Crazy Vegan Black Bean Pizza
This vegan recipe tastes incredible compared to ordered-in pizza and is extremely easy on your budget. The ingredients may seem strange, using celery and black beans, but it all works to create a pizza sensation that is high in protein and fibre. Of course you can use any toppings you like.
An elegant dinner all by itself, but you might want a glass of red wine and a side salad if you are entertaining. It takes about 45 minutes to prepare, including cooking time. Serves four.
Because the crust is made from a biscuit dough it does not need to leaven, making it simple and fast.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
The Crust
- 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour, or whole wheat
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar or any other vinegar
- 2/3 cup soymilk or other non-dairy milk
Wisk together the first four dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine the liquid ingredients separately, then mix them into the dry. Don't over stir or you will toughen the crust.
Oil a 13 inch pizza pan generously with olive oil. Spread the dough in the pan evenly with the back of a spoon or your fingers.
Bake the crust for ten minutes at 375 degrees on the middle rack before adding the toppings.
While the crust is cooking prepare the sauce and thaw the beans.
(I always keep pre-cooked beans handy in the freezer in 2 cup servings and zap them in the microwave, but you can use canned beans if you prefer.)
The Sauce
- 1 tin tomato paste (156 ml. or 5.50z.)
- 1/4 cup port wine, or substitute apple juice, grape juice, or water
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tsp. basil
- 1 tbsp. oregano
- 1 tbsp. maple syrup
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes (optional)
- 1/2 tsp. chili pepper flakes (or to taste)
Mix together the above ingredients and spread on the baked crust. Be sure to come close to the edge to prevent the crust from getting too brown.
Spread the following toppings over the sauce starting with the black beans.
The Toppings
- 2 cups black beans (drained and rinsed if canned)
- 1 large yellow onion (diced)
- 2 celery stalks (chopped)
- 1/2 cup chopped green olives
- 1/4 extra virgin olive oil
- freshly ground black pepper
Drizzle the 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil over the top of the pizza and sprinkle generously with the freshly ground black pepper just before returning to the oven. Bake at 400 degrees for twenty to thirty minutes, or until the onions and celery are browned. Watch the edges of the crust.
If you have a larger gathering, double the recipe, prepare the crusts and ingredients before hand, pop one pizza in the oven half hour before your guests arrive. Then cook the second pizza when they show up, warming the first one on the bottom rack during the last five minutes of cooking, but be careful it doesn't burn.
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