with Crispy Fried Shallots!
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Homemade Bacon Pizza (BLT Pizza)
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz. pizza dough
- 8 ounces center cut bacon fried crisp and crumbled
- 1 large tomato
- 1 cup baby arugula
- ½ cup sliced red onion separated into rings
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon lite salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Pizza Sauce
- ⅓ cup low-fat olive oil mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
Instructions
Up to one hour before baking:
- Allow pizza dough to rest at room temperature so that it will be elastic and easier to shape.
- Slice the tomato into very thin slices and place on a paper-towel lined plate or tray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and allow to drain for 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 12-inch pizza pan with cooking spray and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cornmeal. Shake off any excess and set aside. Roll dough into a 12-inch circle on parchment paper and transfer to the pizza pan.
- In a small bowl, combine the pizza sauce ingredients (mayo, olive oil, and garlic), then spread evenly over the dough.
- Layer the toppings in this order: half the bacon, the red onion rings, and then the mozzarella cheese. Add tomato slices (reserving any extra slices and chop for garnish) and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 18 – 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly.
- To serve, top pizza with the baby arugula, extra bacon, and reserved chopped tomatoes and chopped onion, if desired.
Notes
- Set out the dough and prep the ingredients up to one hour before baking.
- Use a pizza stone for an extra crisp crust.
- It may help to use a pizza peel to remove the hot pizza from the oven or pan.
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
Beyond the recipe
Most Friday nights, we like to chill out after a long work week with pizza and a movie. Sometimes we order in, but recently we’ve discovered fresh pizza dough in the deli and have really enjoyed coming up with our own creative pizza combinations.
From garlicky white-sauce pizzas with tomatoes and globs of fresh mozzarella to unique combinations like hamburger meat and loads of cheddar cheese — that’s the beauty of making your own pizza.
Get creative and try exciting combinations, and you’re sure to find your favorite!
About Sheila Thigpen
Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, Food Writer
Sheila Thigpen is the publisher of Life, Love, and Good Food — a Southern food blog — and the author of Easy Chicken Cookbook and The 5-Ingredient Fresh and Easy Cookbook. After 20+ years in the publishing industry, she retired in 2018 to focus on her own creative endeavors full time. She and her husband live near the beautiful Smoky Mountains and have a precious little granddaughter who has stolen their hearts. As an influencer, Sheila has collaborated with brands like Creamette, Kroger, HERSHEY’S, Hamilton Beach, Garafalo Pasta, OXO, Smithfield, Valley Fig Growers, and more.
