Corn and Jalapeño Pizza

Name: Corn and Jalapeño Pizza
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 lb (454 g) pizza dough, store-bought or homemade, at room temperature; 2 cups (280 g) corn kernels, fresh or thawed frozen, patted dry with paper towels; 3 medium (75 g) fresh jalapeños, thinly sliced, seeds removed if you prefer less heat; 1½ cups (170 g) whole milk mozzarella cheese, low-moisture, shredded; ½ cup (8 g) fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed, roughly chopped; ¾ cup (180 ml) tomato sauce or pizza sauce, at room temperature; 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil, divided; 2 cloves (6 g) garlic, minced, minced; to taste kosher salt; to taste freshly ground black pepper; 1 whole (50 g) lime, cut into wedges, cut into wedges for serving (optional); 2 tbsp (15 g) cornmeal or all-purpose flour, for dusting the pizza peel

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A vibrant Mexican-inspired pizza topped with charred corn, fresh jalapeños, and melted mozzarella, finished with cilantro and lime. This recipe uses a simple pizza dough baked until crispy with a tender interior, topped with a light tomato base to let the vegetables shine.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 25 min
Wait: 1 hr 30 min
Total: 2 hr 20 min
Makes: 2 pizzas (8 slices total)

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Ingredients

4 servings

1 lb (454 g) pizza dough, store-bought or homemade, at room temperature
2 cups (280 g) corn kernels, fresh or thawed frozen, patted dry with paper towels
3 medium (75 g) fresh jalapeños, thinly sliced, seeds removed if you prefer less heat
1½ cups (170 g) whole milk mozzarella cheese, low-moisture, shredded
½ cup (8 g) fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed, roughly chopped
¾ cup (180 ml) tomato sauce or pizza sauce, at room temperature
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 cloves (6 g) garlic, minced, minced
to taste kosher salt
to taste freshly ground black pepper
1 whole (50 g) lime, cut into wedges, cut into wedges for serving (optional)
2 tbsp (15 g) cornmeal or all-purpose flour, for dusting the pizza peel

Equipment (8)

2 large pizza stones or baking sheets (14-inch/36 cm diameter)
Large mixing bowl
Medium saucepan
Wooden spoon
Skillet (10-inch/25 cm)
Paper towels
Pizza peel or large offset spatula
Instant-read thermometer (optional but helpful)

Steps

Before you start

Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C) at least 15 minutes before baking
If using store-bought dough, remove it from the fridge 30 minutes before shaping to make it easier to stretch
Prepare all toppings and have them ready before you start assembling the pizzas

1
Char the corn kernels
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a 10-inch (25 cm) skillet over medium-high heat.
- Once it shimmers, add the dried corn kernels in a single layer.
- Let them sit undisturbed for 2–3 minutes until they begin to brown.
- Stir and cook for another 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until about 30% of the kernels have darkened spots and smell toasted.
- Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- This brings out the corn's natural sweetness and adds depth to the pizza.
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Ready when: Corn kernels show dark brown spots and smell toasted
Tip: Don't crowd the kernels or move them too early; letting them sit creates the char. Thawed frozen corn works best here as it has less moisture.
2
Prepare the dough
- Divide the room-temperature pizza dough into 2 equal pieces.
- On a lightly floured surface, stretch the first piece into a 10–11 inch (25–28 cm) round, working from the center outward.
- The dough should be roughly ¼ inch (6 mm) thick with a slightly thicker edge for the crust.
- If it springs back, let it rest for 2 minutes and try again.
- Repeat with the second piece of dough.
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Ready when: Dough is stretched to even thickness with no thin spots
Tip: If dough is very elastic and keeps shrinking, let it rest in a warm spot for 5 more minutes before final shaping.
3
Assemble first pizza
- Dust a pizza peel or large baking sheet with cornmeal.
- Place the first dough round on the peel.
- Spread about 6 tablespoons (90 ml) of tomato sauce thinly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch (1 cm) border around the edge for the crust.
- Sprinkle half the minced garlic over the sauce, then scatter ¾ cup (85 g) of shredded mozzarella evenly.
- Top with half of the charred corn and half of the sliced jalapeños.
- Drizzle with ½ tablespoon of olive oil, then season lightly with salt and black pepper.
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Ready when: Pizza is evenly topped with no bare dough spots
Tip: Don't overload the pizza; too many toppings will make it soggy. Use a light hand with the sauce—less is more for a crispy crust.
4
Bake first pizzaOven 475°F / 245°C
- Place the pizza peel at the edge of a preheated 475°F (245°C) pizza stone or baking sheet, and with a quick forward motion, slide the pizza onto the hot stone.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling at the edges with a few brown spots.
- The bottom should sound hollow when tapped with a wooden spoon.
- Remove with the pizza peel and set on a cutting board.
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Ready when: Crust is golden brown, cheese bubbles at edges with light brown spots, bottom sounds hollow
Tip: If your oven runs cool, the bake may take up to 17 minutes. Rotate the pizza halfway through if your oven has hot spots.
5
Assemble second pizza
- While the first pizza bakes, assemble the second one on another prepared peel using the remaining sauce, garlic, mozzarella, charred corn, and jalapeños in the same proportions and method as the first.
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Ready when: Second pizza is evenly topped
Tip: You can assemble this while the first pizza is baking to keep the workflow smooth.
6
Bake second pizzaOven 475°F / 245°C
- Once the first pizza is done, transfer it to a serving surface.
- Immediately slide the second pizza onto the hot stone and bake for 12–15 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling.
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Ready when: Crust is golden brown, cheese bubbles at edges, bottom sounds hollow
Tip: The stone should still be very hot. If using two separate baking sheets, you can bake both pizzas at once on different racks, rotating them halfway through.
7
Finish with cilantro and lime
- Immediately after removing the second pizza from the oven, scatter half of the chopped cilantro over the first pizza and half over the second.
- The warm pizza will lightly wilt the cilantro and release its aroma.
- Cut each pizza into 4 slices.
- Serve with lime wedges on the side so guests can squeeze fresh lime juice over their slices.
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Ready when: Cilantro is scattered and pizza is sliced
Tip: Add cilantro right before serving for maximum freshness and color. The lime juice brightens all the flavors.

Good to know

Tips

Charring the corn is crucial—it adds sweetness and depth that plain raw corn cannot match. Don't skip this step.
Use low-moisture mozzarella, not fresh mozzarella; it melts evenly and prevents a soggy crust.
A pizza stone preheated in the oven creates the crispiest crust. If you don't have one, a heavy-duty baking sheet works but will yield a slightly less crispy bottom.
For a creamier topping, drizzle the finished pizzas with Mexican crema or a dollop of sour cream mixed with a pinch of lime juice.

Make ahead

You can prepare the charred corn up to 4 hours ahead and store it at room temperature in an airtight container. The pizza dough can be shaped and stored on parchment paper, wrapped tightly, and refrigerated for up to 8 hours before baking. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before baking.

Storage & reheating

Leftover pizza is best eaten within 1 day. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 hours, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 8–10 minutes until the cheese melts and the crust crisps. Do not freeze, as the texture of the fresh jalapeños and cilantro will suffer.

Substitutions

corn kernels, fresh or thawed frozen → Canned or jarred corn kernels, drained and patted completely dry. Fresh or frozen corn gives the best texture and flavor, but canned works if you drain and dry it thoroughly to avoid moisture on the pizza.
fresh jalapeños → Poblano peppers, sliced into rings, or serrano peppers for more heat. Poblanos are milder and sweeter; serranos are hotter. Adjust the amount to your preference for spice.
fresh cilantro leaves → Fresh basil or parsley, or Mexican oregano sprinkled on before serving. Cilantro's bright, herbaceous notes are key to the Mexican flavor, but basil adds a different herbaceous quality if cilantro is unavailable.
tomato sauce or pizza sauce → Salsa verde (verde sauce) or a thin layer of no-sauce pizza topped with crema drizzled afterward. Salsa verde adds a tangy dimension and shifts the flavor profile to more authentically Mexican. Use about ¾ cup (180 ml).