If you haven't hopped on the Store Bought Flatbread Pizza trend, I'm here to convince you. This version is made with the pre-cooked Trader Joe's Pizza Crust (or your favorite brand!) and topped with gooey mozzarella, sweet cherry tomatoes, fresh chives, and a generous drizzle of chili oil! In this post I'm sharing all the tips and variations I've picked up after making this many times on my own.
Whether you are planning Game Day Recipes or just need a simple weeknight dinner, this shortcut method is great to keep in your back pocket!
We love sharing shortcut meals that have proven themselves in our kitchen over time because we want you to benefit from that same experience! Trader Joe's pizza crust is one of those repeatable shortcuts for us.
While this flavor was inspired during a recent vacation, the method is the same one we've been using with this crust for several years. You could also make this with the toppings from our family favorite Hot Honey Pizza Recipe or Cast Iron Pepperoni Pizza.
Skip to:
Why this recipe made the cut
This recipe was tested multiple times using different variations, oven temperatures, standard and convection ovens, and several brands of chili oil to determine what is truly best. Here is why we landed on this final version:
- It's much simpler than homemade pizza... no dealing with raw dough, no need for a pizza stone, and practically no dishes!
- It is as fast as it says, just 20 minutes or less!
- This method yields a genuinely crispy crust with a perfectly melty top.
- It can be made for a weeknight meal at home or served as a fun appetizer at parties.
Ingredients for flatbread with chili crisp
This recipe only requires a few ingredients that are pantry staples! Ingredient quantities are in the recipe card below, but here are a few noteworthy tips.
- Store-bought pizza crust: We use the Trader Joe's pre-cooked rectangular pizza crusts for this recipe, but you can use your favorite pre-made crust. Just know that the quantities for this recipe are based on the size of the TJ's crust, so you may need to adjust your amounts slightly if using a different brand.
- Olive oil: Coating the crust in a bit of oil before baking is what helps it get wonderfully crispy! Don't skip this step if you like a little crunch.
- Lemon zest: This ingredient is optional, but adds a hint of freshness that I like. Use a microplane to zest it easily.
- Garlic: You can mince it yourself or purchase it minced.
- Mozzarella cheese: For best results, use a low moisture brick of fresh mozzarella that you shred yourself.
- Cherry tomatoes: I have had great results using on-the-vine cherry tomatoes (they are extra flavorful), but standard cherry tomatoes are also good.
- Dried oregano: This may seem unimportant, but the flavor is great!
- Parmesan cheese: Use real parmesan that you shred yourself (not the powdered kind). You can also substitute with pecorino cheese.
- Chili crisp: This can also be called chili crunch, crispy chili oil, or garlic chili oil. It is sold in most grocery stores (including Trader Joe's!) and can often be found with other Asian foods.
- Fresh chives: These are easy to find at most grocery stores in the refrigerated produce area, alongside other herbs.
Helpful kitchen tools
How to make store bought flatbread pizza
Start by preheating the oven to 425°F. Make sure it is fully preheated before baking for the best results on the crust.
Use a brush to coat the top and bottom of both pizza crusts with a light layer of olive oil (you don't need much). Then place the crusts on a baking sheet.
*We show just one crust in these photos in order to provide a simpler visual guide; however, both crusts fit easily on an extra large cookie sheet or with a slight overlap/overhang on a standard cookie sheet.
Sprinkle the minced garlic and lemon zest evenly across the crusts.
Layer on the shredded mozzarella cheese, then the cherry tomatoes, and lastly the dried oregano. Then bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese is melty and the edges are golden brown and crisp.
Top the finished pizza with freshly grated parmesan cheese, then use a spoon to generously drizzle the chili crisp oil across the top. Sprinkle with fresh chives, then slice and serve immediately.
How long to cook flatbread pizza
When using store-bought pizza crust, you only need to bake it at a high temperature of 425°F for 10-12 minutes to get it hot and crispy.
What to serve with flatbread
You can serve this as a main dish alongside a few sides for dinner, or serve it on its own as an appetizer for a party. Here are our go-to side dishes.
Variations
You can very much make this recipe your own by using your favorite toppings. Here are some ideas we have tried.
- Add a drizzle of our easy hot honey recipe to the top after baking.
- Use mozzarella pearls instead of shredded for a fancier pizza look.
- Add fresh arugula on top right before serving.
- Try sprinkling it with slices of shallot, sweet onion, or red onion before baking.
- Add small chunks of Italian sausage before baking.
- Brush the crust with excess oil from the chili crisp instead of olive oil for more flavor.
- If you like a creamier base, you can mix the garlic and lemon zest with ½ cup of ricotta cheese and spread that on the crust before adding the other toppings (this does make the crust less crispy, but tastes yummy).
- Use your favorite brand of pizza crust (such as Aldi's or other store bought flatbreads)
FAQs
Every brand is different and everyone has their own flavor preferences, so this is a bit subjective. I recommend trying a few to determine your favorite. For this recipe I typically use the Trader Joe's brand, as I like the lighter flavor profile. I have also tried the Lao Gan Ma brand, but it is a bit too dark and pungent for my taste. Other popular options you may try are Fly By Jing and Momofuku.
This turns out the crispiest and most delicious fresh, so I suggest making just as much as you think you will eat. However, if needed you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Allow it to cool before storing to reduce condensation.
This flatbread is best served fresh, but if you must reheat it here are two options to restore the crust as much as possible, although it will not be as crispy. With both options, watch it carefully to avoid burning.
- Option 1: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place a cookie sheet inside to get hot. Once preheated, place the pizza directly on the hot pan and bake in the oven for 5-8 minutes, until heated through.
- Option 2: Heat a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Place slices of pizza directly in the hot pan and cover with a lid, until the toppings are warmed through. Remove the lid and allow it to continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, if needed, until the bottom is slightly crispy.
Yes, in fact, I have made this successfully in my Breville Smart Oven. You can make it as written if your convection oven can fit a standard sheet pan. If not, you can cut the pizza crusts in halves and bake it in rounds. If using a convection oven, I find it bakes best at 375°F.
Tips & tricks
- When it comes to cheese, it's really worth it to buy quality brands. We love Tillamook mozzarella and real parmesan cheese (not the powdered stuff) for this recipe.
- For the best melt and texture, shred the mozzarella fresh instead of purchasing pre-shredded cheese (pre-shredded cheese comes coated in other ingredients that impact the final results).
- Choose a chili oil that you really love the flavor of. Every brand is different, and since it is a key flavor it's important that you love it.
More recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Flatbread Pizza with Chili Oil Recipe
Equipment
- Standard sheet pan
Ingredients
- 1 pckg Trader joe's pre-cooked rectangle pizza crust *See note
- 1-2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest optional
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 8 oz (2 ¼ cups) mozzarella cheese shredded
- 5 oz cherry tomatoes cut into quarters
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ cup Parmesan or pecorino cheese freshly grated
- 2-3 tablespoon chili crisp
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives diced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees (**see note).
- Use a silicone or pastry brush to brush the top and bottom of both pizza crusts with a light layer of olive oil. Place the crusts on a cookie sheet (they will slightly overlap or hang off the edge for a regular sheet, or fit with room to spare on a on XL sheet).1 pckg Trader joe's pre-cooked rectangle pizza crust, 1-2 tablespoon olive oil
- Sprinkle the minced garlic and lemon zest evenly across the crusts.1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon garlic
- Layer on the mozzarella cheese, then cherry tomatoes, and lastly dried oregano.8 oz (2 ¼ cups) mozzarella cheese, 5 oz cherry tomatoes, ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese is melty and the edges are crisp.
- Top with freshly grated parmesan or pecorino, drizzle on the chili crisp oil, and sprinkle with fresh chives. Slice and serve immediately.¼ cup Parmesan or pecorino cheese, 2-3 tablespoon chili crisp, 1 tablespoon fresh chives
Notes
- When it comes to cheese, it's really worth it to buy quality brands. We love Tillamook mozzarella and real parmesan cheese (not the powdered stuff) for this recipe.
- For the best melt and texture, shred the mozzarella fresh instead of purchasing pre-shredded cheese (pre-shredded cheese comes coated in other ingredients that impact the final results).
- Choose a chili oil that you really love the flavor of. Every brand is different, and since it is a key flavor it's important that you love it.
- Option 1: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place a cookie sheet inside to get hot. Once preheated, place the pizza directly on the hot pan and bake in the oven for 5-8 minutes, until heated through.
- Option 2: Heat a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Place slices of pizza directly in the hot pan and cover with a lid, until the toppings are warmed through. Remove the lid and allow it to continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, if needed, until the bottom is slightly crispy.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Misty says
This is super easy to make and perfect for a super bowl party!