Rustic Whole Wheat Pesto Pizza with Walnut Sausage
This quick no-proof vegan sausage and pesto pizza will prove itself with flavor time and again. Vegan pesto pizza is packed with dairy-free basil pesto sauce and wall-to-wall sausage-style walnut meat. The rustic whole wheat pizza dough is easy to make, self-rising, and beer-based (which gives the crust its rich flavor). This healthy vegetarian pizza recipe can be made in under 40 minutes – less than the time it would take a yeasted dough to rise in its first proof!
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Today’s topic is something I think we can all enjoy: homemade vegan pizza. I see you’re intrigued. Let’s move on.
What I really like about making my own pizza is the absolute versatility of the dish…You can put just about ANYTHING on a pizza!
In this house, we really like to view the empty crust as a blank canvas and mix up the toppings based on what we have in the pantry or garden. That’s actually how this particular vegan pizza recipe came to be!
The healthy vegetarian pizza recipe we are sharing with you today is definitely a bit outside-the-box: vegan pesto with walnut sausage pizza on a rustic beer-based whole wheat pizza dough.
Despite all those descriptors, this vegan pizza recipe is a super simple, super quick, super delicious, and actually pretty healthy pizza filled with flavor! We’re so excited to share it with you and hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
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Why We Love Vegan Pesto Pizza
- It’s fast! This whole pizza can be done in less time than it would take to make a yeasted dough and give it its first rise/proof.
- It is PACKED with a wonderful combination of flavors your mouth is sure to thank you for!
- If you grow your own basil – and you should! – it’s a great way to use up some excess. If you don’t grow your own basil – and you should! – it’s a wonderful opportunity to buy some fresh basil from the market that you can then propagate to start growing your own!
Ingredients in Pesto and Vegan Sausage Pizza
You’ll need a few simple ingredients and a little prep time (a day or two ahead is just fine) to make this healthy pesto pizza recipe! The full recipe with ingredient amounts can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
For the rustic whole wheat pizza crust, you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour + whole wheat flours – Make sure you have extra for rolling!
- Spices – Onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, salt
- Raw sugar + baking powder
- Beer – You want it to be room temperature-ish. I like to use a full-bodied amber or even brown beer in the dough. Nothing too overpowering in the flavor department though!
For the healthy pizza toppings, you’ll need:
- Vegan pesto – homemade or store-bought
- Sausage-style walnut meat
Substitution Options for Homemade Pesto Pizza
For the flour: You can opt to use either all all-purpose flour or all whole wheat flour if you’d like. If using all whole wheat, you will need to increase the liquid content because the absorption rate of whole wheat flour is higher than its counterpart. I won’t bore you with the scientific reason. If using only all-purpose flour, you may need to decrease liquid content or add a little more flour.
If you require or prefer a gluten free option, I think it could work with your favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour. (Note: We have not yet made a GF version of this ourselves.)
For the spices: You can increase or decrease spices for the crust per your tastes. Remember, more dry ingredients will require a little more water and vice versa. Other herbs and spices that would fit well in the crust are fennel powder, smoked paprika, dried and crushed basil and/or oregano, etc.
For the raw sugar: You can sub out with white or light brown sugar. Coconut sugar would also work. If you want to use molasses or dark brown sugar, reduce the amount by half. (And stir the molasses into the beer.)
For the baking powder: The baking powder acts as the rising agent. You can also use 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar.
For the beer: You can sub water if you’re looking to avoid the alcohol.
For the pesto: We like to use our homemade vegan pesto for this when basil is aplenty, but feel free to use your favorite store-bought vegan pesto as well. We like the Vegan Pesto from Gotham Greens.
For the walnut sausage: If you are looking for an alternative to the walnut sausage, or if you have a nut allergy, you can use a vegan sausage-type crumble like Lightlife or Morning Star Italian Crumbles from your local store. If you’re doing this, you may want to cook the sausage a little before adding it to the pizza. Whereas with the walnut sausage, we put it on the pizza “raw”.
How to Make Whole Wheat Pesto Pizza
Step 1: How to make a whole wheat pizza crust without yeast
Start by making your pizza dough! This whole wheat pizza dough is so easy to make without any yeast.
Just start by whisking together all the dry ingredients. Then, you’ll create a divot in the center and pour in the beer. Use a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula to mix until a rough, shaggy dough is achieved.
Finally, you’ll knead the dough into a ball and turn it onto a floured surface to knead a few minutes longer until you have a smooth dough that’s not sticking to your fingers like crazy!
Whole Wheat Pizza Dough Tip: When making dough, because of atmospheric conditions and influences, the flour to liquid ratio can be slightly different almost daily. I like to keep a couple tablespoons of water (or in this case, beer) and about a quarter cup of flour on hand to add incrementally to the dough if necessary. Remember, you’re looking for a smooth dough that’s not sticking all over your hands when you touch it.
Step 2: Assemble and bake the homemade pizza
Now, you’ll assemble the pizza! We like to make almost all our pizzas in a 12” cast iron pan by pressing the whole wheat pizza dough down and out with your hands to form the crust. (See photo above.)
You may need to flour your palms a bit if the center is still very moist or sticky. Don’t forget to push up against the wall of the pan a little at the edges to create a nice edge for the crust!
Then, you’ll spread a thick layer of pesto on the crust (make sure to leave room at the ends!), followed by the walnut sausage. And finally, get it in the oven!
PIZZA TIP: If you don’t have a cast-iron pan, sprinkle a little flour on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place your dough ball on top. Use your hands (or a floured rolling pin) to flatten the dough onto the baking sheet until it is about 1/2 inch thick.
How to Serve Dairy-Free Pesto Sauce Pizza
Serve this homemade pizza fresh out of the oven. This vegan pesto and walnut-sausage pizza stands on its own but also goes great with:
- A vegan caesar salad
- Some salty sweet potato fries
- Thick-cut potato wedges
Vegan Pesto Sauce Pizza + Wine Pairing
Of course, you can serve your homemade vegan pizza with a cold glass of beer – the same kind you use in the crust! But, if you’re more of a wine person, try a glass of sparkly Prosecco because:
- The juicy green apple notes in Prosecco pair beautifully with the walnut sausage and herbs, and the bubbles cut through all the fat in the toppings. It’s a house favorite!
- We love Ziobaffa for vegan-friendly Prosecco – it’s also organic, good quality, AND affordable! Perfect situation for a low-key date night that you want to add an element of special.
How to Store Leftover Plant-Based Pizza
FRIDGE: Store leftover pesto pizza in an airtight container for up to five days in the refrigerator.
FREEZER:When the vegan pizza has cooled completely, wrap slices in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container for up to 3 months in the freezer.
HOW TO REHEAT: Reheat leftover pesto pizza on a baking sheet for about 5-7 minutes in a preheated 350F oven. Frozen slices will take at least 15-20 minutes.
More Vegan Pizza Recipes
If and when you make this pizza recipe, we would love to know how it went! Leave a comment and rate it below or tag us in your gorgeous photos on Instagram! If you’re not already hanging out with us over there, we’re @theplantpowercouple with the “the”.
Now go and create your vegan pesto pizza masterpiece!
Besto Pesto Pizza
Ingredients
For the whole wheat pizza dough:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour plus extra for rolling
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 Tbsp onion powder
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp raw sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 cup beer
For the vegan pizza toppings:
- vegan pesto
- sausage-style walnut meat
Instructions
- PREP: Start by preheating your oven to 425F.
- MIX THE PIZZA DOUGH: Whisk together all your dry crust ingredients (flour, seasonings, sugar, baking powder) in a bowl and create a small divot in the middle. Pour your beer into the divot and mix until a rough, shaggy dough is achieved. Use your hands to bring the dough together into a ball.
- KNEAD THE PIZZA DOUGH: Knead a few times to pull it all together inside the bowl and turn onto a floured surface. Sprinkle more flour on top of your dough and start kneading for about 3 minutes, adding flour as needed. You want the dough to be pretty smooth and not sticking to your fingers like crazy. If it's still sticking to your fingers, knead more flour, a little at a time.*
- ASSEMBLE THE PIZZA: Place the dough in the center of a 12” cast-iron pan and start pressing down and out with your hands to form the pizza crust. You may need to flour your palms a bit if the center is still very moist or sticky. Don’t forget to push up against the wall of the pan a little at the edges to create a nice edge for the crust. Spread a thick layer of pesto on the crust (make sure to leave room at the ends!), followed by the walnut sausage.
- BAKE THE PIZZA: Cook your vegan pesto pizza at 425F for 15-20 minutes. Allow your pizza to cool a little before serving.
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