Pesto Zucchini and Pineapple Pizza

Hannah Sunderani
Aug 8, 2018
6 min read

Hiya everyone! Are you looking for the ultimate summer pizza recipe to round out the summer? Well look no further because here it is. Say hello to this delicious Vegan Pesto Zuchinni and Pineapple Pizza.

With this summer heat I've been rocking the tropical vibes, so I figured why not embrace it on my pizza too? But it's not just the pineapple that makes this pizza unforgettable. This Pesto Pineapple Pizza offers an abundance of different flavours that perfectly combine. Starting with a bubbly homemade pizza crust, it's spread with fresh basil pesto, and topped with zucchini ribbons, pineapple and almond cream. It's then drizzled with olive oil and runny honey, and sprinkled with fresh basil and cayenne. Drooling yet? Who would of thought we could make something so gourmet in our own kitchen?

The wonderful mix of flavours will certainly make you feel like a master chef. Here's how I describe them:

savoury and comforting, from the dough

sweet and refreshing , from the pinapple

creamy and smooth, from the almond cream

spiced, from the cayenne

fresh and earthy, from the basil pesto

The basil pesto in this recipe is well worth nothing. It uses heaps of fresh basil, which is so plentiful right now. I pulsed it in my food processor with pine nuts, olive oil, and lemon. It's definitely what brings that bright, fresh, and earthy flavour to the dish. The almond cream as well adds a beautiful richness to the pizza that cheese will typically do. I used Ecomil's almond cream, adding no more than a few spoonfuls to decorate each pizza. If you can't find almond cream, canned coconut milk makes a great substitute. I also love the addition of honey and olive oil. Just a little drizzle goes a long way on this pizza, adding extra flavour and comfort. It's a step I wouldn't want to skip. I buy my honey local and raw from the market, but if you don't eat honey then it can easily be replaced with agave or maple syrup to achieve the same result.

As for the dough - I used my no-fuss homemade pizza dough recipe; which combines water, flour, salt and a bit of yeast. It's so much tastier than the store bought kind - well worth the extra bit of work. To make the dough, simply mix the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl, cover, and wait for it to rise. For a beautiful bubbly dough you'll want to give it 6-10 hours for rising. This is the part that usually scares people away, but don't fall victim to the fear! It's as easy as leaving the bowl on your kitchen table for the night and waking up to a beautifully risen dough that will transform your pizza nights. And really, there is no extra effort required, just time.

The reason why we want to give the dough time to rise is because it will allow the yeast to activate - it's what allows the dough to rise into the light and bubbly crust we all know and love. So go ahead and make your dough, then go to work and head to the gym after. This dough needs no babysitter to do it's thang. Heck, most pizza restaurants give 3-4 days for their dough to rise, so we should consider ourselves lucky. Trust me, once you make homemade dough you will never go back to the store-bought kind.

What I like to do is prepare the pizza dough the night before - then in the morning I remove it from the bowl - roughly slice into three equal pieces, cover with wrap and toss in the fridge. You can also do it a few days in advanced if you prefer. The dough stops rising when chilled, and will keep in the fridge for up to one week, and in the freezer indefinitely if you want to wait even longer. Just take out of the fridge/freezer and bring back to room temp before using.

Preparing the pizza is the simple part. I placed a parchment paper over a baking tray and worked the crust outward with my hands into a very thin sheet. Then I smothered with basil pesto (recipe below), and topped with zucchini, pineapple, and a few spoonfuls of almond cream (you can also use canned coconut milk). Cook in the oven at 450F and in 10-minutes you've got a sizzling Pesto Zucchini Pineapple Pizza waiting to be devoured.

I've no doubt that this pizza will become a summer favourite just as it has for us. Because this Pesto Zucchini and Pineapple Pizza has certainly stole a pizza our heart.

And, if you do make this Pesto Zucchini and Pineapple Pizza please be sure to leave a comment! I love hearing from each and every one of you. Oh, and of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram so I can see. It's one of my favourite things to see you making my recipes, and what kind of personal spin you've created.

Vegan Pesto Zucchini and Pineapple Pizza

Makes: 3 pizzas (1 pizza feeds 2 people) | Prep Time: 6h + 40 mins (40 mins active prep) | Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

For the dough: (makes 3 pizzas)

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (500g), plus more for shaping dough
3 cups filtered water
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast

Note: Pizza dough can be made 3 days ahead. Slice dough into 2 separate dough balls and wrap each dough ball separately in plastic wrap to chill. Let rest at room temperature covered with plastic wrap for 2–3 hours before using.

For the toppings: (for 3 pizzas)

2 heaping cups basil leaves
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 tbsp pine nuts
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
1 zucchini
1 small pineapple
80ml (1/3 cup) almond cream, or canned coconut milk (I used Ecomil's béchamel almond cream)
sea salt and pepper, to sprinkle
10-15 fresh basil leaves
olive oil, to drizzle
honey, to drizzle (or maple syrup/agave)

Directions:

To prepare the dough: whisk flour, salt, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add 3 cups water while stirring with a wooden spoon. Stir until well incorporated. Knead dough gently with your hands to bring it together and form into a rough ball. Add more flour if needed until it's no longer sticky to the touch. It should be plush and dough-like. (You might have to add lots more flour - this is normal. I used approx. 1 cup more flour).
Transfer dough to a large clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature, in a draft-free area, until its surface is covered with tiny bubbles and the dough has doubled in size, approx. 6-10 hours.
Transfer dough to a floured work surface and gently shape into a rough rectangle. Divide into three equal portions and mold portions gently into a ball. Dust dough balls with more flour, and cover with plastic wrap until ready to use. (Bring dough back to room temperate before baking).
When ready to make pizzas, begin with your pesto basil: in a food processor add fresh basil leaves, olive oil, pine nuts, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast (optional). Pulse a few times to combine, but not so it's blended.
Thinly slice zucchini lengthwise using a mandolin or knife. Cut pineapple and discard the skin and stems.
Preheat oven to 230C/450F. Line baking tray with parchment paper and place dough ball on top. Flatten dough with hands, until it's very thin and covers most of the sheet. (If dough springs back, let it rest a few minutes, then try again).
Spread pesto over pizza dough leaving roughly 1/2 inch at the ends. Decorate with thinly sliced zucchini and chopped pineapple. Decorate with a few spoonfuls almond cream. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and bake pizza in the oven until golden and bubbly, approx. 10 minutes. Let cool slightly. Continue Step 6 and Step 7 with remaining pizza's, or leave pizza dough in fridge for another day.
Sprinkle pizza with cayenne pepper, more seal salt and pepper, and fresh basil leaves. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and honey.