Makes 1 large pizza or 2 small pizzas

Loaded with veggies and protein-packed garbanzo beans, this pizza is a healthy alternative to the usual cheese-laden options. This spin on pesto provides a dairy-free and/or vegan pizza with the creamy texture conventionally created with cheese. This recipe is also free of tree nuts.

Note: Cooking times for all the pizza recipes are based on using a preheated baking stone at 550°F for high-hydration dough and 500°F for gluten-free dough.

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Kale Pesto Pizza

Keyword: pizza

Ingredients

Kale pesto

  • 1 cup kale, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, unsalted
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Toppings

  • 1 cup kale leaves, stems removed and leaves torn
  • 1/2 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained
  • 1/2 cup broccoli, cut into small florets
  • 4 –5 artichoke hearts, halved (I used canned)
  • 10 kalamata olives, pitted and halved
  • 1 small red onion, cut into thin rings
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon hemp hearts, for garnish
  • Fresh basil and mint leaves, for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven per pizza dough recipes in notes.
  • Place ingredients for pesto in a food processor or high-speed blender and combine. Be careful not to over-blend or pesto will turn into a paste.
  • After stretching/pressing prepared pizza dough to the desired round, transfer with parchment to the preheated baking stone/steel/pan with a pizza peel or the back of a sheet pan. Parbake the pizza dough for 3 minutes.
  • Remove the parbaked crust from the oven and spread it with kale pesto, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Then add the kale leaves, garbanzo beans, broccoli florets, artichoke hearts, and kalamata olives. Top with onion rings and sunflower seeds, drizzle with olive oil, season with black pepper, and bake for 7–10 minutes, or until the crust becomes golden.
  • Garnish with fresh basil, mint, and hemp hearts.

Notes

Cooking times for all the pizza recipes are based on using a preheated baking stone at 550°F for high-hydration dough and 500°F for gluten-free dough.