Spring is in the air! At least, it is in the lower latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. But whether you are still dealing with near freezing temperatures, or, like me, overheating in a t-shirt while walking your dog in the afternoon, asparagus is finding its way into your grocery store. It’s certainly the best, and some could argue, the only, time of year to be eating the vegetable. Tender and juicy stalks have replaced the sad, stringy stand-ins on the shelves. This vegan asparagus pizza with a spicy chickpea sauce is my nudge to get them into your bag and onto your menu. Asparagus on pizza is a fun and tasty way to celebrate spring. The crisp, juicy vegetable is cut into matchsticks and tossed in some olive oil, salt, and pepper before being arranged on a bed of creamy homemade chickpea sauce. Made with a generous sprinkle of crushed red pepper, and some hot smoked paprika (or cayenne pepper), the chickpea sauce brings some subtle heat to your slice. It’s a nice change of pace from a tomato sauce or olive oil, and is much healthier for you than a cream based sauce. So, even if you live somewhere that asparagus is not currently in season, I still recommend you make this asap, just with different toppings!
Finished with your vegan mozzarella style cheese of choice (I tried and enjoyed the new Parmela Creamery meltable shredded aged cashew cheese on this pizza), some sliced jalapeño for extra spice, and with an array of asparagus tips on top to make it extra pretty. After pulling the pizza out of the oven, sprinkle on some sliced scallions for a nice oniony bite. Let me know in the comments if you make this dish, or tag me on Instagram! And if you’re looking for more pizza inspiration check out my other pizzas!
*1 bunch of asparagus is enough for 2-3 pizzas *longer baking time maybe necessary if using more pizza dough, or if oven temperature is lower.
Baking Steel - The Original Ultra Conductive Pizza Stone (14"x16"x1/4") Ironwood Gourmet 28214 Napoli Pizza Peel, Acacia Wood
