QUINOA PIZZA MARGHERITA WITH KALE PESTO + CREAMY VEGAN CHEESE
Serves 2. Print Recipe Here
Inspired and adapted from Solla Eiriksdottir pizza from BBC Vegetarian
If you're wanting to feed more people, simply double this recipe and make two pizzas. The pesto and cheese recipe will make enough to top both
1 Cup Quinoa
¼ Cup Water
1 tsp. Sea Salt
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 Tbsp. Nutritional Yeast
1 Tbsp. Oil (I used Avocado)
2 tsp. Mixed Dried Herbs (I used Basil and Oregano)
Pinch Black Pepper
Toppings:
Tomato Sauce (I used this brand)
Kale Pesto (Recipe Below)
Creamy Vegan Cheese (Recipe Below)
Handful Cherry Tomatoes, Chopped
Handful Arugula
Handful Basil, Chopped
Chilli Flakes, Optional
- Begin the night before, or the morning of, by soaking the quinoa in enough water to cover it by several cm/inches. Let it soak for at least 8 hours.
- After its soak, drain the quinoa (discard the water) and combine it in a blender with the ¼ cup water, salt, baking powder, nutritional yeast, oil, herbs and pepper. Puree until smooth. Pour the batter on a parchment lined tray and spread it evenly to make a 22 cm (9 inch) circle. Bake for 15 minutes at 218 C (425 F), then gently flip it and bake for another 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.
- The the crust can be cooled and used at a later date, or can be used immediately. To make this pizza, begin by loading it up with some sauce, some dollops of kale pesto, some spoonfuls of creamy vegan cheese, and some chopped cherry tomatoes. Bake it at 218 C (425 F) for 7-10 minutes until it is warmed through and the cheese melted.
- Garnish the pizza with a handful of arugula, some chopped basil and chilli flakes (if you're anything like me) before serving.
KALE PESTO
Makes enough for two pizzas
1 Bunch Kale, torn off the stem (about 2 Cups)
¼ Cup (Packed) Fresh Basil
½ tsp. Sea Salt
3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
¼ Cup Toasted Walnuts
3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
Zest of ½ lemon
- Combine the kale, basil, garlic and nuts in a food processor and plus until chunky. Continue to blend while adding the salt, oil, and lemon. Puree just until smooth.
CREAMY VEGAN CHEESE
Adapted from this recipe
Makes enough for two pizzas
⅓ Cup Raw Cashews
1 Cup Cold Water
2 Tbsp. Tapioca Starch
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Clove Garlic, Minced
½ tsp. Sea Salt
1 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp. Nutritional Yeast
- Combine everything in a blender and puree until smooth. Once smooth, pour the contents into a small pot and cook over low heat whisking constantly. Soon the mixture will get lumpy and look curdled, but continue to cook it and whisk. Soon it will all come together to make a creamy cheese sauce. Once it's thick, remove it from the heat and cool. Once cool, you can break off little chunks as though it was buffalo mozzarella. Alternatively, you can use the sauce warm and spread it on top of a lasagna or moussaka.
extra olives!! then i get my share, as well as everyone else's because inevitably most people don't want the olives at all. i had vegan cheese for the first time recently and had a hard time adjusting to the texture, but my friend convinced me to try to make a cashew-based one (: i do like nutritional yeast though, so maybe i'll just dump a bunch of that and call it a day instead lol.
Extra olives for me please! I always love reading your words about Vancouver, Sophie - I've only visited a few times but there is so much more for me to discover. I would be hiding out in the backyard too, especially with this pizza hanging around. Happy warm days to you xx
No worries. I am glad you got in touch!
Really? No input? rats!
So sorry for the delayed response, Denise. I wasn't hope much yesterday 🙂
This is such an incredible use of quinoa crust! I have never made vegan mozza (just good ol' spreadable cashew cheese) and I'm feeling like margherita pizza is the perfect place to start. Happy weekending!
Oh yay! I'm thrilled to hear you like it, Meredith! Happy weekend to you, friend! <3
Sophie thanks! Miso I think I can get. I will let you know how it turns out when I make it. Your response has been most welcome,?
Hello from Ecuador! this sounds wonderful! I really appreciate you giving a recipe for the vegan cheese...as I was reading the recipe, I started fretting: how do I substitute or make or... but you made it easy.
I used to love cooking, it would relax me, but with the passing of time and circumstance my energy just has not been the same, so your recipes rekindle that hobby-necessity, if you will.
I do have a question, there is no way for me to get the nutritional yeast here in Ecuador and even though we sometimes order through amazon, the cost of bringing things in, thanks to customs laws sometimes is unbelievable. Is there a way to make it or substitute for it? I would think it accounts for the flavor of the pizza. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated
Hello Denise, I'm delighted to hear you like the recipe. It warms my heart hearing that your getting rekindled with cooking again. I understand that nutritional yeast is hard to get in all places, and can sometimes be costly. Sometimes I forget that as it's so easy to find where I am. To be honest, you could leave the nutritional yeast out of the crust and maybe not even notice it. For these cheese on the other hand, I think maybe miso will give a similar effect. Hopefully you can get some light miso where you live. I would suggest maybe using a tiny bit, like an 1/8 of a tsp or so. I hope this helps 🙂
Loove the sound of this pizza! What a gorgeous and simple crust. This is going on my to-make list for the summer. Also, you are making me want to visit Vancouver even more than I did before- I have heard such lovely things about the city! xx
Thanks, Ruby!!! I'm delighted to hear you like the recipe!!! Yay, I hope you can visit someday soon. I'd take you to all my favourite spots 🙂
so many genius things going on here Sophie - love it! And sounds like you're in such a perfect spot in Van. Counting down the days until Backyard summer BBQ season arrives!
Awe, thanks Shelley! You're too kind 🙂 I hope sunshine is headed your way soon <3