Garlic Knot Pizza with Herb Butter
A playful twist on two Italian-American classics: pizza dough is tied into knots, brushed with garlic herb butter, topped with fresh tomato sauce, mozzarella, and fresh basil, then baked until golden. The knots are crispy outside and tender inside, with pools of buttery garlic flavor and all the toppings you'd find on a traditional pizza. Perfect as an appetizer, light main, or party food.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Wait
- 1 hr 30 min
- Total
- 2 hr 20 min
- Makes
- 1 pizza (8–10 knots)
Steps
Before you start
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) 15 minutes before baking
- If using instant yeast instead of active dry, reduce amount by 25%
- Have all toppings prepped and ready before shaping dough
- Use a 14-inch (35 cm) round or 13×18-inch (33×46 cm) rectangular pizza pan or baking sheet
Mix and knead dough
- In a medium bowl, combine 3 cups (360 g) flour, 2.25 teaspoons (7 g) yeast, and 1.5 teaspoons (9 g) salt.
- Add 1 cup (240 ml) warm water and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil.
- Stir until shaggy.
- Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky.
- The dough should pass the windowpane test (stretch a small piece without tearing).
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Ready when: Dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky; passes the windowpane test
Tip: Warm water activates yeast faster—aim for 110°F (43°C), not hotter, which kills yeast
First rise
- Shape dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled medium bowl.
- Cover with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
- Let rise at room temperature for 60 minutes, or until doubled in size.
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Ready when: Dough has doubled in volume
Tip: A warmer kitchen (72–75°F / 22–24°C) speeds rising; a cool one slows it
Prep garlic herb butter
- While dough rises, combine 4 tablespoons (57 g) softened butter, 6 minced garlic cloves (18 g), 3 tablespoons (12 g) finely chopped fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon (3 g) finely chopped fresh basil, and a few grinds of black pepper in a small bowl.
- Stir well to combine.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Butter is smooth and herbs are evenly distributed
Tip: Use softened (not melted) butter so herbs distribute evenly without the garlic burning
Shape knots
- Punch down dough.
- Turn onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8–10 equal pieces (about 1.5 oz / 40 g each).
- Roll each piece into a 6–8 inch (15–20 cm) rope, about the thickness of a pencil.
- Tie each rope loosely into a knot, tucking the ends under to secure.
- Place knots on a parchment-lined 14-inch (35 cm) round pizza pan or 13×18-inch (33×46 cm) baking sheet, spaced about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.
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Ready when: Knots are evenly tied and spaced on the pan
Tip: Tie loosely—tight knots will compress and not rise well during the second proof
Second rise
- Cover the pan loosely with a damp towel or plastic wrap.
- Let knots rise at room temperature for 20–25 minutes, or until puffy and about 1 inch (2.5 cm) taller.
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Ready when: Knots are visibly puffed and spring back slowly when gently poked
Tip: A shorter rise here prevents them from over-proofing and collapsing in the oven
Brush with garlic herb butterOven 425°F / 220°C
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Using a pastry brush, generously brush the garlic herb butter over the top and sides of each knot.
- Reserve any remaining butter.
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Ready when: All knots are evenly coated with butter
Tip: Apply butter generously—it flavors and crisps the knots as they bake
Bake knotsOven 425°F / 220°C
- Place the pan in the preheated 425°F (220°C) oven.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the knots are light golden and puffed but still soft.
- Remove from oven.
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Ready when: Knots are light golden, puffy, and sound hollow when tapped
Tip: Don't overbake at this stage—they'll return to the oven after topping and will finish cooking then
Add sauce and cheese
- Spread or brush about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) pizza sauce or marinara onto the center and sides of each knot.
- Scatter torn fresh mozzarella (about 6 oz / 170 g total) over the knots, then sprinkle 1.5 cups (170 g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella evenly over all.
- Finish with 0.5 cup (50 g) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
- Drizzle any remaining garlic herb butter over the top.
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Ready when: All knots are covered with sauce, both mozzarellas, and Parmesan
Tip: Don't overload with sauce—too much will make the knots soggy and prevent proper browning
Bake until melted and goldenOven 425°F / 220°C
- Return the pan to the 425°F (220°C) oven.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes more, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the exposed dough is golden brown.
- The total bake time (both rounds combined) should be 16–20 minutes.
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Ready when: Cheese is melted and bubbly; exposed dough is golden brown
Tip: If the top browns too quickly before cheese melts, tent loosely with foil for the last few minutes
Finish and rest
- Remove from oven.
- If using fresh basil leaves (0.5 cup / 12 g), scatter them over the hot pizza—the residual heat will slightly wilt them and release their aroma.
- If desired, sprinkle a pinch of red pepper flakes over the top.
- Let rest for 2–3 minutes before serving.
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Ready when: Basil is just wilted and knots are cool enough to handle
Tip: Add fresh basil after baking to preserve its bright flavor and color
Good to know
Tips
- For extra garlic flavor, add 0.5 teaspoon (2.5 g) garlic powder to the herb butter along with the fresh minced garlic.
- If you don't have a pizza pan, use a parchment-lined baking sheet. Parchment prevents sticking and makes cleanup easy.
- To ensure even browning, rotate the pan 180° halfway through the final bake if your oven has hot spots.
- This recipe scales easily: divide the dough into 6 larger knots (for a more dramatic presentation) or 12 smaller ones (for appetizers). Adjust spacing and bake time slightly accordingly.
Make ahead
Dough can be made up to 8 hours ahead. After kneading (step 1), wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature for 15 minutes before shaping (step 4). Shaped, unbaked knots can be frozen on a tray for up to 3 weeks—bake from frozen, adding 5–7 minutes to each baking time.
Storage & reheating
Best eaten within 2 hours of baking. Leftovers keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day or in the fridge for 2 days. Reheat gently in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5–7 minutes until warmed through. Do not freeze after topping and baking—the cheese and sauce texture decline.
Substitutions
- fresh mozzarella cheese → Low-moisture mozzarella only. If you can't find fresh mozzarella, use 8 oz (227 g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella in place of both mozzarella components. Fresh mozzarella adds richness and melts more evenly, but the pizza will still work without it.
- fresh Italian parsley → Dried Italian parsley or oregano. Use 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried herb in place of fresh parsley. Dried herb is more concentrated, so use less. Fresh is more aromatic.
- pizza sauce or marinara sauce → Crushed canned tomatoes (drained well) seasoned with salt, garlic powder, and oregano. Use ¾ cup (180 ml) crushed or whole tomatoes, drained. This gives a fresher, less processed taste and slightly thinner sauce.
- freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano → Grana Padano or Pecorino Romano. Grana Padano is milder; Pecorino is sharper and saltier. Use the same amount. Pecorino gives a more pungent, tangy finish.
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