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Hot honey sausage ricotta pizza with creamy ricotta dollops, crispy sausage, and amber hot honey drizzle on a wooden board

Sweet and Spicy Hot Honey Sausage Ricotta Pizza

A sweet and spicy hot honey sausage ricotta pizza with seasoned whole milk ricotta dollops, crumbled Italian sausage, stretchy mozzarella, fresh basil, and a dramatic hot honey drizzle. Ready in 30 minutes.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Oven Preheat Time 45 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Calories: 485
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

For the Pizza Base
  • 1 lb pizza dough store-bought or homemade, room temperature
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil for the base
  • 2 cloves garlic 1 crushed for oil base, 1 minced for ricotta
  • 1.5 cups low-moisture whole milk mozzarella freshly shredded from a block
For the Seasoned Ricotta
  • 3/4 cup whole milk ricotta full-fat only
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
For the Toppings
  • 6 oz Italian sausage sweet or hot, removed from casing and crumbled
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes optional extra heat
  • 3 tbsp hot honey Mike's Hot Honey or similar — drizzled after baking
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves added right after baking
  • 1 pinch flaky sea salt for finishing after hot honey

Equipment

  • Pizza stone or inverted baking sheet
  • Pizza peel or parchment paper
  • Wooden serving board

Method

  1. Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet on the lowest oven rack and preheat to 500°F for at least 45 minutes.
  2. Mix the ricotta with minced garlic, fresh thyme, salt, and black pepper. Set aside.
  3. Remove sausage from its casing and crumble into small irregular pieces. Set aside.
  4. Stretch the pizza dough into a thin 12-inch round on a floured surface or parchment paper.
  5. Whisk olive oil with crushed garlic and brush evenly over the stretched dough.
  6. Scatter freshly shredded mozzarella over the oiled dough.
  7. Dollop the seasoned ricotta in small spoonfuls evenly across the pizza. Scatter crumbled raw sausage around the ricotta. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes if desired.
  8. Slide onto the preheated stone and bake for 10-12 minutes until the crust is golden, sausage is cooked, and cheese is bubbling.
  9. Remove from oven. Immediately scatter fresh basil leaves, drizzle hot honey generously, and finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Slice and serve immediately.

Notes

Preheat the stone for at least 45 minutes for a crispy bottom. Use raw sausage — not pre-cooked. Whole milk ricotta only. Season the ricotta before dolloping. Add hot honey AFTER baking — it burns in the oven. Serve immediately.