Poblano Pizza With Cilantro (Printer-Friendly)

Mildly spicy pizza with roasted poblano peppers, fresh cilantro, and melted cheeses on a crispy crust.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 pound pizza dough, homemade or store-bought

→ Sauce

02 - 1/2 cup tomato sauce
03 - 1 garlic clove, minced
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Toppings

07 - 2 medium poblano peppers
08 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
09 - 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese
10 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
11 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
12 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
13 - 1 small jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional)
14 - 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 475°F. If using a pizza stone, place it in the oven to heat.
02 - Roast the poblano peppers over an open flame or under a broiler until skin is charred and blistered on all sides. Place in a bowl, cover, and let steam for 5 minutes. Peel off skins, remove seeds, and slice into strips.
03 - Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface to your desired thickness. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet or a floured pizza peel if using a stone.
04 - In a small bowl, mix the tomato sauce, minced garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly over the dough, leaving a border for the crust.
05 - Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the sauce. Arrange roasted poblano strips, red onion slices, and jalapeño (if using) evenly on top. Add crumbled queso fresco or feta.
06 - Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle chili flakes if desired.
07 - Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted and bubbling.
08 - Remove from oven. Top immediately with fresh cilantro. Slice and serve hot.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • The roasted poblano peppers add a smoky depth that you can not get from regular pizza toppings
  • The combination of mozzarella and queso fresco creates this incredible creamy tangy contrast
  • Cilantro on hot pizza sounds weird until you try it then suddenly it makes perfect sense
02 -
  • Letting the roasted peppers steam covered is the secret to easily removing that charred skin
  • Do not skip the parchment paper if you are using a pizza stone, it will save you from disaster
  • Cilantro goes on after baking so it keeps its bright flavor instead of wilting into nothing
03 -
  • If your pizza stone is not preheated for at least 30 minutes, you will not get that restaurant style crispy crust
  • The chili flakes are optional but I highly recommend them if you like even a little heat

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