No one could have prepared me for BBQ on pizza. I mean, both are great. But together? It was incredible.
Pau Gasol
There’s something about late summer that calls for the flavor of barbeque. As a lifelong vegetarian this was not a flavor I grew up with. Recently I’ve come to like the novelty of BBQ sauce on vegetables or as coating on vegan proteins, such as tofu or tempeh cubes. Inspired by this recipe from Connisseurus Veg, we decided to pair the tangy flavor of BBQ with cauliflower and chickpeas.
The flavor of this pizza is dependent on having a great tasting BBQ sauce. If you have a favorite, great. I’m still looking for a vegan one I like. If you have any recommendations, please let me know. In the meantime, you can make your own.
Make Your Own BBQ Sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons molasses
- 3 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Whisk all ingredients together in a large bowl. You will put the washed and cut cauliflower florets and chick peas directly into the sauce, so starting with a big bowl will reduce the number of dishes you have to do.
I made a lot of BBQ sauce so decided to coat both the cauliflower florets and chickpeas in the mixture. Other recipes call for just the chickpeas to simmer in the sauce and the cauliflower to roast on a baking sheet, coated with olive oil. It’s entirely up to you. I figured if I’m going for a BBQ flavor, I’m coating both and going all the way.
Ingredients
- pizza dough
- BBQ sauce, a little more than 1 cup
- 2 cups cauliflower florets, chopped into bite size pieces
- 1/2-3/4 cup chickpeas, rinsed thoroughly under running water
- 1/3 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed or minced
- Jalapeño slices, drained on a paper towel to squeeze out excess moisture
- olive oil
- 3/4 cup vegan mozzarella
- 1 medium ripe tomato
- 1 ripe avocado
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450° for 45 minutes before baking your pizza.
- Whisk up your BBQ ingredients or if using a premade sauce you like, decide if you want to dress it up with some additional spices or flavors or leave it as is. Add cut cauliflower florets and chickpeas. Toss to coat.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes. When warm, add a glug of olive oil.
- Add onions and stir to coat. Heat for 3 minutes until onions are translucent.
- Add garlic.
- Using a slotted spoon, add the cauliflower florets. (I had no problem separating them from the chickpeas. If this frustrates you, add them both at the same time.) After a few minutes, add the chickpeas.
- Slice your tomato into thin slices. Sprinkle a bit of salt over them to release more flavor.
- Roll out your dough on a piece of parchment paper to approximate a 12-14 inch circle. (If it comes out a square or some other shape, that’s OK. It’s better not to fuss with your dough too much and interesting shaped pizzas are a great conversation starter.)
- Brush the edges of your pizza with olive oil. Sprinkle the vegan mozzarella over the pizza, leaving a 1/2 inch edge uncovered.
- Place tomato slices around the pizza in a thin layer.
- When cauliflower are near fork tender, remove from heat. Using a slotted spoon, spoon cauliflower/chickpea BBQ mixture over the pizza.
- Top with jalapeño slices.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes or until it smells done.
- After your pizza is baked, top with sliced avocado.
- Eat and enjoy!
We really enjoyed this pizza. The tangy taste of the homemade BBQ sauce, melted mozzarella, and jalapeño slices go great together. Vine ripe tomatoes are delicious this time of year. Plus avocados are ripe and in season. Delish!
If you have suggestions for pizzas you’d like us to make in the future, let us know @52veganpizzas.
52 Vegan Pizzas 