Caprese Pizza with Basil Pesto
The best of both worlds: gluten-free pizza + Caprese Salad in one quick and easy meal! This recipe gives two basil pesto options: a classic basil pesto and a vegan, nut-free basil pesto. Both are easy, gluten-free and delicious! Plus, as a bonus: we've provided the recipe for my son's pizza sauce for a Margherita pizza.
Servings: 1 pizza
Ingredients
Caprese Pizza
- 1 gluten-free pizza crust prepare according to package
- fresh mozzarella 4-6 slices according to taste and size of pizza
- 1-2 fresh tomatoes sliced (option to roast them first if not super fresh)
- a few spoonfuls of prepared basil pesto see recipe for vegan and non-vegan version below
- balsamic glaze optional(we used Monaro Federzoni).
- 1 handful of Fresh Basil chopped for topping
Vegan Basil Pesto (recipe from Urban Kitchen Apothecary)
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- 1 large garlic clove
- ⅓ cup pepitas pumpkin seeds
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- pinch of sea salt + black pepper
Alternatively, Basil Pesto (non-vegan)
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons raw unsalted almonds
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Pizza Sauce for Margherita Pizza
- 1-2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 28 oz can San Marzano Tomatoes
- 1-2 tablespoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt more or less to taste
- 3-4 fresh basil leaves
Instructions
Caprese Pizza
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees or temperature recommended by the pizza crust you're using.
- If roasting tomatoes, gently toss tomatoes in olive oil and a dash of salt. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes.
- While tomatoes roast, make the pesto.
- If not roasting tomatoes, Add the pesto to pizza crust leaving an inch around the edge, then fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and bake 10 minutes or until cheese melted and tomatoes warmed.
- If roasting tomatoes, top pizza crust with pesto, leaving an inch around the edge, top with cheese, and bake 5-10 minutes or until cheese melted. Then top the melted cheese with the roasted tomatoes.
- Finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and fresh basil.
Vegan Basil Pesto
- Blend all the pesto ingredients together using a food processor or blender.
- Note: I didn't have any trouble blending it in a blender but if too thick or difficult to blend add an additional 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- Set aside
Basil Pesto (not- vegan)
- Place basil, garlic and almonds in a food processor and run/pulse several times until finely minced
- Add salt and pepper and pulse a few more times.
- With the food processor running, stream olive oil into the top of the food processor. Scrape down the sides as needed and run food processor until well combined and mixture is smooth.
- Add cheese and process briefly until just combined.
- Add rice wine vinegar and pulse a few times until just combined.
- Can be made ahead and kept in seal container in the refrigerator.
Pizza Sauce for Margharita Pizza
- In a medium sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat until shimmering, not burning. Add garlic and let cook 30 seconds - 1 minutes, until just starting to brown and fragrant.
- Add entire can of tomatoes including liquid. Using the back of a wood spoon, break apart tomatoes until mostly crushed. Add oregano and stir to combine. Once tomatoes begin to boil, reduce heat to low and let simmer 15 minutes.
- Add salt and fresh basil, let simmer another 10 minutes.
- Using an immersion blender, blend sauce until tomatoes all broken down and sauce well combined.
Tried this recipe?Mention @HealthyGFFamily or tag #HealthyGFFamily!
Thanks s much for the link to the gluten free bakery. I put them on my list. We do not have anything like that in this small town. What are your thots on corn? I have never seen be answer. Some say yes, and some say no. I guess it is like lots of other things. Thank you for the long list of ingredients. I did no cook that much. But, I love the recipes, I just do not do very good with so much volume. I am better off making enough keto pancakes for me. I would not enough room to store them
Do you have a recipe for a gluten free pizza base?