About 40 million people eat pizza in the US every day. Pizza is a versatile, fan favorite and it can fit just about any diet. Below are pizza recipes that cater to a variety of dietary needs.
Gluten-Free Cauliflower Pizza
Photo credit: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/cauliflower-crust-pizza
Ingredients:
• 1 head cauliflower, stalk removed
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• Sauce of choice
• Toppings of choice
Instructions:
1. This pizza crust bakes at a temperature of 400 degrees F, so you’ll first want to preheat your oven. You can also prepare your baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. The least messy way to cut your cauliflower is to turn the head of the cauliflower upside down so the stem faces upwards. Use a chef’s knife to cut out the core. Then, you can simply pull the florets apart into pieces small enough to fit in your food processor.
3. Once you’ve broken the florets into smaller pieces, pulse in a food processor until the cauliflower is fine. It should look almost like rice.
4. Next, steam your cauliflower in a steamer basket until soft. Drain as much excess water as possible. Once you’ve allowed the cauliflower to cool, you may need to squeeze out any excess moisture using a cheesecloth.
5. In a bowl, combine the cauliflower with mozzarella, parmesan, oregano, salt, garlic powder, and eggs. Stir well before transferring the mixture onto the baking sheet.
6. Spread the mixture in a circle for a traditionally shaped crust, or spread in a rectangular shape for a square-cut pizza. Bake for 20 minutes.
7. After carefully removing your almost-baked crust, add any sauces and toppings you would like. Place back into the oven for an additional 10 minutes. Cut and serve!
Dairy-Free Margherita Pizza
Photo credit: https://sofabfood.com/authentic-italian-margherita-pizza-recipe/
Ingredients:
Cheese:
1. 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
2. 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3. 1/4 cup raw cashews
4. 1 cup hot water
5. 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon tapioca starch
6. 1 small garlic clove, minced
7. 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
8. 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
Pizza:
9. Pre-made crust
10. Sauce of choice
11. Cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
12. Basil
13. Extra-virgin olive oil
14. Dried chili pepper flakes
Instructions:
1) To make the cheese, you’ll need to blend all the cheese ingredients together in a high-speed blender for about 1 minute, or until smooth. (If you do not have a high-speed blender, soak the cashews in water overnight and drain before prepping.)
2) Pour into a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Once the mixture looks as though it is separating, reduce heat to medium and continue stirring for 2-3 minutes.
3) Remove from heat and let cheese mixture cool before topping your pizza.
4) Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.
5) Spread your tomato sauce over the crust. Top your sauce with dollops of the cheese mixture.
6) Place cherry tomato slices all over the pizza and sprinkle with basil. Drizzle lightly in a zigzag motion with the extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle dried chili pepper flakes.
7) Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly.
Vegan / Vegetarian Greek Pizza
Photo credit: https://www.motherearthliving.com/cooking-methods/herbal-pizza-combinations-vegetarian-greek-pizza
Ingredients (1 Pizza):
1. Pre-made crust
2. Marinara sauce of choice
3. 4 oz. pitted Kalamata olives, sliced in half
4. 7.5 oz. marinated artichoke hearts
5. 16 oz. roasted red peppers
6. 1/2 red onion, sliced
7. Basil leaves (optional)
Tofu Feta Ingredients:
8. 16 oz. extra firm tofu, drained and patted dry
9. 1/3 cup water
10. 2 tablespoons lemon juice
11. 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
12. 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
13. 2 teaspoons light yellow miso paste
14. 1/4 teaspoon salt
15. 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions:
1) First, drain and rinse your marinated artichoke hearts and the roasted red peppers. Dice both into pieces roughly 1/4-1/2 inch in size.
2) Whisk all the feta ingredients except for the tofu together. Then, use your hands to crumble the tofu into smaller pieces roughly 1/4 inch in diameter or smaller.
3) Coat with your marinade and let sit in the refrigerator for 1 hour. The longer it sits, the more flavor the tofu will absorb!
4) If your pizza dough is not pre-baked, be sure to bake it until it is almost completely done. Next, spread the marinara sauce over the crust. Top with your red peppers, artichoke hearts, olives, and onions. Sprinkle evenly with your mock feta mixture.
5) Place in the oven for 8-12 minutes. Once the crust has browned and the sauce below the feta is cooked, top with basil and serve!
Meat Lover’s
A meat-lover’s pizza like the one below takes favorites like sausage and pepperoni to an indulgent new level. This recipe features a lot of flavors packed with a delicious and substantial amount of protein.
Ingredients (1 Pizza):
For Crust:
1. 1 1/8 cups warm water
2. 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
3. 1 tablespoon olive oil
4. 3 cups all-purpose flour
5. 1 teaspoon salt
6. 1 tablespoon honey
Toppings:
7. 6 sliced cooked bacon, chopped
8. 1/2 pound cooked Italian sausage, out of the casing
9. 1/4 cup pepperoni slices
10. 6 slices prosciutto
11. Sauce of choice
12. Cheese of choice
Instructions:
1) Combine water, yeast, honey, and olive oil in a large bowl. Use a spoon to mix until foamy (around 10 minutes). Add in 2 1/2 cups of flour and salt while slowly stirring until the dough is mixed and sticky. Form the dough into a ball with your hands and use the remaining 1/2 cup of flour to knead.
2) Coat the ball of dough with olive oil and place back into the bowl. Cover with a towel and place in a warm spot to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
3) Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly coat your cookie sheet with flour or cornmeal.
4) Brush the top of your pizza crust lightly with olive oil. Spread the sauce starting at the middle of the pizza and slowly work your way outwards. Stop around the edges where you’d like to have a crispy crust.
5) Add your cheese of choice and then top with pepperoni, sausage, prosciutto, and bacon.
6) Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and the crust around the edges have turned golden brown. Bon appé***!
Cheese Lover’s
Cheese pizza boasts a classic that has been appreciated throughout time. This recipe combines that nostalgic heart-warming flavor with the best cheeses to top a pie!
Ingredients (1 Pizza):
1. Pre-made crust
2. 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
3. 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
4. 3/4 cup grated part-skim mozzarella
5. 1/4 cup grated provolone cheese
6. 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
7. 2 tablespoons fresh thyme (optional)
Instructions:
1) Start with your favorite pre-made pizza crust. You can use pre-baked for faster cook time, or create your own dough from scratch.
2) Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F for unbaked crust or 500 degrees F for a pre-baked crust.
3) Start by place dollops of the ricotta cheese in an evenly spaced out fashion over the crust. Sprinkle your Parmesan, mozzarella, and provolone cheese on top. If using thyme leaves, sprinkle evenly over the pizza.
4) Bake for 8 minutes at the previously mentioned temperatures for a pre-baked crust or 20 minutes using the temperature provided for an unbaked crust. Cut into 8 even slices and enjoy.
