You’ve had it at countless parties and now it’s time to make it yourself! Vegetable Pizza is a classic appetizer that combines a buttery crescent roll crust with cream cheese topping and crisp, fresh veggies. This version is healthier and tastier than the original!
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This veggie pizza appetizer is retro in the BEST kind of way!
We’re not talking olive loaf or gelatin molds filled with cool whip and maraschino cherries here! Vegetable pizza is the kind of retro appetizer you actually want to revisit.
Whether it’s classic veggie pizza or pigs-in-a-blanket, apps made with crescent roll dough are always a hit. (You’ll also find crescent roll dough in my Brie en Croute and you can use it for Ham and Cheese Pinwheels too.)
Let’s talk about what makes this recipe such a win, and what sets my version apart from the rest:
- The Easy Appetizer We All Need. Okay, it’s not Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip easy (I mean, is anything that easy?), but as far as non-dip apps go, veggie pizza is pretty dang simple and ideal for making ahead—which leaves you more time for enjoying Skinny Margaritas.
- Better Than the Original. I swap the sour cream or mayo for Greek yogurt, and give you some additional options to healthify your veggie pizza—you can opt for whole wheat pizza dough instead of a crescent roll crust and use reduced-fat cream cheese instead of full-fat.
- Tastier, Too. While most veggie pizzas add dill and garlic powder to the cream cheese spread, I add onion powder for extra savoriness, a little bit of kosher salt to complement the fresh veggies, and juuuust enough cayenne to make things interesting. It’s like ranch without the packet.
5 Star Review
“This is one of my son’s favorite lunches to pack for summer camp! We make a half batch (using just one can of the crescent sheets) and he helps make it, using red and green peppers, shredded carrots, and the cheese of course. Thanks!”
— Darlene —
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
For the Crust:
- Crescent Roll Dough. The kind that comes in a refrigerated tube. (Does anyone else get slightly nervous every time they peel back the paper and wait for the tube to pop open? No? Just me?)
For the Cream Cheese Topping:
- Reduced-Fat Cream Cheese (Neufchatel) or Regular Cream Cheese. You want the kind that comes in a block, not a tub. Don’t forget to soften it before starting the recipe!
- Nonfat or Low-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt. You could go the traditional route and use sour cream, but Greek yogurt is healthier and it adds some protein.
- Seasonings. Garlic powder, onion powder, dill, kosher salt, and cayenne make the cream cheese topping extra flavorful.
For the Veggies & to Finish:
- Broccoli Florets. Chop these small—all the veggies should be bite-size so they’re easy to eat.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese. Sharp cheddar adds more flavor than mild. We’re not melting the cheese here, so you can get away with store-bought shreds, but I still prefer shredding my own block of cheese to avoid that powdery mouthfeel of pre-shredded cheese.
- Shredded Carrots. Buy a bag of shredded carrots and save yourself some prep time.
- Red Bell Pepper. Yellow or orange have a similar sweet flavor and can be used instead.
- Green Onions. Use only the green parts for milder flavor, or throw on the white parts too for a more onion-y veggie pizza.
How to Make Crescent Roll Vegetable Pizza
- Prepare. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (or 425 degrees F if you’re using pizza dough) with a rack positioned in the center. Press the crescent roll or pizza dough into a crust and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Poke it with a fork.
- Bake. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the crust is golden brown; cool for 30 minutes.
- Make the Cream Cheese Topping. Mix all of the topping ingredients until they’re smooth and well-combined. Spread onto the crust.
- Top It. Add the veggies, cheese, and black pepper.
- Serve. Slice and chill for an hour, or serve the veggie pizza immediately. ENJOY!
Meal Prep Tip
You can get a head start on this veggie pizza recipe by preparing the crust a day in advance, or making the whole recipe up to 8 hours before you plan on serving it.
Recipe Variations
- Switch Up the Vegetables. Every family has their own version of this veggie pizza recipe, which means there are endless combinations of vegetables to use. Some versions use tomatoes, cauliflower, mushrooms, cucumbers, sliced red onions, or black olives.
- Add Ranch Seasoning. The spices I add to the cream cheese topping give it a flavor reminiscent of ranch, but you can also just use ranch seasoning. I recommend using homemade ranch dressing mix or a brand that doesn’t have a lot of added sodium or fillers to keep it healthy.
- Blanch the Broccoli. Not a fan of raw broccoli? You can blanch it to take away some of the raw flavor without making it mushy. Just be sure to drain it well!
- Swap the Cream Cheese and Yogurt for Ricotta. Like an appetizer version of my Ricotta Pizza.
- Skip the Baking. I love using naan as a pizza crust (see my Naan Pizza) and it works for vegetable pizza too. Use whole naan and cut it into wedges or use mini naan for personal portions.
What to Serve with Veggie Pizza
- Dips and Spreads. No snack table is complete without a dip! Try my Mexican Corn Dip or Feta Dip.
- Other Crowd-Pleasing Snacks. If you’re throwing a party, serve veggie pizza alongside Spinach Puffs or Feta Crostini.
- Party Cocktails. Enjoy a slice of veggie pizza while sipping on White Sangria or Peach Bellini.
Vegetable Pizza
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes
Total: 1 hour 2 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Video
Vegetable pizza is a classic appetizer, with a crescent roll crust, cream cheese and fresh veggies, served cold. My version is lightened up!
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Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 2 8-ounce cans crescent roll dough, or 1 Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
For the Cream Cheese Topping:
- 8 ounces reduced fat cream cheese Neufchatel or regular cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt or low-fat
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried dill weed or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the Veggies & to Finish:
- 1 cup finely chopped broccoli florets about ½ small head
- ¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- 1 cup shredded carrots about 2 medium
- 1 red bell pepper diced (about 1 cup)
- ¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
- Freshly ground black pepper optional
Instructions
- Make the crust: Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 375°F (for crescent rolls) or 425°F (for regular pizza dough). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- If using crescent roll dough, unroll the tubes onto the parchment and line up the triangles so you form a single flat crust. Pinch the seams together. If using pizza dough, roll it out on a lightly floured work surface into an approximate 11×14-inch rectangle, working from the center outward. Gently transfer it to the baking sheet, then poke all over with the tines of a fork. (You can also roll the dough onto a sheet of parchment, then lift it with the paper onto the baking sheet.)
- Bake until the crust is light golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes (the time is the same for both crescent dough and pizza dough). Let cool for at least 30 minutes.
- While the crust cools, make the cream cheese topping: In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, garlic powder, onion powder, dillweed, salt, and cayenne (if the cream cheese is soft, you don’t need a mixer).
- To assemble, spread the cream cheese mixture over the crust like “sauce,” leaving a thin border of crust all the way around. Sprinkle with the broccoli, lightly pressing it to adhere to the cream cheese. Add half of the cheese and the bell pepper, then lightly press again. Finish with the carrots, remaining cheese, and green onions. If desired, crack black pepper over the top.
- Slice and enjoy immediately, or for best results, cover and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- TO STORE: Store leftover veggie pizza in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Enjoy it chilled or at room temperature.
- TO FREEZE: Because of the fresh veggies in the topping, this is not a recipe that freezes well.
Nutrition
Serving: 1(of 6)Calories: 444kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 13gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.002gCholesterol: 36mgPotassium: 350mgFiber: 2gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 4856IUVitamin C: 48mgCalcium: 217mgIron: 2mg
Delish! Loved it. So simple, my kids helped me make it. We used Cresent rolls, which I usually don’t buy, so I appreciate the recipe including an alternative!
One thing- mine was veryyyy garlicky. I bought spice islands brand garlic powder, which is somehow extra garlicky. I did follow the recipe! But I’d probably cut back if you have a *nice brand* of garlic powder. Lol. I like garlic, but I wouldn’t serve it like this at a party that i wanted people to chit-chat at.