Vegan Pesto Pizza With Roasted Tomato
Having pizza night this week? Trying whipping up this deliciously light vegan pesto pizza! This pizza recipe is incredibly fresh and flavorful thanks to the roasted tomatoes, homemade vegan parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and pumpkin seed pesto.
Plus, it’s quick and easy to make at home, making it perfect for a quick weekday dinner or a special weekend treat.
Being Italian, I am a HUGE pizza lover. Growing up, my dad made pizza on a weekly basis– a thin, chewy crust with pesto or a light red sauce and a handful of toppings on top.
It’s still my most requested meal from my dad when we go visit him. It’s no wonder that we make pizza, like my Puttanesca Pizza, often.
I know I’m spoiled by my Italian family, but it’s actually really easy to replicate it at home. The key to making delicious pizza is simplicity.
I love to make this pesto pizza and probably make it at least once or twice a month. It is just that good and that easy to make. It is also a much healthier option than any frozen or take-out pizzas and won’t leave you feeling weighed down.
You can easily knock out this recipe in just 40 minutes total since we are using a premade pizza crust in this recipe. It tastes just as good as a homemade crust and makes this recipe twice as easy to make!
Ingredient Notes
This pesto pizza recipe is essentially two recipes in one– first, a pumpkin pesto and then a pizza recipe!
I like making my own pesto to save money and control the ingredients. However, you can use any pesto that you’d like! For store-bought pesto, my favorite brands at Gotham Greens, Biona and Trader Joe’s.
Or, you can use a homemade pesto recipe, like my vegan pesto or my kale pesto.
To keep this pizza vegan, I’m using my homemade parmesan cheese for topping. It’s so good– both nutty and salty– and adds the same flavor that parmesan cheese does!
Do you always use pre-made dough or make your pizza dough yourself?
One last thing to chat about–pizza dough. I live by Trader Joe’s handmade dough because it’s perfection.
Sure, I could make my own and I sometimes do when I want to be extra fancy, but it’s honestly not needed. TJ’s makes the best pizza dough and it comes in three flavors: white, whole-wheat, and herb.
Whole-wheat is usually my favorite, but the herb one is also fantastic, especially on pizzas like this! If you like trying different pizza doughs, then you will love TJ’s.
If you don’t live near Trader Joe’s (and for that, I am really sorry), then either use a homemade crust or another brand. Whole Food’s market also has a great premade pizza dough, though it’s double the price of Trader Joe’s. Or, you can check with your local pizza places because they often have dough that they will sell.
Quick and Easy Tips On How To Make Vegan Basil Pesto Pizza
Even though I love gooey, cheesy pizza, there is something really fun about creating a vegan pizza. Almost a double-dog-dare-ya to myself. Can I make a pizza that’s just as good without the cheese? Challenge accepted and won!
This vegan pesto pizza is a delicious pizza that anyone would enjoy, vegan or not! It is full of flavor and tastes deliciously fresh and light, unlike other types of cheese pizzas.
It doesn’t take hardly any time at all to whip up and only requires a bit of prep work, making it a great option to help you avoid ordering out pizza.
Here are a few useful tips to help you make a delicious basil pesto pizza:
- To make this pizza recipe even easier to make, make the vegan parmesan cheese ahead of time. It is dry and will last a long time as long as it is kept in an airtight container.
- The pesto can also be made ahead of time! Though I wouldn’t recommend making it any earlier than a day or two before you plan to use it. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to keep it from going brown and store it in the fridge.
- If you don’t have shelled pumpkin seeds, you can also use other nuts like pine nuts or sunflower seeds.
- You can use granulated garlic instead of the fresh garlic cloves for the pesto if you don’t have fresh garlic on hand. It won’t be as flavorful, but it will still come out tasting pretty great.
My Simple Hack For Making The Best Vegan Cheese Pizza
The key to this pizza is thin slices of tomatoes that caramelize on top of the pesto and a generous shake of my vegan cheese mix.
To do this, pulse the ingredients together and keep a jar of it in the freezer for whenever you need a bit of cheesy flavor. I prefer the freezer so it doesn’t go bad and can be kept in a bigger batch. But, it will also keep in the fridge for a few weeks.
I love this stuff! It’s my secret weapon in quite a few of the vegan recipes in my cookbook, and no one knows the difference. It tastes like parmesan, but is more heart-healthy!
How To Make Healthy Vegan Pizza With Pesto And Roasted Tomatoes
For the full steps, be sure to scroll down to the recipe card.
Make the Pesto
Place the pepitas, basil, garlic, nutritional yeast, and salt into the base of a food processor and pulse until combined. Turn on the motor, then drizzle in olive oil and season with more salt as needed.
Top the Pizza
Spread the pesto over the pizza dough and layer on the sliced tomatoes.
Make the Parmesan
Wipe out the food processor. Add the cashews, almonds, nutritional yeast, garlic post and salt. Pulse until combined.
Sprinkle the Cheese and Bake
Sprinkle the cheese over the pizza and place in the oven to bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Enjoy!
Remove the pizza from the oven, sprinkle with more cheese, and top with crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
What To Serve With Pesto Pizza
This vegan pizza is delicious and light while still being hearty enough to leave you feeling full and satisfied.
I love to eat this pizza all on its own but, it’s also great alongside a refreshing side salad. This Italian chopped salad or my DK house salad are both great options that are full of flavor.
More Vegan Pizza Recipes
If you try this recipe, then let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge. I absolutely love seeing your creations. Finally, happy cooking! This recipe was first published in 2016 and updated in 2022.
Video
Vegan Pesto and Roasted Tomato Pizza
Equipment
Ingredients
- Prepared Pizza Dough, I use Trader Joe’s pizza crust or this recipe
Pumpkin Seed Pesto:
- 1/2 cup pepitas, shelled pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup packed basil leaves
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- salt/pepper
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 cups thinly sliced tomatoes, from about 2-3 large tomatoes
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese
- 1/2 raw cup cashews
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds, or almonds with skins off
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. For a crispier crust, add a pizza stone or pizza steel in the oven while it preheats.
- Stretch the pizza dough on a piece or parchment paper and set aside.
- Place the pepitas, basil leaves, garlic cloves, nutritional yeast and a pinch of salt/pepper in the base of a food processor and pulse together until combined, about 8-10 times. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto comes together. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired
- Spread the pesto over the pizza crust and layer with thinly sliced tomatoes.
- Wipe out the food processor and add the cashews, almonds, nutritional yeast, garlic powder and salt. Pulse until very fine and combined, should be the texture of parmesan cheese.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the pizza and place in the oven to bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove from oven, sprinkle with more cheese if desired and crushed red pepper flakes for spice!