This kimchi pizza recipe is a fusion of Italian and Korean flavors blended together for one of the most unique pizza flavors. Easily customize it to include your favorite toppings.
Pizza night just got taken to a whole new level. Kimchi pizza is the collision of American pizza with Korean toppings mixed with a couple of Italian flavors. It's the ultimate fusion cuisine and there's truly nothing else like it.
Homemade pizza dough acts as a canvas for the homemade gochujang tomato sauce along with a few ingredients that you'd typically find in Korean cuisine such as kimchi (the star ingredient of this pizza). Although not a popular pizza topping, its tanginess mellows in the oven giving it a mild flavor and a tender crunch.
For more fusion recipes, try garlic umami noodles or cilantro lime pasta.
Ingredients
- Pizza dough - my pizza dough recipe makes enough for 4 large pizzas or 6 individual pizzas, whether you're feeding a crowd or want to freeze it for later use.
- Crushed tomatoes - for the base of the pizza sauce.
- Gochujang paste - a fermented Korean chili paste that packs some heat. However, the quantity used in this recipe doesn't make the sauce spicy.
- Extra virgin olive oil - just like when used in marinara sauce, it adds richness to the sauce.
- Toasted sesame oil - gives the sauce another layer of flavor.
- Garlic - a huge flavor in both Italian and Korean cuisines.
- Kosher salt - to bring out all the flavors in the pizza.
- Pinch of sugar - to balance out the flavors.
- Toppings - shredded mozzarella cheese (dairy-free or regular), chopped kimchi, mushrooms, bacon, sliced scallions (green part only), and toasted sesame seeds for an added crunch.
How to Make Kimchi Pizza
Step 1. Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) and place a pizza stone (or an inverted rimmed baking sheet) on the middle oven rack.
Step 2. Make the sauce by mixing together the crushed tomatoes, gochujang paste, crushed garlic, olive oil, toasted sesame oil, salt, and sugar in a bowl.
Step 3. Cook the sliced mushrooms in a skillet over medium heat with 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil for about 3-5 minutes This helps prevent them from drying out in the oven.
Step 4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out your pizza dough into a circular shape and then transfer it to a floured (or use cornmeal) pizza peel or baking sheet.
Step 5. Spoon a thin layer of the sauce onto the dough (about ¼ - ⅓ cup), leaving about ½-inch space around the edges. Follow with the shredded cheese and the rest of your toppings.
Step 6. Bake for about 7-10 minutes and then put under the broiler for an additional 2-3 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
Step 7. Top with toasted sesame seeds (optional) and more sliced green onions if desired.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this kimchi pizza using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- Make it gluten-free – make sure to use a gluten-free pizza crust as well as gluten-free gochujang (some brands do contain wheat).
- Make it vegan – use dairy-free cheese and swap out the bacon for plant-based protein or omit it completely.
- Make it even quicker – use your favorite store-bought pizza dough and cook the bacon in advance.
- No gochujang paste? - although there's no direct substitute for its unique flavor, you can use white miso + sriracha, tomato paste + red chili flakes, or check out gochujang substitutes for more ideas.
- Variations - swap out the toppings to include any of your favorite ingredients such as sauteed napa cabbage, bok choy, sliced red onions, etc.
- Gochujang tomato sauce add-ins - fish sauce for extra umami, rice vinegar for tang, or gochugaru flakes for more spice.
Equipment
For this recipe, you need a chef’s knife, cutting board, skillet, measuring spoons, and a rolling pin. To bake the pizza you'll either need an inverted sheet pan or a pizza stone and peel.
Helpful Tips
Don't have a pizza stone and a pizza peel? Use a rimmed baking sheet flipped upside down (as seen in the photos). Just make sure to preheat it when you turn the oven on like you would a preheated pizza stone and be really careful when assembling your pizza on it.
Make your own pizza dough for the best flavor. You can store leftovers in the freezer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Korean pizza toppings often include some type of pork, mushrooms, scallions/green onions, gochujang, and garlic. Along with a drizzle of mayonnaise. You'll also sometimes see pickles, which help to cut through the richness of the other toppings.
Just like Korean food, it's a balance of sweet, salty, umami, and sour flavors.
More Asian-Inspired Recipes
Kimchi Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 ball pizza dough see notes below
- flour or cornmeal to prevent sticking
Gochujang Tomato Sauce (about ¼ - ⅓ cup per pizza)
- 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons gochujang paste
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt reduce by half if your tomatoes are salted or you're using a different brand of salt
- pinch of granulated sugar
Toppings Per Pizza
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded dairy-free or regular
- 2 pieces cooked bacon crumbled
- ½ cup cooked mushrooms such as shiitake, portobello, cremini, or oyster sliced
- ⅓ cup kimchi, sliced
- 1-2 scallions (green part only) thinly sliced
- toasted sesame seeds to garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) and place a pizza stone (or an inverted rimmed baking sheet) on the middle oven rack.
- Make the sauce by mixing together the crushed tomatoes, gochujang paste, crushed garlic, olive oil, toasted sesame oil, salt, and sugar in a bowl.
- Cook the sliced mushrooms in a skillet over medium heat with 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil for about 3-5 minutes This helps prevent them from drying out in the oven.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out your pizza dough into a circular shape and then transfer it to a floured (or use cornmeal) pizza peel or baking sheet.
- Spoon a thin layer of the sauce onto the dough (about ¼ - ⅓ cup), leaving about ½-inch space around the edges. Follow with the shredded cheese and the rest of your toppings.
- Bake for about 7-10 minutes and then put under the broiler for an additional 2-3 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
- Top with toasted sesame seeds (optional) and more sliced green onions if desired.
vbkim says
Ohmigoodness! This exceeded ALL expectations! I can't believe how incredible the flavors all work together. There is a perfect amount of heat. Bravo! I made exactly as is and WILL make again and again!