I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like pizza. Cheesy, versatile, and oh so delicious, there is lots to love about this classic meal. Recently I’ve been in a recipe rut and eating a lot more habitually than normal. When I was planning out my meals this week I wanted to switch things up and try something new, and it’s always fun to try a new pizza recipe!
Pizza dough serves as a blank canvas on which to create something new and exciting. There are so many possibilities and combinations to try, and this Broccoli Pizza is one of my favorites so far. Made with whole wheat dough, fresh cashew basil pesto, sun dried tomatoes and broccoli florets, this pizza is healthy and extremely flavorful. I have a feeling you’ll love it as much as I do!
This entire recipe takes about twenty minutes from start to finish. One of my favorite things about pizza is the convenience and how inexpensive they are to make! I picked up my dough from Trader Joes for $1, and it will make roughly 8-10 slices of pizza. All of these ingredients are whole and delicious, and can be substituted should you have any allergies. I also tried Trader Joe’s cashew basil pesto for this recipe and highly recommend giving it a try. It tastes just as good as traditional pesto but the cashews offer an extra something. I topped the entire pizza off with lemon zest and sliced lemons to give it a citrus flavor.
Broccoli Pizza with Sun Dried Tomatoes & Cashew Pesto
Ingredients:
1/2 lb Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (store-bought or home made, I use Trader Joe’s brand)
1/2 lb Broccoli florets
2 tbsp Pesto (I used Trader Joes Cashew Basil Pesto, but homemade or store-bought is fine!)
1/4 cup Pitted Black Olives
1/4 cup Sun Dried Tomatoes (drained, save the oil)
pinch of Cayenne Pepper
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
4-5 lemon slices
For the Pesto:
4 cups fresh Basil
2 garlic cloves
2/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup cashews
1 cup parmesan cheese
*pulse all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Keep refrigerated for up to a week.
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a baking sheet. Set aside.
- Sprinkle flour onto a cutting board and roll out the pizza dough with a rolling pin. I prefer thin crust pizza but you could do a thicker crust if you’d like. Be sure to add additional cook time if you do! Transfer the rolled out dough onto the baking sheet once finished.
- Spread the pesto onto the dough with a spoon, followed by the sun dried tomatoes and cheeses. Sprinkle the olives over top, and season with cayenne pepper and lemon zest.
- In a separate bowl, combine the broccoli florets with the oil from the sun dried tomatoes. Mix with a spoon or a fork until each of the broccoli pieces has a light coating of the oil. This adds additional flavor and helps to prevent the broccoli from burning in the oven. Once they are seasoned, sprinkle on top of the pizza. Finish things off with 4-5 thin slices of a Meyer lemon.
- Place the pizza into the oven and cook for 15-17 minutes, keeping an eye on it until the edges are golden brown. Remove the pizza from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Remove the lemons and enjoy!
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Serve fresh for a chewy crust, or reheat in a toaster oven for a delicious left over meal. This pizza would be great for date night or movie night with friends, and is so easy to throw together. You could also use a cauliflower crust and vegan cheeses if you’re looking for a vegan substitute! This pizza was gone in one day and I already can’t wait to make another one. This time maybe I’ll share it with my family instead of keep it all for myself hehe.
Happy cooking!
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