Homemade pizza? On a weeknight? Yes! My Weeknight Pesto Pizza comes together quickly with an easy pesto sauce, a delicious, yeast-free spelt crust, and store-bought vegan cheese. I tested with Daiya Mozzarella-Style Shreds and Miyoko's Vegan Mozz, with equally scrumptious results. This recipe is wonderful all year long, but in the summer when basil is in season, it's even better!
Spelt is a variety of wheat that's lower in gluten than conventional wheat, which may be easier to digest for folks who are mildly gluten-sensitive. I love it for the subtle, nutty flavor it lends to baked goods. This yeast-free crust gets its rise from baking powder instead of yeast, so the texture is a bit more delicate versus chewy yeasted dough. However, you won't need to worry about waiting for the dough to rise, making it the perfect weeknight pizza dough solution!
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper or reusable silicone baking mats.
First, make the dough. Place all the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle or dough hook attachment, then add the olive oil and water. Mix on medium-low speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and pliable. Alternatively, stir together all the ingredients in a bowl, then knead by hand for 5 to 10 minutes. Divide the dough into two pieces, roll into balls, and brush with olive oil to prevent the dough from drying out. Set aside and allow the dough to rest while you prepare the pesto.
To make the pesto, place the basil, pine nuts or walnuts, garlic, miso, and salt in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse to finely chop, Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then turn the machine on and stream in the olive oil. Process until mostly smooth. Add the nutritional yeast and pulse briefly to combine.
Place a ball of dough on one of the prepared baking trays and flatten slightly. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to a thickness of roughly 1/4-inch, or until about 8 to 10 inches in diameter. (It works best to remove the parchment or silicone baking mat from the baking tray before rolling the dough, then transferring back to the tray when the dough is rolled.) Repeat with the second ball of dough. Use a fork to prick the crust all over, then transfer to the oven. Bake for 5 minutes.
Remove the par-baked crust from the oven, and spread with pesto. (Depending on the size of your pizzas, you may have extra pesto - try freezing it into ice cube trays for later.) Sprinkle evenly with grated cheese and top with the tomatoes. Return the trays to the oven and bake for 10 to 12 additional minutes, until the cheese is melted and the crust is firm and starting to brown.
Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, and garnish with optional basil leaves. Enjoy immediately.
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper or reusable silicone baking mats.
First, make the dough. Place all the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle or dough hook attachment, then add the olive oil and water. Mix on medium-low speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and pliable. Alternatively, stir together all the ingredients in a bowl, then knead by hand for 5 to 10 minutes. Divide the dough into two pieces, roll into balls, and brush with olive oil to prevent the dough from drying out. Set aside and allow the dough to rest while you prepare the pesto.
To make the pesto, place the basil, pine nuts or walnuts, garlic, miso, and salt in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse to finely chop, Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then turn the machine on and stream in the olive oil. Process until mostly smooth. Add the nutritional yeast and pulse briefly to combine.
Place a ball of dough on one of the prepared baking trays and flatten slightly. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to a thickness of roughly 1/4-inch, or until about 8 to 10 inches in diameter. (It works best to remove the parchment or silicone baking mat from the baking tray before rolling the dough, then transferring back to the tray when the dough is rolled.) Repeat with the second ball of dough. Use a fork to prick the crust all over, then transfer to the oven. Bake for 5 minutes.
Remove the par-baked crust from the oven, and spread with pesto. (Depending on the size of your pizzas, you may have extra pesto - try freezing it into ice cube trays for later.) Sprinkle evenly with grated cheese and top with the tomatoes. Return the trays to the oven and bake for 10 to 12 additional minutes, until the cheese is melted and the crust is firm and starting to brown.
Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, and garnish with optional basil leaves. Enjoy immediately.
Never been a vegan a day in my life. I wanna start slow trying new and tasty receipts. don’t know what to or to start, something fun and tasty I can share with my kids.
Hi Sherita, thank you so much for reaching out to us! We all start somewhere. And vegan pesto pizza is a great place to start! We definitely recommend “veganizing” some of your kids’ favorites (like meatloaf without meat, for instance). If you want to, you can email cheflinda@casanctuary.org with questions — we would love to help!