Creamy Pesto Pizza

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5 from 2 votes

Creamy Pesto Pizza

It takes just 5 minutes to whip up this creamy, rich, basil bursting, zesty, garlic, peppery sauce. Top with tomatoes and bake. Yum! 
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Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time24 minutes
Total Time34 minutes
Meal Type: Dinner, Lunch
Special: 30 Minutes or Less, Gluten-Free, Kid-Friendly, Nut-Free, Oil-Free, Soy-Free
Tool: Oven
Ingredient: Cashews, Tomatoes
Servings: 1 pizza
Ingredients
For the pesto:
  • 1 cup(s) raw cashews (see notes for nut-free)
  • 3/4 cup(s) water
  • 1 bunch(s) fresh basil (1.4 oz) (set aside some leaves for garnish )
  • 3 tablespoon(s) lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoon(s) nutritional yeast
  • 2 clove(s) garlic roughly chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) black pepper
For the pizza:
  • 1 pizza dough (gluten-free if preferred)
  • 1 1/2 cup(s) grape or cherry tomatoes , halved
  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  • Preheat your oven to 425F and lightly grease a pizza pan.
  • To make the pesto: if you don't have a high-speed blender start by adding the cashews to a small pot and covering them with water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes until they are tender. Drain and rinse. If you have a high-speed blender, you can simply skip to the next step.
  • Add the cashews and water to the blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Now add all of the remaining pesto ingredients and blend until smooth, stopping to scrape the sides as needed.
  • To make the pizza: stretch the dough on a well-floured surface to fit your pan. Spread the pesto sauce over the dough, then top with cherry tomatoes. Bake for 18 to 24 minutes until the edges of the crust are golden brown. Finish by garnishing with extra fresh basil and red pepper flakes if using.
Notes
Nut-Free: For a nut-free option sub raw sunflower seeds for the raw cashews. You may need to boil them a little bit longer to make sure they blend well.
Cashew Alternative:ย for other nut options you can try blanched almonds or macadamia nuts.
Balsamic Glaze: several EVMP subscribers recommend drizzling the pizza with balsamic glaze after it's removed from the oven, for even more yum!
Nutrition
Serving: 1/8th of the pizza | Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 505mg | Potassium: 218mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 190IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 3mg
Did You Make This Recipe?Tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram and Hashtag #easyveganmealplan