Fresh summer herbs used in their best form: in a fresh herb butter, with cheese and baked to perfection for this flatbread recipe!
I absolutely love using fresh herbs in recipes in the summertime. I grow them every year, and all summer long cannot get enough of them. I add them to almost everything. Do you like fresh herbs? Do you grow them?
One of my favorite things to make when the herbs get a little out of control and I have to use them asap, is to make herb butter with them. I’ve shared how to make herb butter, it’s a great way to extend the life of herbs and have something ready to go for other recipes – for example, using it on a flatbread!!
Flatbreads are an amazing free form pizza with a thinner crust, and are absolutely great for an appetizer recipe for entertaining. For this flatbread recipe I was testing, I wanted to see if herb butter would be good instead of sauce. Holy smokes, was it ever!!!
Using the fresh herb butter makes the crust extra crispy and gives the flatbread a wonderful texture, not to mention flavor! It’s like buttered bread, with additional fresh toppings of tomato and cheese. I also love using fresh tomatoes in the summer.
Tips & tricks for how to make fresh herb butter and cheese flatbread:
- Make your own herb butter (mix 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs with 2 tablespoons butter and 1 pressed garlic)
- If you’re short on time, you can use store bought pizza crust
- You can make the recipe below or add these toppings to a whole wheat pizza crust or a sourdough pizza crust
This fresh herb butter and cheese flatbread recipe is definitely one to try!
Other recipes you might enjoy:
Fresh Herb Butter and Cheese Flatbread Recipe
Ingredients
- For the flatbread dough:
- 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons warm water
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)
- 3/4 tablespoon honey
- 3/4 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for rolling
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
- For the pizza toppings:
- 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh herb butter make your own -mix 1 tablespoon fresh herbs with 2 tablespoons butter and 1 pressed garlic clove or use recipe
- 4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese finely shredded
- 1/4 cup parmesan/romano cheese shaved (or shredded)
- 6 small-medium vine tomatoes cut into wedges (or you could use 2 large roma tomatoes)
- 6-10 fresh basil leaves chopped (you could use additional herbs like rosemary, thyme, and oregano)
Instructions
- To make the dough: combine water (I just turn my faucet on hot and let it run for 30 seconds or until it's warm to touch, you could also microwave your water to get it warm), yeast, honey, and olive oil in a large bowl. Stir once or twice, then let sit for 10 minute, or until foamy on top.
- Add in 2 cups of the flour and salt, mix with a spoon (you don't need a stand mixer for this). Mix until the dough comes together, it will be sticky when touched.
- Turn the dough onto a very floured surface, add remaining 1/2 cup flour and using your hands knead the dough to incorporate the remaining flour.
- Grease the bowl with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil, then place the dough back into the bowl and turn it once so that it is lightly coated in the oil. Put a kitchen towel on top of the bowl (or cover with plastic wrap) and let rise for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
- After an hour, turn the dough onto the floured surface and punch it down.
- Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Stretch dough (using your hands or with a rolling pin) and then place the dough onto the baking sheet and stretch it to fill the baking sheet. Cover the dough with the kitchen towel (or plastic wrap) and let sit for 10 minutes.
To top the pizza:
- Spread the herb butter over the dough leaving about 2 inches in between each little spread of butter.
- Scatter the shredded mozzarella, then the fresh mozzarella and parmesan/romano cheese around the dough, then add the tomatoes.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until outside crust is brown and some of the cheese starts to brown. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes, then top with some fresh basil and cut it.
- To cut the flatbread I cut the rectangle into 12 squares, and then cut each square diagonally to make it into 24 triangles, then serve and enjoy
Susan L Craig says
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it.
Sweetphi says
I’d love to know what you think after you try it, it’s so delicious!
Lynn says
looks wonderful….I am going to make this for a pool party and maybe a family reunion picnic rather than the usual salads and desserts
Sweetphi says
Oh I love that idea for bringing it to a pool party Lynn, hope everyone enjoyed!
Lindsey says
What size baking sheet did you use for the pizza? This pizza looks amazing!!
Sweetphi says
I used a 25 by 15 inch one, but I’ve also made them on 9 x 13s, whatever baking sheet you have should work 🙂 This flatbread is truly delish!
Little Cooking Tips says
Excellent idea for a pizza-style flatbread Phi! We also have a lot of fresh herbs and using them all year round like maniacs lol:) When we have some extra produce, we usually wash it, dry it, chop it and put it in portions in small bags in the freezer. This way we have cilantro in the summer (when usually there isn’t much fresh) and basil and mint in the winter;)
Thanx for sharing this beautiful recipe dear! Off we go to check some of your other wonderful posts! Hugs!
Sweetphi says
That’s genius about freezing the fresh herbs and vegetables so you have them all year round! Sadly I have a small freezer so storage space is at a minimum, but I’ll settle for this fresh flatbread any time and enjoy all the summer herbs and vegetables I’m growing in my little garden 🙂
Jess says
Looks like the perfect Summer pizza – delicious!
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much- it’s such a great flatbread 🙂
jess larson | plays well with butter says
please teach me your ways with herb gardening. i try every single year…and i kill everything every single year!! xx
Sweetphi says
I used to be like that with herbs, but then I started using worms compost (I have it in my basement, kind of gross but kinda fun) and now the herbs seem to grow. So that may have something to do with it lol