I love pizza. But I don’t love how eating traditional pizza, with the crust made out of refined white flour, makes me feel.

This vegan pizza ditches the white flour for flour made with chickpeas. Chickpea flour is gluten-free and high in protein, iron and fiber. It’s a versatile ingredient that’s become a pantry staple for me. And, it’s delicious—with a sweet, nutty flavor.

This pizza isn’t just more nutritious than your standard pizza, its actually easier to make! And it’s so tasty, you won’t even miss your traditional pizza crust.

Crust ingredients:

1 cup chickpea flour (aka, garbanzo bean or besan flour)
1 cup water
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Sauce ingredients:

1 12 oz jar or can of organic diced tomatoes (or approx. 1.5 cups fresh diced tomato)
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Toppings:

2 large handfuls organic spinach
3 green onions, sliced
12 black olives, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper chopped.
*Use whatever you have on hand that would make a good pizza topping!

Also: coconut oil to grease pans and sautéing with.

Mix the ingredients for the crust, and then let sit for at least one hour. It will be of a thick batter consistency.

While you’re waiting, prep your sauce and toppings. For the sauce, dump all the ingredients into a food processor and pulse a few times. You still want the tomatoes chunky. Season to taste with the sea salt and black pepper.

For the toppings, heat a sauté pan over medium heat with about 1 tsp coconut oil. Saute the onion and bell pepper until the onion is translucent, about 5-10 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach and black olives. You want the spinach to wilt.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Grease a small baking pan or cast-iron pan with coconut oil, liberally. Pour the chickpea batter into the pan. Bake for about 8-10 minutes, until the edges are turning brown.

Remove the flatbread from the oven. Spoon on your tomato sauce (you will have leftovers) and add your toppings. Put the flatbread back into the oven and bake for another five minutes. You’re just heating up your toppings here.

Slice & enjoy!

Author: Cori Bernardo

Editor: Evan Yerburgh

Photo: Author’s Own