Gourmet Mushroom and Shaved Brussels Sprouts Pizza with Sage Pesto

This easily one of the best pizza’s I’ve ever eaten! Cheesy. Garlicky. Earthy. Goodness. It’s even great reheated as leftovers…if you even have any!

Note: The awesome Sage Pesto used in this recipe is from The Kitchn.

Author: Benita Walker Gibbs

Ingredients

FOR THE DOUGH:

Once again, I was super lazy today and purchased my Vegan Pizza dough at Trader Joe’s. It’s okay in a pinch. But for a super easy and awesome homemade dough, check out the one on Rouxbe.com.

FOR THE CHEESE SAUCE:

1 C. potatoes, peeled and diced
1 C. carrots, peeled and diced
1 C. cauliflower florets
1 C. roasted acorn squash
1/2 C. water
1/3 C. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. lemon juice (fresh is best!)
1/2 C. nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. tamari (optional)
dash of cayenne (opt.)

FOR THE D.I.Y. SAGE PESTO

3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup roasted walnuts
1 cup fresh sage, loosely packed
1 cup fresh Italian parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

TOPPINGS:

2 Cups Brussels Sprouts, thinly sliced in food processor
1/2 cup roasted peppers, drained and diced (I purchased mine from Trader Joe’s)
1 cup sliced mushrooms (I used Shiitakes, but use what you have or whatever you like)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450.

MAKE CHEESE SAUCE:

Boil the potatoes, cauliflower and carrots in salted water until soft. Drain (reserving the cooking liquid).
Blend potatoes, cauliflower, squash and carrots together along with the rest of the ingredients on high in blender until the cheese is extremely smooth. Use the reserved cooking liquid from the vegetables as needed to get the right consistency.
Leftovers can be refrigerated or frozen for later use.

MAKE SAGE PESTO:

Mince the garlic and the walnuts in a small food processor.
Chop the sage and parsley by hand then add with the salt and pepper to the food processor and blend in short bursts while pouring in the olive oil.
Store in the fridge for up to three days.
Makes about 1 cup of pesto

ASSEMBLE PIZZA:

On prepared pizza dough, spread a generous amount of cheese sauce.
Dot cheese sauce with sage pesto. I used about 1/2 cup of the pesto. Refrigerate the remaining pesto for a later use. (It’s great on sandwiches, mixed in pasta or as a dip for homemade crackers.)
Bake pizza in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes on a baking sheet until veggies, cheese and the crusts are nicely browned. Note: Actual baking time depends on your oven and the thickness of your crust. So please know that your cooking time may vary. Be careful not to cross that very fine line between nicely browned and burnt. Watch your pizza carefully.
Enjoy!