Mushroom and caramelized onion pizza with sage pesto. This delicious-winter inspired pizza can easily be made vegan and gluten-free! It’s packed with flavor from the garlicky sage pesto and balsamic caramelized onions.
Meet my favorite winter pizza: Mushroom & caramelized onion pizza with sage pesto. For the first time, I decided to make a vegan pizza.
Instead of dairy cheese, I used my favorite (but not cheap) vegan feta. It’s a rare treat, but it was so worth it! If you’re vegan or trying to limit dairy, feel free to use your favorite vegan cheese or just omit it. Homemade vegan parmesan cheese is also a great option.
If you’re not vegan and you want cheese, then go ahead and add cheese. Mozzarella would be a simple one, but goat cheese, fontina and parmesan would all be delicious as well!
So here’s what you’ll find on this pizza:
- Sage pesto made with toasted walnuts and kale
- Mushrooms (I used cremini, but white button mushrooms will work too)
- Onions caramelized with balsamic vinegar (note that I don’t exactly caramelize the onions as that would take 30 minutes to an hour, but I do sauté them slowly to bring out more flavour with the vinegar)
- Cheese if desired (vegan or not)
I made my own whole wheat pizza dough, but you can certainly use store-bought dough for a quicker option. You can also use a gluten-free crust as needed. Bob’s Red Mill has a delicious one!
This pizza does have a few steps, but it’s so worth it! To make it easier, you can make the pesto in advance and use store-bought dough. That way, you can have dinner done in less than 30 minutes.
Mushroom & Caramelized Onion Pizza with Sage Pesto
Ingredients
Whole Wheat Crust
- 1 cup all-purpose whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm (not boiling) water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
Sage Walnut Pesto
- 1/2 cup sage leaves, lightly packed
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1 cup kale (about 1 leaf), stem removed
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 large garlic cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
For the Pizza
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion (or 1/2 medium) cut into thin half moon slices
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced
- Cheese (I used vegan feta)
Instructions
Prepare the Crust
- In a medium bowl, mix your active dry yeast with warm water. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes to let it foam.
- Add your flour and salt to the water and yeast. Mix together, then stir in the olive oil. Form a ball and let the dough rise for 45 minutes in the bowl, covered with a towel. Meanwhile, prepare the pesto.
Prepare the Pesto
- Preheat the oven to 300F. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 12 minutes or until lghtly golden and fragrant. When the walnuts are done toasting, increase oven to 450F.
- Add all the pesto ingredients to a food processor, including the walnuts. I use the small bowl of my food processor. Process until desired consistency. It doesn’t have to be smooth, but it should be well blended without any big chunks.
Prepare the Pizza
- Heat 1/2 a tablespoon of oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar and continue to cook for 5 minutes or until the onion softens and becomes lightly caramelized. Set aside.
- When the pizza dough is done rising, line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or use a pizza stone). Sprinkle a bit of flour on the parchment paper and on the dough. With lightly floured hands, scoop out the dough from the bowl. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Spread into your desired shape. You should get a thin crust
- Spread the pesto on the crust (I use about 1/2-3/4 of the batch). Spread the caramelized onions and mushrooms evenly on the pizza. Top with cheese of choice.
- Cook at 400F for 15 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
If you make this mushroom and caramelized onion pizza, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love to hear from you guys. And of course, if you try this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!
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