The healthiest quinoa pizza crust recipe yet! Topped with vegan pesto, spinach and artichokes, this is the perfect alternative to your weekly takeout.
We've got all sorts of green goin' on today! And for good reason:
- greens are amazing and so, so nourishing. They provide you with tons of phytonutrients and plant-based protein, plus they're also energizing and detoxifying
- it's St. Patrick's day! Meaning green food is an absolute must!
So in true SQ fashion, I'm tantalizing your taste buds with a green-filled recipe that is actually healthy. Basically, while everyone else is out indulging in green beverages, comforting (and no so healthy) Irish food and unnatural green-colored sweets, WE can sit here being proud of ourselves for eating pizza. Yes, pizza.
Not just any pizza though…QUINOA PIZZA!
![VEGAN QUINOA PIZZA...topped with pesto, spinach + artichokes, then sprinkled with nutritional yeast for a nice cheesy flavor! [gluten-free]](https://www.simplyquinoa.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spinach-artichoke-quinoa-pizza-crust-2.jpg)
That's right my friends, today I'm bring back our beloved quinoa pizza crust but turning it a vibrant green and topping it with all sorts of green goodies. Perfect for St. Patrick's Day, perfect for tomorrow's pizza night, pretty much perfect all day, everyday.
The recipe is the same is my normal 5-ingredient quinoa pizza crust, but I added in some fresh spinach to give it that lovely green color. Think of it like a green smoothie. While it looks like a salad it sure as heck doesn't taste like one! This tastes just like a traditional pizza, just with a fun green hue.
Today we're keeping the toppings totally vegan, opting for a vegan pesto on the bottom, then layering on some more spinach, some artichoke hearts (spinach + artichoke = match made in heaven), then sprinkling with some nutritional yeast for a nice cheesy flavor and a dash of microgreens to give it more pizzaz.
Since I had so much fun making this recipe, I decided I wanted to share a video showing you the exact steps to take to make it your own. You can follow along for this recipe, but you can also use this as a guide for the traditional pizza crust, just leave out the spinach!
I hope you enjoy the pizza!
xo A
More Delicious Green Recipes to try for St. Patricks Day:
- Easy Vegan Green Curry with Forbidden Rice
- Super Healthy Green Detox Soup
- Spicy Green Mexican Quinoa
- Creamy Superfood Kale & Lentil Quinoa Salad
- Matcha Quinoa Breakfast Cookies
- Cucumber Avocado Quinoa Salad
- High Vibes Iced Matcha Latte
Spinach + Artichoke Quinoa Pizza Crust
![VEGAN QUINOA PIZZA...topped with pesto, spinach + artichokes, then sprinkled with nutritional yeast for a nice cheesy flavor! [gluten-free]](https://www.simplyquinoa.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spinach-artichoke-quinoa-pizza-87x290.jpg)
Ingredients
- for the crust:
- 3/4 cup quinoa covered by 1" of water and soaked for 6 - 8 hours (or overnight)
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup water
- optional toppings:
- 1/3 - 1/2 cup vegan pesto
- 1 cup chopped spinach fresh
- 1/4 cup cooked artichoke hearts
- 2 - 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- Microgreens optional, I used broccoli
Instructions
- Soak the quinoa in water, covering it by at least 1", for 6 - 8 hours.
- Once you're ready to make the crust, preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a 9" cake pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking, then set pan aside.
- Thoroughly rinse quinoa, then add it to a blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend on high until smooth and creamy. This should resemble a thick pancake batter.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 16 minutes. Remove, flip and return to oven baking for another 10 minutes until browned and edges are crispy.
- Top with pesto, spinach and artichoke hearts, then pop it back in the oven for 5 - 10 minutes until the spinach has started to wilt.
- Remove, let cool for a few minutes in the pan, transfer cutting board and slice into quarters.
- Garnish with nutritional yeast and microgreens (if using), and serve immediately!
Nutrition
![VEGAN QUINOA PIZZA...topped with pesto, spinach + artichokes, then sprinkled with nutritional yeast for a nice cheesy flavor! [gluten-free]](https://www.simplyquinoa.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spinach-artichoke-quinoa-pizza-150x150.jpg)
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I have Sprouted quinoa, just wondered if I still need to soak it?
Recipes looks yummy.
Thanks
You should be all set since it is sprouted!
OMGosh, are those nutritional facts correct??? 1800 calories? and 136 grams of fat? I am asking because I love your recipes and that doesn’t seem possible…
Updated!
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I want to make this tonight and don’t have enough time to soak the quinoa, can I cook it instead?
I haven’t made this with cooked quinoa before, sorry about that! If you have a high-powered blender, you can soak the quinoa for 2 hours in hot water and it should blend fine 🙂
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I’m making the crust now, but as I don’t have ingredients for topping and cant pop to the shop atm, my mum and I thought we’d enjoy it tomorrow instead – is it possible to keep the crust in the fridge/freezer for a day or so?
Definitely! I would cook it fully and then pop it in the fridge. When you’re ready to bake it, I would cook it for like 5 – 10 minutes, then add toppings and cook for another 5 – 10 🙂
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We made it and it was amazing! Sending it and your blog onto others. I actually made two pizzas from one recipe because we are former New Yorkers and like a thin crust. The recipe is perfect for two pies made that way. Can’t wait to make more with your recipes. We found your blog through my friend Kim Miles of Positively Vegan, her site is wonderful too. Thank you so much
So thrilled you enjoyed it!! It’s definitely one of my favorite recipes on the site. I have a BBQ version coming up soon that I bet you’re just going to love!
This was amazing! Loved it so much. I habe a questiom about a potential alteration…do you think the crust would turn out as beautifully if I used rice in the place of quinoa? We have a friend who has a huge amount of food allergies (and quinoa is one) and I would love to make her something as beautiful and healthy as this was.
I haven’t tried it with rice I’m afraid so I can’t be sure if it would work. I would say give it a shot and see?? Let me know if it does work; it would be a great alternative for some folks 🙂
I will be making this recipe this week! Would it be okay if I saok the quinoa for more than 8 hours? Would 12 or so hours be okay? i will also be tripling the recipe since I’m making 3 pizzas.
Yep absolutely! Can’t wait to hear what you think 🙂
Made it last night and it came out beautifully! It was a little dense, so I’m thinking a either over blended or need to add more baking powder next time. Thanks for inventing this! Even my cheese eating, meat loving husband liked it!
So glad you enjoyed it! xo
I’m making it!!! ❤
Can’t wait to hear how it turns out!
Is it 3/4 dry (before you soak it) or 3/4 already soaked?
3/4 cup dry before you soak it 🙂
For this recipe what would be best to sub for the baking powder ? I usually use arrowroot would this work or would there be something else better, my daughter cannot have an corn or corn byproducts that’s why I need to have a substitute?
I think you could try it without the baking powder honestly. It might be a teeny bit denser, but I’m guessing for the most part it will be totally fine. Let me know how it goes! 🙂
This recipe looks amazing! I’m going to make it this weekend!
Yay! Hope you love it 🙂 xo
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Last weekend i made the vegan lentil quinoa meat loaf it turned out amazing i will be making the pizza this weekend.
Can’t wait to hear what you think! xo