This Hawaiian pizza features an olive oil base, smoky ham, juicy pineapple and melted mozzarella. Use the recipe with a homemade pizza dough for the best results and a crisp, tender crust.
This recipe was originally published March 18, 2019. The recipe itself remains the same.
It’s been a while since I shared a pizza recipe — and pizza is life — so I’m glad to be back with a classic: Hawaiian pizza.
This timeless pie is one of my favorites. It starts with a simple olive oil base that lets the toppings shine: salty ham, sweet pineapple and lots of melty mozzarella.
If you want the best crust, make the accompanying homemade pizza dough. It’s straightforward, doesn’t take forever to rise, and yields a slightly crispy bottom with puffy, soft edges.
Using olive oil instead of tomato sauce keeps the flavors bright and lets each topping stand out. To make the oil base pop, season it well — salt and pepper are essential, and you can add a pinch of crushed red pepper, garlic powder, or oregano if you like a little more complexity.
Hawaiian Pizza: Pizza Dough
A great pizza begins with good dough. I prefer dough that bakes up with a crisp bottom and airy, tender edges. The homemade dough recipe linked in the notes delivers that texture and is easy to prepare.
If you’re short on time, let the dough rise in a warm oven: turn the oven on for five minutes, then turn it off and place the covered bowl of dough inside. Close the door and it should double in about 45 minutes.
The dough recipe makes two balls, so you can bake one now and reserve the other for another meal.
Hawaiian Pizza Toppings
Top the olive oil–brushed crust with slices of smoky Black Forest ham from the deli, or substitute Canadian bacon if you prefer. Layer plenty of mozzarella — freshly grated or thinly sliced fresh mozzarella will give the best texture and flavor — then scatter extra ham and generous chunks of fresh pineapple.
When pineapples are in season, buy a whole fruit and cut it yourself for the best flavor. If fresh pineapple isn’t available, canned or packaged pineapple chunks work fine.
Before baking, finish with a little extra salt and pepper. Bake the pizza until the cheese is bubbly and the crust edges are golden, about 10 minutes in a very hot oven. Let the pizza rest a few minutes, then slice and serve.
Homemade Pizza Recipes
- Green Vegetable Pesto Garden Pizza – a great option for vegetable lovers
- Homemade Pizza Dough – reliable dough that turns out great every time
- Mellow Mushroom Kosmic Karma Copycat – with sun-dried tomatoes, feta and pesto
- Caesar Salad Pizza – a white pizza topped with crisp Caesar salad after baking
- Mellow Mushroom Pacific Rim Pizza Copycat – pineapple, Canadian bacon, bacon and jalapeño
- Homemade BBQ Chicken Pizza – a favorite BBQ chicken pie
Hawaiian Pizza With Olive Oil Base
This Hawaiian pizza is made with an olive oil base, ham, juicy pineapple and mozzarella cheese. Use the recipe with homemade pizza dough for the best tasting result.
Ingredients
- 1 dough ball (see notes for recipe)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ lb sliced Black Forest ham (or Canadian bacon)
- 1 cup heaping pineapple chunks (adjust to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 475°F (245°C).
- Generously sprinkle cornmeal on a pizza peel or baking surface.
- Stretch the pizza dough into a near-circle and transfer to the peel.
- Brush the surface with olive oil and sprinkle with some of the salt and pepper.
- Arrange most of the ham slices on the dough, overlapping slightly, leaving one or two aside.
- Top with mozzarella cheese.
- Cut the last few ham pieces into quarters and scatter over the cheese.
- Add pineapple chunks evenly across the pizza.
- Finish with a bit more salt and pepper to taste.
- Bake until the cheese is bubbly and the crust edges are golden, about 10 minutes.
- Let the pizza rest a few minutes, then cut into slices and serve.
Notes
You can use this with a homemade pizza dough recipe for best texture and flavor.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 313
Total Fat: 21g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 12g
Cholesterol: 26mg
Sodium: 607mg
Carbohydrates: 22g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 5g
Protein: 11g
Nutrition estimates are calculated online and are provided as a guideline only.