Grandma Jo’s Old-Fashioned Italian Spinach Pizza
Some recipes are just recipes, and some recipes are so much more than that. This is one of those recipes!
About six or seven years ago, when I first started making videos on TikTok, one of the very first videos I ever made was with my Grandma Jo. If you’ve been following me since the beginning, you probably remember her. Everybody loved Grandma Jo, and for good reason.
My Grandma Jo passed away at 94 years old, and I miss her so much. She was one of the biggest reasons I learned how to cook. But here’s something you might not know. This spinach pizza recipe didn’t actually start with Grandma Jo. It came from my grandfather’s mother, my great-grandma Lisette, whom everybody called Grandma Lizzie. Grandma Lizzie taught Grandma Jo how to make it. Grandma Jo made it for my mom, my mom learned how to make it, and eventually, I learned how to make it, too. And now I’m sharing it with you.
I can still remember making this pizza with Grandma Jo. She had her own way of doing everything, especially folding the dough. Hers always came out perfectly folded and flat. Mine? Well, mine might be a little puffier, but let me tell you something. It is so freaking delicious! The best part is that you really cannot mess this recipe up.
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It’s simple, it’s rustic, and it uses just a handful of ingredients. But when you combine good olive oil, fresh garlic, spinach, and two delicious cheeses inside that golden pizza dough, you’ve got something special. And every time I make it, I feel like I’m cooking with my grandma again.
What Makes Grandma Jo’s Spinach Pizza So Special?
- It’s a true family recipe. This pizza has been passed down through generations of my Italian family.
- You don’t need homemade dough. Although Grandma Jo would make her own dough for special occasions, fresh store-bought pizza dough works beautifully.
- The olive oil makes all the difference. We’re using good extra virgin olive oil in the spinach filling, on the baking sheet, and over the top of the pizza.
- It’s loaded with flavor. Fresh garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano make this spinach pizza absolutely delicious.
- It’s not your typical pizza. There’s no tomato sauce, and we’re not making a round pizza. This is a rustic, folded rectangular pizza with the filling tucked inside.
- It doesn’t have to be perfect. Seriously! Even if your folds aren’t beautiful, it’s still going to taste incredible.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. I used my favorite Caraway Saute Pan!
Add the spinach, cover the pan, and allow the spinach to steam for just a few minutes, until it’s soft and wilted.
Once wilted, transfer the spinach to a colander and drain off the steaming water.
I love using the La Espanola Olive Oil for this recipe!
Drizzle in the oil and add in garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper.
Now add your drained spinach right back into the pan. Toss everything together until the spinach is coated in that beautiful garlicky olive oil.
Lightly sprinkle your work surface or large cutting board with all-purpose flour. I used my beautiful Checkered Cutting Board!
This is the Italian pizza dough I used from Publix!
Take your one-pound ball of fresh pizza dough and gently flatten it with your hands. Before you start rolling, cut off approximately one-eighth of the dough and set that smaller piece aside, covered. We’re using the larger piece for the bottom of our pizza and the smaller piece for the top.
Take your rolling pin and begin rolling the larger piece into a rectangle. Roll from the center outward, turning and occasionally flipping the dough as you work. Add a little more flour to your board if it starts sticking. You want a large, thin rectangle, approximately the size of a standard baking sheet.
Generously drizzle extra virgin olive oil across the bottom of the baking sheet. Using your hands, rub the olive oil all over the surface, making sure the entire bottom is coated. This helps give the bottom of our pizza that beautiful golden crust. Carefully transfer your large rectangle of pizza dough onto the prepared baking sheet.
Take your pan of sautéed spinach, garlic, and olive oil and spoon or pour the entire mixture into the center of the pizza dough. Yes, all of it! Including that delicious olive oil! Spread the spinach into a rectangular shape across the middle of the dough.
Here’s the important part: Don’t spread the spinach all the way to the edges.
You need to leave a generous border of uncovered dough around all four sides because we’re going to fold those edges over the top. Think of it as making a smaller rectangle of filling inside your larger rectangle of dough.
Sprinkle over the shredded mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, and black pepper.
Take that smaller piece of pizza dough you reserved earlier and place it on your lightly floured board. Using your rolling pin, roll it into a thinner, narrower rectangle. This piece doesn’t need to be as large as the bottom dough. It only needs to cover the spinach and cheese filling in the center. Carefully lay the smaller rectangle of dough over the spinach and cheese.
Take the exposed edges of the larger bottom piece of dough and fold them inward over the smaller top piece. Work your way around the pizza, folding the dough over the filling and gently pressing it down with your fingers. The idea is to enclose the spinach and cheese between the layers of dough. Make sure the edges overlap and press them gently to help seal everything together.
Once your pizza is folded, generously drizzle more extra virgin olive oil over the top. Use your hands to rub the olive oil evenly over the entire surface.
Then take a sharp knife and make three small slits across the center of the pizza. These slits allow steam to escape as the pizza bakes.
Baking: I like using a lower rack because it helps the bottom of the pizza bake nicely without the top getting too dark.
You can cut this pizza any way you want. I like cutting mine diagonally and making all different shapes. Some pieces are triangles, some are squares, and some are rectangles. There’s no right or wrong way to do it.
I served my Italian spinach pizza on my favorite Pampa Bay Serving Dish!
More Delicious Grandma Jo Recipes!
Melissa’s Tips!
- Use Good Olive Oil: I’m telling you, this is probably one of the most important parts of the recipe. There’s no tomato sauce, no complicated seasoning blend, and no long list of ingredients. The flavor comes from the garlic, spinach, cheese, and olive oil. That’s why I use a good extra virgin olive oil. My favorite is La Española. And don’t be afraid to use it! We use olive oil in the spinach filling, on the baking sheet, and over the top of the pizza.
- Don’t Throw Away the Garlicky Olive Oil: After sautéing the spinach, you might notice olive oil sitting in the bottom of your pan. Don’t leave it behind! Pour all of that deliciousness right onto the pizza with the spinach. That’s flavor, baby!
- Shred Your Own Mozzarella: I know it’s tempting to grab a bag of shredded mozzarella, but please don’t for this recipe. Buy a block of whole-milk mozzarella and shred it yourself. It melts beautifully and gives the filling that delicious cheesy texture.
- Don’t Overcook the Spinach: The spinach only needs a few minutes of steaming. Remember, we’re sautéing it afterward and then baking it inside the pizza. You want it tender, not mushy.
- Don’t Skip the Slits: Those three slits in the top of the pizza are important. They allow steam to escape while the pizza bakes, helping prevent excess moisture from building up inside.
- Bake on a Lower Rack: I like placing my baking sheet on a lower oven rack because it helps the bottom of the pizza cook through and develop a golden crust. Just don’t put it on the very bottom rack where the crust could burn.
My Best Tips for Working with Pizza Dough
- 1. Let refrigerated dough warm up. Take it out of the refrigerator about 30–60 minutes before rolling, keeping it covered. Cold dough is much harder to stretch.
- 2. Flour your work surface lightly. A little flour prevents sticking, but don’t dump a ton of flour onto your board. Too much can dry out the dough.
- 3. Use your hands first. Gently flatten and stretch the dough before grabbing your rolling pin.
- 4. Roll from the center outward. This helps distribute the dough evenly and makes it easier to create a rectangle.
- 5. Flip and rotate the dough. Every so often, lift it, turn it, and add a little flour underneath if needed.
- 6. Give stubborn dough a rest. If the dough keeps springing back, let it relax for 5–10 minutes before trying again.
- 7. Don’t worry about perfect measurements. You want a large rectangle for the bottom and a smaller rectangle for the top. That’s it!
- 8. Keep the small piece covered. While you’re rolling the larger piece, cover the reserved dough so it doesn’t dry out.
- 9. Don’t stretch the dough too thin. It needs to hold the spinach, cheese, and olive oil without tearing.
- 10. If you get a little tear, don’t panic. Pinch the dough back together or patch it with a tiny piece of dough. This is a rustic family recipe!
🤔 Common Questions
Absolutely! I use a one-pound package of fresh pizza dough from the grocery store. You can also use homemade pizza dough if you prefer. Just make sure you’re using fresh, unbaked dough rather than a premade pizza crust.
Fresh baby spinach is my preference because that’s how I make this recipe. However, you can use frozen spinach in a pinch. Thaw it completely, squeeze out the excess water, and then sauté it with the garlic, olive oil, and seasonings. You’ll need roughly 10–12 ounces of frozen chopped spinach as a substitute, although the finished texture may be different.
Yes! You can steam and sauté the spinach a day ahead, let it cool, and refrigerate it in an airtight container. When you’re ready, prepare the dough, assemble the pizza, and bake it fresh. You can also bake the pizza ahead of time and reheat it before serving.
Grandma Jo’s Old-Fashioned Italian Spinach Pizza
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Steam spinach: Bring 1½ cups water and a tiny pinch of salt to a boil in a large pan. Add the spinach, cover, and steam for a few minutes until just wilted. Drain in a colander.
- Sauté garlic: Wipe out the pan. Add 4 tablespoons olive oil, chopped garlic, red pepper flakes, and cracked black pepper. Sauté over medium to medium-low heat until fragrant and lightly golden.
- Add spinach: Return the drained spinach to the pan and toss with the garlic and olive oil. Remove from heat. Reserve all the flavorful oil with the spinach.
- Prepare dough: Lightly flour a board. Flatten the pizza dough and cut off approximately ⅛ of the dough for the top. Cover the smaller piece.
- Roll bottom crust: Roll the larger piece into a thin rectangle, approximately the size of a standard baking sheet. Flip and rotate as needed, adding a little flour to prevent sticking.
- Prepare baking sheet: Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously drizzle extra virgin olive oil onto a rimmed baking sheet and spread it across the bottom with your hands.
- Add bottom dough: Transfer the rolled dough onto the baking sheet, adjusting it to fit.
- Fill: Spread the spinach and all its garlicky olive oil into a smaller rectangle in the center of the dough, leaving a generous border around the edges.
- Add cheese: Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over the spinach, followed by Pecorino Romano and additional cracked black pepper.
- Add top dough: Roll the reserved smaller piece into a narrow rectangle large enough to cover the filling. Lay it over the spinach and cheese.
- Fold: Fold the exposed edges of the bottom dough inward over the top piece, gently pressing with your fingers to enclose the filling.
- Finish: Generously drizzle olive oil over the pizza and rub it across the top. Cut three slits in the center to allow steam to escape.
- Bake: Place on a lower oven rack, but not the very bottom. Bake at 400°F for approximately 25–30 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve: Rest for 5–10 minutes, then slice into triangles, squares, or rectangles and enjoy!
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Nutrition
Notes
- Use good-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
- Shred your own whole-milk mozzarella.
- Don’t discard the garlicky olive oil from the spinach pan.
- Allow cold pizza dough to warm up before rolling.
- If the dough shrinks back, rest it for 5–10 minutes.
- The folding doesn’t have to be perfect.
- Check the bottom crust before removing from the oven.
- Store leftovers refrigerated for up to 3–4 days.
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Allow the pizza to cool, then store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer until warmed through. You can also enjoy this pizza at room temperature, but don’t leave it sitting out for more than two hours.
