Whole Wheat Summer Vegetable Pizza Recipe
Recipe developer and registered dietitian nutritionist, Kristen Carli, MS, RD, brings us this recipe for whole wheat summer vegetable pizza. Bursting with vibrant colors and fresh flavors, this wholesome pizza is a perfect union of nutrition and taste. Crafted with a rustic whole wheat crust, this recipe elevates the classic pizza to new heights by showcasing the season's bountiful harvest of vegetables.
Carli notes, "I love to serve this throughout the summer with whatever veggies I have on hand. I prep extra dough and store it in the freezer so I'm ready to whip this up whenever the mood strikes."
Prepare to savor the medley of cherry tomatoes, zucchini, summer squash, and eggplant, harmonizing with shredded mozzarella cheese and a tangy marinara sauce. Carli takes this up a notch by drizzling the final dish with the popular chili onion crisp condiment. Whether you're hosting a backyard gathering, looking for a family-friendly dinner, or seeking a nutritious yet scrumptious meal, this vegetable-loaded pizza will not disappoint.
Gather your whole wheat summer vegetable pizza ingredients
To make this pizza, you can start by gathering your ingredients. For this recipe, you will need active dry yeast, water, honey, salt, olive oil, all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, marinara sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, cherry tomatoes, and chili onion crisp.
If you want to add more variety to your pizza, experiment with different summer vegetables like eggplant, asparagus, or even thinly sliced sweet potatoes. For a burst of sweetness, try substituting traditional marinara sauce with a pesto base or a roasted red pepper sauce. Carli tells us, "For a gluten-free option, swap the whole wheat crust for a gluten-free crust made from rice flour or a cauliflower crust. Vegans can use dairy-free cheese or cashew-based cheese alternatives, which still add a creamy texture and delicious taste."
Make the dough
Start by preparing the dough. Add the water, yeast, and honey to the bowl of a stand mixer. Then, add in the olive oil, salt, and flours. Using the paddle attachment on the stand mixer, process until the dough has come together. Then, swap out the paddle attachment for the dough hook attachment. Process again for about 5 minutes, until the dough forms a smooth ball. Place the dough ball in a large, oiled bowl and cover with a dish towel. Allow to sit undisturbed at room temperature for one hour to allow the dough to rise.
Carli notes, "I like using whole wheat pizza dough here, not only for the heartier taste, but because it is a nutritious and wholesome alternative to traditional pizza dough." In this recipe, Carli uses part all-purpose flour and part whole wheat flour, which retains the bran and germ, offering higher fiber content and essential nutrients.
Add the sauce, cheese, and toppings
Once the hour has elapsed, remove the dish towel from the bowl and punch down the dough. Roll the dough out onto a floured surface and split it into 2 equal pieces. Then, form each piece into a rounded dough ball. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 425 F.
Next, store one dough ball away, perhaps in the freezer as Carli suggests. Then, spread the other one in a pizza pan that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Carli adds, "It's crucial you spray the pizza pan with nonstick cooking spray. Trust me!" Next, spoon the sauce onto the pie, and smooth it out evenly, before sprinkling on the shredded cheese. Lastly, add the assortment of veggies on top of the pizza.
Bake and drizzle with chili onion crisp
Bake the pizza in the preheated oven for 12 minutes. Then, remove it and drizzle the chili onion crisp on top. Carli tells us, "If you aren't familiar with chili onion crisp, it is an aromatic and fiery blend of fried onions, red chili peppers, and various savory spices, resulting in a rich and crispy texture." This condiment boasts layers of taste: the sweetness of the onions, the intense heat from the chili peppers, and the crispy texture adds a satisfying crunch to any dish, but especially to this pizza. While not overly spicy, if you are spice-averse, we'd recommend drizzling on less than recommended. You can always add more if you need it.
Allow the pizza to cool for at least 15 minutes, before slicing and serving.
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1 ½ cup warm water
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup marinara sauce
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ summer squash, thinly sliced
- ½ zucchini, thinly sliced
- ¼ eggplant, thinly sliced
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons chili onion crisp
- Make the dough by placing yeast, water, and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add the olive oil, salt, whole wheat flour, and all-purpose flour. Mix using the paddle attachment until combined.
- Using the dough hook attachment, continue to mix dough for about 5 minutes until a smooth ball forms.
- Remove the dough and transfer to an oiled bowl. Rotate the dough so that the entire ball is coated in oil. Place a kitchen towel over bowl and allow to rise for an hour.
- After an hour has elapsed, punch down the ball and remove from the bowl. Place the dough on a floured surface. Cut dough in half using a bench scraper and make two balls of dough. Let dough rest for about 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425 F and place pizza pan in oven to heat.
- Using a rolling pin, roll out one 12- to 14-inch round, placing on a large sheet of parchment paper. Save other dough ball for later use in freezer.
- Pour marinara sauce on outstretched dough and using a spoon, smooth out evenly.
- Add the shredded cheese all over top.
- Then, add the thinly sliced squash, zucchini, and eggplant on top. Next, add the halved cherry tomatoes.
- Bake in the oven for 12 minutes.
- Remove from oven and drizzle with chili onion crisp.
- Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes. Then, slice and serve.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 1,229 |
| Total Fat | 35.4 g |
| Saturated Fat | 13.0 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 59.1 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 191.6 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 22.4 g |
| Total Sugars | 23.5 g |
| Sodium | 1,793.2 mg |
| Protein | 45.4 g |
