Cheese-less pizza may not sound very appealing, but I promise is just as good as regular pizza, if not better! It’s a nice change because it’s all about the veggies and the crust; you can actually taste the toppings on your pizza without it being drowned in cheese. This pizza is perfect for those that aren’t a fan of cheese, are lactose intolerant, or vegan. Not many people enjoy eating pizza crust, but for me, it’s my favorite part! I have a terrible weakness for bread, so this cheese-less pizza hits the spot. Another added bonus is that this pizza is healthier than your average pizza and waist friendly! Yield: 1 medium pizza ~ Serves 4-5 people {prep time: ~35 minutes + 15 minutes of baking time}
Ingredients
Pizza dough (or store bought) — use half of dough
1-2 giant handfuls of spinach, chopped (spinach shrinks as it gets cooked)
5 mushrooms, sliced
3 Roma tomatoes, sliced & roasted (directions below)
1 small red pepper, diced
1/2 jar of artichoke hearts
2 garlic cloves, roasted
2 Tbs EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1 tsp dried oregano
Red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt & pepper to taste
Cornmeal (for pizza crust, optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
For the tomatoes and garlic:
Prepare a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Place sliced tomatoes and whole garlic cloves on baking sheet and drizzle EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Optional, but highly recommended: drizzle a little bit of balsamic vinegar on the tomatoes. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until brown and roasted. Be sure to check on the garlic cloves because they easily burn. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from baking sheet. Finely chop roasted garlic and reserve.
Pizza:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
Take your pizza dough and cut in half (if you haven’t already). Roll out your pizza dough until it’s thin, leaving a boarder for your crust. Sprinkle baking sheet or pizza stone with a light dusting of cornmeal; it gives the pizza a nice texture. Transfer pizza onto baking sheet or pizza stone.
Carefully brush EVOO over the entire pizza and top your pizza with the prepped veggies: spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, red pepper, and garlic cloves. Season pizza with dried oregano, red pepper flakes, & salt and pepper.
Bake pizza for 12-15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Serve and enjoy!
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