A white pizza differs from a classic pizza because it is made without tomato sauce. Instead, a creamy base of mascarpone and mozzarella lets the toppings shine, allowing the natural flavours of the ingredients to take centre stage. That makes white pizza the perfect choice when you want seasonal mushrooms to be the star of the dish.
Chanterelles are one of my absolute favourite mushrooms for pizza. They have a delicate, nutty flavour and a firm texture that pairs beautifully with thinly sliced potatoes, creamy mascarpone and fragrant rosemary. The result is a simple yet incredibly flavourful pizza that tastes like late summer in the forest.
When I want a quick and easy dinner, I usually use ready-made sourdough pizza bases. They produce an excellent result and mean dinner can be on the table in less than 30 minutes. If I have a little more time, I make my own fresh yeast pizza dough from scratch. That’s why you’ll find both options in this recipe, so you can choose whichever suits you best.
If you don’t have chanterelles, you can easily substitute other mushrooms. Winter chanterelles, porcini (cep), black trumpet mushrooms or even supermarket favourites such as button mushrooms, cremini mushrooms or oyster mushrooms all work wonderfully. The key is to choose mushrooms with plenty of flavour, so you’ll end up with a delicious white mushroom pizza no matter which variety you use.
Why You Should Sauté the Chanterelles First
Chanterelles contain quite a bit of moisture, which is released during cooking. By sautéing them briefly in butter before adding them to the pizza, the excess moisture evaporates while the mushrooms develop a light golden colour and a deeper, richer flavour. This prevents the pizza from becoming soggy and allows the delicate flavour of the chanterelles to really shine.
A Simple Pizza Packed with Flavour
This recipe is wonderfully simple, but the flavour is anything but ordinary. Creamy mascarpone, thinly sliced potatoes and mild mozzarella create the perfect base for the nutty chanterelles, while fresh rosemary adds a fragrant finishing touch. Whether you choose a ready-made sourdough pizza base or homemade dough, you’ll end up with a crispy, flavour-packed white pizza that’s perfect for mushroom season.
Chanterelles – The Gold of the Forest
Chanterelles are among the most popular edible wild mushrooms and are in season from summer through autumn. If you’re lucky, you can forage them yourself, where they often grow on mossy woodland floors beneath both deciduous and coniferous trees. If foraging isn’t an option, fresh chanterelles are usually available in supermarkets and greengrocers during the season. Whether foraged or bought, they’re an excellent choice for white pizza thanks to their rich, slightly nutty flavour.
White Pizza with Chanterelles, Potatoes and Rosemary
Ingredients
- 2 pizza bases, either ready-made or homemade (see pizza dough recipe below)
- 300 g chanterelles, cleaned (about 10½ oz)
- 2 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp butter
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 250 g mascarpone, 9 oz / 1 cup
- 200 g grated mozzarella, 7 oz / about 2 cups
- 2-4 small sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped (about 2 tbsp)
- Extra virgin olive oil, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 250-275°C (480-530°F) with a pizza stone or baking tray inside if possible.
- Slice the potatoes as thinly as possible using a mandoline or vegetable peeler.
- Melt the butter in a hot frying pan and sauté the chanterelles for 4-5 minutes until lightly golden. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Spread the mascarpone evenly over both pizza bases. Top with the sliced potatoes, grated mozzarella and sautéed chanterelles, then sprinkle with the chopped rosemary.
- Bake the pizzas one at a time for 5-7 minutes, or until the crust is crisp, the potatoes are tender and the cheese is melted and lightly golden.
- Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil just before serving.
Homemade Pizza Dough with Fresh Yeast
Ingredients
- 25 g fresh yeast, about 0.9 oz
- 300 ml lukewarm water, 1¼ cups
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ tsp fine sea salt
- About 480 g Tipo 00 pizza flour or plain flour, about 4 cups
Instructions
- Dissolve the fresh yeast in the lukewarm water in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the olive oil, salt and flour. Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until smooth, soft and elastic.
- Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave the dough to rise at room temperature for 30-60 minutes, or until roughly doubled in size.
- Knock the dough back to release the air, then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into two equal portions.
- Gently stretch each piece of dough into a thin pizza base using your hands rather than a rolling pin. This helps preserve the air bubbles and creates a lighter, more airy crust.
- Top with your favourite ingredients and bake at 250-275°C (480-530°F) on a preheated pizza stone or baking tray for 5-7 minutes, until the crust is crisp and golden.
Notes
Enjoy!
I hope you’ll give this white pizza with chanterelles a try. It’s one of my favourite recipes during chanterelle season and a wonderful way to enjoy the flavours of the forest. Whether you’ve foraged the mushrooms yourself or picked them up from your local greengrocer, the result is a crisp, flavourful pizza that’s surprisingly easy to make.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment below and let me know which mushrooms you used. I always enjoy hearing about your variations and experiences.
Happy cooking – and happy foraging! 🌿🍄🟫
