Ultimate Veggie Pizza

As a vegetarian for over a decade, I’ve eaten quite a few veggie pizzas. Truly fantastic veggie pizzas are few and far between. So, I combined all of the elements I’ve enjoyed over the years to create my own “ultimate” veggie pizza recipe. This is the best homemade veggie pizza I’ve ever had, and I hope you’ll say the same!

This vegetarian pizza recipe will delight vegetarians and carnivores alike. It’s fresh and full of flavor, featuring cherry tomatoes, artichoke, bell pepper, olives, red onion and some hidden (and optional) baby spinach. You’ll find a base of rich tomato sauce and golden, bubbling mozzarella underneath, of course.

Ingredients:

1 batch easy whole wheat pizza dough or 1 pound store-bought pizza dough

1 cup pizza sauce or marinara

2 cups baby spinach

2 to 3 cups (8 to 12 ounces) shredded low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese

½ cup jarred or canned artichoke, cut into 1” pieces

½ cup fresh red or orange bell pepper, cut into narrow 2″ strips

½ cup red onion, cut into thin wedges

½ cup halved cherry tomatoes

½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved lengthwise

½ cup sliced almonds (optional)

Optional garnishes: Fresh basil (small leaves or torn), red pepper flakes and/or finely grated Parmesan cheese