Raw Vegan Pesto Pizza (Gluten Free)

Happy Wednesday! We are almost through the first full week of the new year. How times flies right. It’s crazy. So anyway, I wouldn’t say I’m not into resolutions. I feel that if someone makes a new goal for themselves in the beginning of the year, and looks at is as a fresh start, well then the more power to em’. It’s admirable for one to have goals whether they’re big or small.

For me I’ve decided to add more raw fruits and veggies into my life. I eat organic and plant based now, I don’t eat GM food (genetically modified), but I do bake a lot of muffins, brownies, cakes, and all sorts of healthy or healthier treats for the fam. So for myself as a sort of detox and way of cleansing, I’m going to be eating raw till 4 or just all raw for however long I want. I want to eat foods in their most natural state to reap all their benefits. I think it’s highly beneficial for our bodies. I’m no raw food chef…yet. 😉

I won’t be posting only raw recipes though. It will be a mix of raw goods and other fun healthy meals and treats.

This Raw Vegan Pesto Pizza is on the money and so so easy to make, not even kidding. And don’t worry if you don’t have a dehydrator, I don’t have one either. After doing much reading I’ve learned as a raw foodie you can still enjoy the warmth of things, you just can’t cook or warm vegetables to the point of where their live enzymes start to die off. So I flipped my oven on to 118F and kept the door ajar about 2 inches for this and left the pizza in for 45 minutes. Oven times may vary so check every so often to make sure your crust not baking like a cake.

The crust is simple and gluten free for my gluten free peeps. Made up of almond meal, flaxseeds, nutritional yeast, and a few spices. What you need to do is combine the almond meal, flaxseeds, nutritional yeast, seasonings, and flax egg in a large bowl of a stand mixer. The “dough” may seem crumbly at first but keep mixing. It will create a dough pliable to form a ball with. Once you have that you can shape it in any way you’d like. I chose more of a flatbread type feel. But feel free to make it round. You can also cut the dough into fours or in half and either make 4 mini round pizzas, or save the other have for later by freezing it. I used mine in one shot and it went in one sitting. Not just my me, duh, the fam too. LOL 😊

Now let’s talk pesto! I love love love pesto, it’s like da bomb digity. I like it to have a “cheesy” flavor so I add in a bunch of stuff to mimic parmesan. Genius! So what’s my secret ingredient? Nuts! No but seriously, nuts. Mostly pine nuts are required but I used hazelnuts instead for this. I’ve made walnut pesto before which is pretty amaze also.

The thing is a lot of pesto recipes require oil, you can use oil or you can just use water instead, it’s up to you. I tend to add a little extra virgin olive oil, as I know it’s not raw, but it adds in a good flavor. But hey, as I said, up to you.

When your pizza is ready to go you can cut it up into slices. The veggie combinations are endless, add whatever vegetables on top as you desire. Actually the more veggies the better. I used up what I had like large portobello mushroom caps, red onion, spinach, and some parsley. All that accompanying the pesto was just fantastic! 👌🏻

This pizza will hit the spot, it’s satisfying, full of flavor, and jam packed with nutrients our bodies crave. One of many meals to share with the family after holidays full of sweets.

You can have your pizza and eat it too! 🍕

Crust adapted from Addicted To Veggies

Print Recipe

Yield: 1 large pie

Raw Vegan Pesto Pizza (Gluten Free)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

This pizza will hit the spot, it's satisfying, with the right amount of pesto and flavor. Jam packed with nutrients and one of many meals to share with the family after holidays full of sweets.

Ingredients:

Pesto

• 1/3 cup fresh basil
• 1/4 cup hazelnuts
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 cup spinach or kale, chopped
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• salt/pepper to taste

For the Crust

Dry Ingredients

• 3 cups almond meal
• 1 cup flax meal
• 2 tsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• salt/pepper to taste

Wet Ingredients

• 1/4 cup flax meal or seeds
• 1/2 cup water

Toppings

• 2 large portobello mushroom caps, sliced thick
• 1-2 cups spinach or any other preferred green
• 1 red onion, sliced thin
• handful of parsley
• pesto to your liking

Directions:

Making the Pesto

1. Place all ingredients into a high speed blender or food processor and run until everything is combined and has a runnier consistency. You will have to stop and scrape down the sides. Be sure the hazelnuts are not in big chunks.
2. Add water or oil as necessary and adjust seasonings to your liking.

Pesto Pizza

1. Mix 1/4 cup flaxseeds or meal with 1/2 cup water, place into the fridge for 10 minutes so it thickens up.
2. In a bowl of a stand mixer combine all dry ingredients. Once flax egg is ready, add it to the dry ingredients and run until a dough forms
3. The dough will start out crumbly, but the more you mix the more pliable it will become.
4. Once dough is ready, roll into a large ball.
5. Deciding on which pan you'd like to use, round or rectangle, place down parchment paper, wet fingertips, and spread dough out evenly across the chosen surface, pressing down with the palms of your hand when needed.
6. Once dough is all set, add on toppings.
7. Spread as much pesto as desired across the crust. Top with remaining vegetables and place in the oven set at 118F, and let sit with the door ajar about 2 inches for 45 minutes up to an hour.
8. Once done, cut into slices, serve, and Enjoy!

• Dough can be cut into 4 to form 4 small round mini pizzas or you can cut the dough recipe in half and freeze the other half for a later time.
• Water can be used in place of extra virgin olive oil.
• If you have a dehydrator, you're more than welcome to use it for this recipe.
• Pesto can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.