From the Gardyn Kitchen: Simple Cherry Tomato + Herb Pizza

Published Aug 27, 2021

When I became a first-time mom, I decided I would never be a short-order cook. From the time my son could eat solids, we introduced him to a variety of flavors and textures, and we’ve continued to encourage his natural curiosity for food ever since.

The result? He eats everything. At three years old, he loves helping my husband and I prepare meals and gets so excited to grab his little scissors and harvest herbs and veggies from our Gardyn.

 

Now that it’s officially back-to-school season for most families, that means busy schedules, sports practice, after-school programs and everything in between.

After a long day of drop-off and pick-up, weeknight meals can be daunting, but with a little planning (and a Gardyn bursting with fresh ingredients at your fingertips), a delicious and nutritious meal for your entire crew is just minutes away.

Better yet, this is the perfect opportunity to get the kids involved in the kitchen. From picky eaters to budding culinary connoisseurs, it’s all about keeping the cooking fun and care-free, no matter if they’re 2 or 18! Kids innately want to learn and get their hands a little dirty, so let them take the reigns — any mess can be cleaned up. 

Rather than slathering this pizza with sauce, I kept it simple to highlight the sweet yet acidic juicy cherry tomatoes, as well as bright, fresh herbs like basil, oregano and thyme. Go classic with slices of fresh mozzarella or mix things up with different toppings (think black olives, pepperoni slices, chopped veggies, etc.).

And for those really picky eaters, top the vegetables with shredded cheese for a blanket of ooey-gooey goodness; they’ll never know what’s hiding beneath.

While this recipe yields one larger pizza for the entire family, I recommend dividing up the dough and letting each kiddo make their own personal size. Cooking builds confidence, new skill sets and most importantly — an appreciation for healthy, organic ingredients. 

SIMPLE CHERRY TOMATO + HERB PIZZA

*with variations

Serves 4-6

By: Katie McCall / Gardyn Original Recipe

Ingredients:

16 oz. store-bought pizza dough (plus extra flour)

1 cup sliced cherry tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise

8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced thin

Extra virgin olive oil

Garlic powder

Freshly ground black pepper

Sea salt

Fresh herbs (basil, oregano, thyme)

*Ingredient Variations:

1 cup assorted veggies + toppings (olives, mushrooms, pepperoni, bell peppers, spinach)

1 cup Italian blend shredded cheese

Cooking builds confidence so why not let the kids make their own personal pan?

Instructions:

Preheat oven (typically 450 degrees F) and prepare pizza dough according to package instructions. Most often, this will involve generously flouring your work surface and rolling out the dough to desired thickness. Transfer pizza dough to a preheated, lightly oiled pan or pizza stone. 

Next, simply assemble pizza(s) by layering the tomatoes or other veggies, topping with cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of garlic powder, pepper and salt. 

Bake according to directions; about 6-8 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and the bottom of the crust is golden brown. For a crispy finish, turn on the broiler and broil pizza another 1-2 minutes until golden on top.

Keep a close watch to prevent burning! 

Top with fresh herbs and allow to cool slightly at room temperature. Slice and enjoy! 

Gardyn ingredients used in this recipe:

Sweet Peppers
Basil
Cherry Tomatoes
Oregano
Thyme

About the Chef:

Katie McCall joins the Gardyn table on a mission to inspire and explore a “kinder” and more sustainable approach to living.

Food writer, Le Cordon Bleu grad,  gluten-free bakery owner, and editor of Two Wild Seeds, Katie McCall has roots working with restaurants on the Michelin’s Bib Gourmand list in Chicago, Illinois.

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