Are you looking for the perfect recipe for a light, elegant, and incredibly delicious summer dinner on the patio? A meal that celebrates the best of seasonal produce and comes together almost entirely on the grill? This spectacular Grilled Flatbread with creamy ricotta, smoky summer squash, and a drizzle of hot honey is your new go-to.
This is your ultimate guide to creating a restaurant-quality flatbread pizza that is bursting with fresh, sophisticated flavor. We’ll show you how to grill summer squash and zucchini to tender, caramelized perfection and assemble it on a creamy ricotta base. Finished with a sweet and spicy honey drizzle and a shower of fresh herbs, this is a true showstopper.
What makes this recipe so special is its incredible combination of smoky, creamy, sweet, and spicy flavors. It’s a light yet satisfying vegetarian meal that looks like a work of art but is secretly simple to make. This Grilled Flatbread is the epitome of al fresco dining.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
The Magic of the “White Pizza” Base
Instead of a traditional tomato sauce, this Grilled Flatbread recipe uses a “pizza bianca,” or white pizza, base made from creamy ricotta cheese. This is a brilliant choice for several reasons:
- The Perfect Canvas: The mild, milky, and slightly sweet flavor of the whole-milk ricotta is the perfect canvas that allows the smoky flavor of the grilled vegetables and the other toppings to shine.
- Creamy Texture: When warmed on the grill, the ricotta becomes soft, creamy, and incredibly luscious, providing a wonderful textural contrast to the crisp flatbread crust.
- Simplicity: A simple spread of seasoned ricotta is faster, easier, and feels much lighter and more summery than a heavy, cooked tomato sauce.
Tips for Grilling Perfect Vegetables and Flatbread
The secret to this incredible Grilled Flatbread is using your grill to build layers of smoky, charred flavor.
- Grilling the Vegetables: Slicing the zucchini and yellow squash into thick, diagonal slices is key. This gives them more surface area for getting beautiful grill marks and prevents them from falling through the grates. Grilling them over medium-high heat caramelizes their natural sugars and imparts a wonderful smoky flavor.
- Grilling the Flatbread: Grilling a pre-made flatbread or pizza dough is a fast and easy way to create a rustic, crispy, and chewy crust. The key is to watch it closely! It only needs a few minutes per side to get perfect char marks and a wonderful texture.
The Key Ingredients for Your Grilled Flatbread
This recipe for Grilled Flatbread uses a handful of fresh, high-impact ingredients.
- Flatbreads: Using a store-bought flatbread, naan, or a 1-pound ball of refrigerated pizza dough is the perfect shortcut for this easy meal.
- Whole-Milk Ricotta: This is non-negotiable for the best flavor and texture. Whole-milk ricotta is incredibly rich and creamy. Low-fat or skim-milk versions can be watery and grainy.
- Summer Squash and Zucchini: The quintessential summer vegetables. Their mild flavor becomes sweet and smoky on the grill.
- The “Hot Honey” Finish: The combination of a sweet drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of spicy crushed red pepper flakes creates a “hot honey” effect, which is the perfect sweet and spicy counterpoint to the creamy ricotta and savory vegetables.
- Fresh Herbs: A final shower of roughly chopped fresh herbs, like basil, dill, or parsley, adds a burst of fresh, aromatic flavor that brings the whole dish to life.
Step-by-Step Guide to Your Grilled Flatbread
This elegant meal comes together quickly right on the grill.
Part 1: Preparation
- Prepare the Grill: Preheat your outdoor grill or an indoor grill pan to a steady medium-high heat. Make sure your grill grates are clean and brush them with oil.
- Season the Ricotta: In a medium bowl, stir together the container of ricotta cheese with a large pinch of kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cover and refrigerate it while you prepare the other components.
- Prepare the Vegetables: In a large bowl, toss the sliced yellow squash and zucchini with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and a few grinds of pepper.
Part 2: Grilling and Assembly
- Grill the Vegetables: Place the seasoned squash and zucchini slices on the hot grill. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning once, until they have beautiful grill marks and are just tender-crisp. Transfer the grilled vegetables back to the large bowl. Toss them with the juice of half a lemon.
- Prepare the Flatbreads: Brush the tops of your four flatbreads with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper.
- Assemble the Flatbreads: Spread a quarter of the seasoned ricotta mixture evenly over each flatbread. Arrange the grilled vegetables on top of the ricotta.
- Grill the Assembled Flatbreads: Carefully transfer the topped flatbreads to the grill. Cover the grill and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Your Grilled Flatbread is done when the bottoms are slightly charred and crisp in spots, and the ricotta is warmed through and has softened.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the hot Grilled Flatbread from the grill. Finish each one with a sprinkle of fresh lemon zest, a generous drizzle of honey, a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, and a shower of the chopped fresh herbs. Slice and serve immediately.
The Ultimate Grilled Flatbread with Ricotta, Squash, and Honey
A light and fresh vegetarian flatbread cooked on the grill, perfect for a summer meal. The recipe features grilled slices of yellow summer squash and zucchini. These tender, charred vegetables are layered over a base of seasoned creamy ricotta cheese on flatbreads. The entire flatbread is then warmed on the grill until the bottom is crisp and the ricotta is heated through. The dish is finished with a drizzle of honey, a sprinkle of lemon zest, crushed red pepper flakes, and a mix of fresh herbs.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- One 16-ounce container ricotta
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for oiling the grill grates and drizzling
- 1 medium yellow summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch slices on the bias
- 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices on the bias
- 1 lemon, zested and cut in half
- 4 flatbreads
- Honey, for serving
- Crushed red pepper flakes, for serving
- 1/2 cup fresh herbs, such as flat-leaf parsley, dill, basil or tarragon, roughly chopped
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta with a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Prepare an outdoor grill for medium-high heat. Brush the grill grates with oil.
- In a large bowl, toss the squash and zucchini slices with 1 tablespoon of the oil, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and a few grinds of pepper.
- Grill the vegetables for 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning once, until nicely marked and just tender. Return them to the large bowl and toss with the juice of one of the lemon halves.
- Brush the tops of the flatbreads with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Spread a quarter of the seasoned ricotta mixture over each flatbread.
- Divide the grilled vegetables among the flatbreads, arranging them over the ricotta.
- Transfer the flatbreads to the grill, cover, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the bottoms are slightly charred and the ricotta is warm.
- Remove the flatbreads from the grill. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with the lemon zest, crushed red pepper flakes, and fresh herbs before serving.
Notes
- This is a quick and easy meal cooked entirely on the grill.
- Chilling the seasoned ricotta while you prepare the other ingredients helps it stay cool and fresh.
- The vegetables and flatbread are grilled separately to ensure each component is perfectly cooked.
- The final garnishes of honey, lemon zest, and herbs are added off the heat to preserve their fresh flavors.
No Grill? No Problem! (Oven Method)
You can easily make this Grilled Flatbread in your oven.
- Preheat your oven’s broiler.
- Place the seasoned squash and zucchini on a baking sheet and broil for 3-4 minutes per side, until tender and charred.
- Assemble the flatbreads with the ricotta and the broiled vegetables.
- Return the topped flatbreads to the oven and broil for another 2-3 minutes, watching very carefully, until the cheese is warm and the edges of the flatbread are golden brown.
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Conclusion: A Taste of Elegant Summer Dining
This Grilled Flatbread with Ricotta, Squash, and Honey is a perfect celebration of simple, seasonal cooking. It’s a sophisticated yet incredibly easy meal that is perfect for an al fresco dinner on a warm evening. The combination of smoky, creamy, sweet, and spicy flavors is truly a delight. This is a recipe that will make you look like a gourmet chef with minimal effort.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
My ricotta seems watery. What should I do?
Some brands of ricotta have more excess whey (the watery liquid) than others. For the creamiest, least watery base, you can drain your ricotta by placing it in a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl in the refrigerator for about an hour before you use it.
What other vegetables can I grill for this flatbread?
This recipe is very versatile! Thinly sliced red onion, bell pepper planks, or asparagus spears would all be fantastic additions to grill alongside the squash.
How can I make this Grilled Flatbread a heartier meal?
To make it a more substantial meal, you can top the finished flatbread with a few slices of salty prosciutto or some shredded rotisserie chicken.