Indulge in the Ultimate Mushroom Marsala Pizza: A Decadent Vegetarian Masterpiece

If you’re anything like my household, the mere mention of Chicken Marsala conjures up images of rich, savory flavors and comforting Italian-American cuisine. It’s a dish my husband frequently orders when we dine out, a true family favorite. So, when I stumbled upon this incredible recipe for an Awesome Mushroom Marsala Pizza online, I knew instantly that I had to try it. And not just try it – I had to make it immediately!

This culinary gem comes from the wonderful food blog, Vodka & Biscuits, and the results were nothing short of spectacular. Imagine two of your most beloved comfort foods, Chicken Marsala and pizza, uniting in a symphony of flavors. While this particular version skips the chicken, making it a delightful vegetarian option, the possibilities for customization are endless – a chicken addition could certainly be a delicious twist for next time!

I’m absolutely thrilled to share this unique and utterly satisfying pizza experience with you. It’s not just a meal; it’s an adventure for your taste buds, transforming classic flavors into a modern, irresistible treat.

Crafting the Creamy Cheese Sauce: The Soul of Your Pizza

Every great pizza needs a fantastic base, and for our Mushroom Marsala Pizza, that’s a velvety, cheesy white sauce. This isn’t your average tomato sauce; it’s a rich béchamel elevated with robust Italian cheeses, providing a luxurious foundation for our savory mushroom topping.

Ingredients for the Rich Cheese Sauce:

• Butter: The starting point for any classic béchamel, providing a rich base.
• Unbleached all-purpose flour: Creates the roux, thickening our sauce to perfection.
• Milk: The liquid component, forming the creamy body of the sauce. Low-fat works great, but whole milk will yield an even richer sauce.
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper: Essential seasonings to enhance all the flavors.
• Italian blend shredded cheese: This is where the magic happens! An Italian blend typically includes mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, and romano, offering a depth of flavor that’s hard to beat. While this blend is highly recommended for its complexity, feel free to use your favorite combination of melting cheeses.

Essentially, this sauce is a classic béchamel, masterfully thickened with an abundance of grated cheese. The Italian blend is suggested for its superior depth of flavor, adding a gourmet touch that truly complements the Marsala mushrooms. However, don’t hesitate to experiment with your preferred cheese varieties if you have a different blend in mind.

Step-by-Step Cheese Sauce Preparation:

• Create a roux: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, stir in the flour and mix until a smooth paste, or roux, forms.
• Cook out the flour: Allow this mixture to cook gently for 1-2 minutes. This crucial step cooks out the raw flour taste, leaving behind only the rich, nutty aroma of the butter.
• Whisk in milk: Gradually whisk in the milk, ensuring there are no lumps. Continue whisking as you bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
• Thicken the sauce: Keep simmering and constantly whisking until the sauce visibly thickens to your desired consistency – it should be coating the back of a spoon.
• Season and melt cheese: Once thick, remove from direct heat and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the Italian blend shredded cheese until it’s completely melted and smoothly incorporated.
• Taste and adjust: Always taste your sauce! Adjust seasonings as needed to reach perfect balance.
• Keep warm: Set the saucepan aside on a very low burner or a warm part of your stovetop to keep the sauce warm and ready for assembly.

Once your irresistible cheese sauce is perfectly done, gently slide its pan to a different burner set to very low heat. This ensures it stays beautifully warm and easily spreadable while you prepare the stars of the show: the Marsala mushrooms!

Assembling Your Mushroom Marsala Pizza: The Heart of the Recipe

For convenience and speed, I opted for store-bought prepared pizza dough, which dramatically cuts down on prep time without sacrificing quality. However, if you’re a purist who enjoys the art of dough-making, by all means, craft your own! The beauty of this recipe is its adaptability to your preferences and schedule.

Ingredients for the Flavorful Mushroom Topping:

• Butter: For sautéing the mushrooms, adding richness.
• Olive oil: Used in conjunction with butter to prevent burning and add flavor.
• Baby Bella mushrooms: These have a deeper, earthier flavor than white button mushrooms, perfect for our Marsala theme. Quartering them creates delightful “morsels.”
• Fresh thyme: Its earthy, slightly floral notes beautifully complement the mushrooms and Marsala wine.
• Garlic clove: A must for any savory Italian-inspired dish, providing aromatic depth.
• Vegetable broth or stock: Adds liquid and umami, contributing to the rich sauce.
• Marsala wine: The star ingredient, giving the mushrooms their characteristic sweet, nutty, and complex flavor. Ensure you use cooking Marsala or a dry Marsala for best results.
• Prepared pizza dough: Your chosen base for this magnificent pizza.
• Italian blend shredded cheese: For the top layer, creating that irresistible cheesy crust.
• Red pepper flakes: An optional but highly recommended addition for a subtle kick of heat.
• Aged balsamic vinegar: A drizzle at the end elevates the flavors with its sweet and tangy complexity.
• Fresh basil: A final flourish for freshness, color, and aromatic bliss.

When preparing your mushrooms, resist the urge to slice them thinly as you might for typical pizza toppings. Instead, embrace a chunkier cut – quartering baby bella mushrooms works perfectly. The intention here is to create substantial, savory “morsels” of mushroom once they’re cooked down. These delightful chunks will take on a fantastic texture and absorb the Marsala sauce beautifully, almost resembling bits of sausage when the pizza emerges from the oven. But make no mistake, this is a truly vegetarian pizza, through and through!

Preparing the Mushroom Marsala Topping:

• Preheat your oven: Set your oven to 425°F (220°C), or follow the specific temperature recommendation for your chosen pizza dough.
• Sauté the mushrooms: In a medium sauté pan, melt the butter and add about two “counts” (drizzles) of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the quartered baby bella mushrooms and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are soft, beautifully browned, and have released much of their moisture.
• Add aromatics: Stir in the minced garlic and fresh thyme leaves. Continue cooking for about one minute more, or until the fragrant aroma of garlic fills your kitchen. Be careful not to burn the garlic!
• Deglaze and reduce: Pour in the vegetable stock and Marsala wine. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook for approximately 8 to 10 minutes. The goal here is to reduce the liquid significantly, allowing the flavors to concentrate and the sauce to thicken just enough to coat the mushrooms. It should still be somewhat loose, as it will continue to thicken slightly in the oven.
• Season to taste: Give the mushroom mixture a taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.

Building and Baking Your Masterpiece: The Final Steps to Pizza Perfection

With your creamy cheese sauce ready and your Marsala mushrooms cooked to perfection, you’re now poised to assemble your phenomenal Mushroom Marsala Pizza. This is where all the delightful components come together!

Building and Baking Instructions:

• Prepare the pizza dough: On a lightly floured surface or directly on your pizza pan, roll out your prepared pizza dough into your desired shape. A 12-inch round is a good starting point. Since the toppings for this pizza are quite substantial and flavorful, it’s best not to roll the dough too thin – a medium thickness will provide a sturdy and satisfying base.
• Layer with cheese sauce: Evenly spread the warm, creamy cheese sauce over the dough, leaving about a 1-inch border from the edge to create a crust.
• Add the mushroom topping: Spoon the Marsala mushrooms and their accompanying pan sauce evenly over the cheese sauce. Distribute them generously to ensure every bite is bursting with flavor.
• Top with shredded cheese: Sprinkle the remaining Italian blend shredded cheese over the mushrooms. This top layer will melt into a golden, bubbly crust, sealing in all the deliciousness.
• Bake to golden perfection: Transfer the pizza to your preheated oven and bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. The exact baking time can vary depending on the thickness of your crust and the size of your pizza. Keep a close eye on it, and you’ll know it’s ready when the crust is beautifully golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

It’s important to remember that baking times are always approximate. The thickness of your pizza crust and the initial size of your dough ball (for instance, the example shown here uses a 12-inch round) will all influence how long it needs in the oven. Trust your senses: a perfectly baked pizza will have golden-brown edges and a bubbling, melted top.

This pizza is incredibly versatile. While it makes a fantastic main course, it’s also absolutely delicious served as an appetizer. If you’re hosting, consider baking it in a rectangular pan and cutting it into neat squares – perfect for sharing!

Before serving, elevate the flavors even further. Sprinkle with a pinch of red pepper flakes if you enjoy a touch of heat (this is completely optional, of course!). Then, add a generous splash of good quality aged balsamic vinegar – its sweet and tangy notes cut through the richness beautifully. Finally, fresh basil is truly mandatory, providing a vibrant, aromatic finish that ties all the flavors together.

Whether served as a casual weeknight dinner or an elegant appetizer, this Mushroom Marsala Pizza is guaranteed to impress. Its unique combination of creamy, savory, and aromatic flavors makes it a truly memorable dish that marries the best of Italian tradition with the fun of homemade pizza. Enjoy every delicious bite!

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Awesome Mushroom Marsala Pizza

Based on a recipe from Vodka & Biscuits

Servings
4
to 6 servings

Author
Rosemary Stelmach

Ingredients

Cheese Sauce

• 1
  tablespoon
  butter
• 1
  heaping tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1
  cup
  low-fat milk
• 1/4
  teaspoon
  salt
• 1/4
  teaspoon
  freshly ground black pepper
• 1
  cup
  Italian blend shredded cheese
  (4 ounces)

Mushroom Pizza

• 1
  tablespoon
  butter
• olive oil, as needed
• 16
  ounces
  small baby bella mushrooms, quartered
• 1
  sprig of fresh thyme, leaves removed
• 1
  garlic clove, grated or minced
• 3/4
  cup
  vegetable stock or broth
• 3/4
  cup
  Marsala wine
• 1
  ball
  prepared pizza dough
• 1
  cup
  Italian blend shredded cheese
  (4 ounces)
• pinch of red pepper flakes
  (optional)
• aged balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
• chopped fresh basil, for serving

Instructions

Cheese Sauce

1. Create a roux by melting the butter in a small sauce pan. Add the flour and mix until incorporated. Allow to cook for 1-2 minutes until the flour cooks out and you only smell butter. Whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer until thickened, continuously whisking. Once thick, season with the salt and pepper, then stir in the cheese. Taste and adjust as needed. Set aside and keep warm over low heat.

Mushroom Pizza

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F or whatever temperature your pizza dough recipe recommends.

2. Heat the butter and 2 counts of olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the mushrooms and cook 5-6 minutes until soft and brown. Add the garlic and thyme leaves and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add the stock and wine. Simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes until the sauce has reduced enough to coat the mushrooms, however still a bit loose. Taste for salt and pepper.

3. Prepare the pizza dough by rolling into your desired shape and placing on a pizza pan. Top with the cheese sauce, leaving a 1″ gap from the crust, then evenly spoon over the mushrooms and pan sauce. Top with the shredded cheese and bake until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

4. Before serving, sprinkle with (optional) red pepper flakes for heat. If desired, add a splash of balsamic vinegar and fresh basil.

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