Your New Favorite Pizza: Salad Pizza With White Beans and Parmesan
It’s time to rethink pizza night! This salad pizza with white beans and Parmesan is so delicious that it will become your new favorite meal—you can even serve it as an appetizer if you want to impress your friends! By using crustless salad bread, you’ll save on calories without compromising on taste, and the Italian dressing makes an amazing sauce that is sure to make this salad pizza a hit. You’ll love this recipe so much that you won’t ever want to order out again!
15-Minute No Knead Flatbread Dough
This crust is perfect for any toppings you want to throw on a pizza, from traditional tomato sauce and cheese to crazy concoctions. Cook up two flatbreads at once by dividing dough into two balls. If not eating right away, place one ball in an airtight container or resealable bag (flattened to about 1⁄4 inch thick) for up to 2 days. Thaw in refrigerator before cooking.
1-Hour Tomato Sauce Base
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add diced tomatoes, olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Simmer covered for 30 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat; cool.
2 tablespoons olive oil
This is your sauce. It makes everything better. Drizzle half over a 12-inch pita round, then top with 1 cup baby spinach leaves, 1 can (15 ounces) white beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained, 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Bake at 400°F until lightly browned on both sides. Top with remaining olive oil to serve. Serves 2 (makes 2 pizzas).
1⁄4 cup chopped shallots
Heat a small frying pan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray or use parchment paper as it’s less likely to stick than regular baking sheets. Place pita on baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, spread evenly across surface of bread then sprinkle with salt.
1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Crushed red pepper flakes are an optional spice, but they really add a kick to your salad pizza. You can purchase these pre-made at your local grocery store or make them yourself using a mortar and pestle (or even using a small bowl or cup as a substitute). Simply use your thumb to crush up a few dried red chilies.
4 cups baby spinach, loosely packed
Baby spinach is a great low-calorie option for greens. In addition to a satisfying crunch, it has 3 grams of fiber per cup, making it easy to fit into your diet.
1⁄2 can white beans, drained and rinsed
You can use any kind of beans you’d like, really. I chose white beans because they have a creamy texture, are a good source of protein and fiber, but don’t leave me feeling stuffed after I eat them. Plus, they take on flavor easily so they’re perfect in a salad.
3 ounces shaved Parmesan cheese
This can be as thin or thick as you like, but it should really cover your pizza. Layer 1/3 of your favorite salad on top. Just make sure it’s not too wet, because that will water down your pizza sauce and get in your dough. (You don’t want soggy crust!) Slice 3 ounces of white beans over your salad, then add another 1/3 of fresh vegetables. These could be onions, peppers, zucchini—whatever you want!
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, chopped
Add your oregano leaves to a large bowl, along with 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 3/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Freshly ground black pepper is one of those ingredients that make all of your food better. Not only does it add a pleasant spiciness to your meal, but it also has an anti-inflammatory effect in your body. For every day cooking, consider keeping whole peppercorns on hand instead of a pre-ground version. It’s not nearly as expensive and has just as much flavor!
1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt (if using table salt use less)
sea salt is a better option because it’s purer, so use less of it in dishes that require salting. Because table salt has been bleached, deodorized, processed, iodized and packed with anti-caking agents to prevent clumping, using too much can throw off your flavor profile. If you prefer to use table salt try putting in half as much as you normally would—you may be surprised at how delicious food tastes when your ingredients aren’t too salty!
1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice
Put a large serving bowl in a big sink of hot water for about 10 minutes to warm it up. Meanwhile, stir together lemon juice, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Stir half of dressing into beans; cover with plastic wrap and set aside while you assemble pizza. (Refrigerate remaining dressing for another use.)