The ultimate Flatbread Pizza! Layered with basil pesto, 4 types of cheese, Italian sausage, and hot giardinera, it’s thin, crispy, and packed with amazing flavor!

There’s something about a good Flatbread Pizza that always hits the spot. It’s one of my favorite appetizers to order with friends, and just so happens to be the perfect pairing with a glass of wine.

I know this for a fact… because I’ve ordered this exact flatbread from Cooper’s Hawk countless times! And I love it so much, I wanted to share it with you.

I recently shared another Cooper’s Hawk copycat, Caprese Flatbread, and I dare say I think I like this one even better. It’s the perfect combination of creamy and savory and spicy, and the Italian sausage makes it so very satisfying.

What You’ll Love About This Recipe

Restaurant approved: It’s a Cooper’s Hawk copycat recipe, which means it’s 100% restaurant approved!

Packed with flavor: Between the basil pesto, 4 types of cheese, Italian sausage, and giardiniera… this flatbread is bursting with delicious flavor.

Versatile: This recipe is incredibly versatile and can be modified according to your tastes and what you have on hand. (See my ideas below!) Not to mention… it makes an amazing appetizer OR meal!

what you’ll need for this recipe

Flatbread – I used lavash bread, which is a thin, pliable flatbread of Middle Eastern origin. You can feel free to substitute another type of flatbread, such as pita or naan, both of which have a softer, more pillowy texture than lavash.

Pesto – Pesto gives this flatbread a delicious base layer of flavor. I used my favorite jarred basil pesto, Delallo Simply Pesto. You can use any type of jarred or homemade pesto, including my homemade Sun Dried Tomato Pesto!

Cheese – I used 4 different types of cheese: shredded mozzarella, fresh mozzarella pearls, ricotta, and grated Parmesan. {My favorite ricotta is BelGioioso Ricotta Con Latte.}

Italian sausage – I added about 1/8 pound of mild Italian sausage. Feel free to use sweet or spicy sausage according to your tastes.

Giardiniera – For extra flavor I added 1/4 cup of hot giardiniera. Giardiniera can be found near the olives and jarred peppers and comes in either mild or hot. You can also use my Homemade Giardiniera!

how to make sausage ricotta flatbread

Par-bake the bread. Arrange the lavash bread on a baking sheet and brush lightly with olive oil. Bake at 400°F for 3-4 minutes or until edges are beginning to crisp.

Assemble the flatbreads. Remove the bread from the oven and layer with pesto, shredded mozzarella, Italian sausage, giardiniera, fresh mozzella, and ricotta.

Bake. Return to the oven and bake at 400° F for an additional 5-6 minutes, until cheese is fully melted.

Sprinkle with Parmesan. Sprinkle with grated parmesan and enjoy!

Recipe Variations

Substitute pita or naan for lavash bread
Use any type of pesto, including my delicious sun dried tomato pesto
Swap the cheeses for any of your favorite Italian cheeses
Use spicy Italian sausage for extra heat
Add thinly sliced tomatoes or red onion
Garnish with fresh basil or oregano
Garnish with crushed red pepper flakes

more recipes using Italian Sausage

Looking for even more delicious ways to use Italian Sausage? These are some of our favorites!