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Forget the Friday night takeaway, this bright and cheerful rainbow pizza is a brilliant way to get more veg onto little plates, without the mealtime battles.

Ready in under 30 minutes and packed with fresh flavours, it is designed for busy family evenings, and even better, there are plenty of safe, simple jobs for children to get involved with along the way. From spreading sauce to arranging colourful toppings, this is a recipe that turns dinner into a hands-on activity.

Why we love this rainbow pizza

  • Serves 4
  • Ready in around 30 minutes
  • Perfect for getting kids involved in the kitchen
  • A colourful way to encourage children to eat a variety of veg

Eating a rainbow is a fun concept for children, and seeing those bright reds, greens and yellows laid out in slices makes it much more appealing, especially for fussy eaters who prefer to see exactly what is on their plate.

Top tips for making pizza with kids

  • Prep ingredients in small bowls beforehand to avoid overwhelm
  • Use pre-sliced veg for younger children to keep things safe
  • Embrace the mess, cooking together builds confidence and food curiosity

  • 2 plain pizza bases
  • 6 tbsp passata
  • 400 g mixed red and yellow tomatoes
    sliced
  • 75 g sprouting broccoli
    stems finely sliced
  • 8 green olives
    pitted and halved (optional)
  • 150 g mozzarella
    cherries (bocconcini)
  • 2 tbsp fresh pesto
  • handful fresh basil
    leaves, to serve

Nutrition: per serving

  • kcal534
  • fat17g
  • saturates6g
  • carbs73g
  • sugars8g
  • fibre5g
  • protein19g
  • salt1.8g
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Method

  • step 1

    Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.

    Little helper job: Ask children to help set a timer so they can keep track of cooking time later.

  • step 2

    Put each pizza base on a baking sheet and spread each with half of the passata.

    Little helper job: This is a great step for toddlers and preschoolers. Give them the back of a spoon and let them spread the passata across the base. It does not need to be perfect.

  • step 3

    Arrange the tomatoes on the top in rings or wedges of colour and add the broccoli and the olives, if using.

    Little helper job: Encourage children to sort the tomatoes by colour first, then lay them out to create a rainbow effect. They can also sprinkle over the broccoli and place the olives.

  • step 4

    Squish the mozzarella cherries (bocconcini) a little before dotting them over the pizzas, then drizzle 1 tbsp pesto over each.

    Little helper job: Children can gently squash the mozzarella with clean hands and place the pieces on top. Older children can help drizzle the pesto with supervision.

  • step 5

    Bake for 10-15 mins or until the top is bubbling and just starting to brown a little.

    Grown-up job: This step is one for adults only. Carefully place the pizzas in the oven and remove once cooked.

  • step 6

    Scatter over the basil leaves before serving.

    Serve with a simple side salad or crunchy carrot sticks for an easy midweek dinner that feels fun, colourful and completely family-friendly.

    Little helper job: Let children tear the basil leaves and sprinkle them over the top just before serving.

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