Vegan Zucchini Pizza Bites Recipe
Updated on March 10, 2023
Eating all the pizza you could want with zero guilt. Is this heaven? No, this is Zucchini Pizza. I love to make these delicious pizza bites, and now with zucchini season in full swing, it makes it easier than ever. These adorable and mouth watering bite-sized pizzas are made with whole food ingredients but still have all the flavor of pizza. They are richly cheesy, have a robust tomato sauce, and are topped with fresh basil for an Italian trifecta of flavors.
Now might be a good time to mention, these pizzas are also cheese-less. Wait. Don’t you hit that red X yet. I am willing to bet that you won’t miss the cheese. A lofty bet, but one I am willing to make.
Why? You ask. Because this Hemp and Cashew Mozzarella cheese is outta this world. I dream about this stuff. It is ridiculously creamy, packed with flavor, rich, and healthy. It even browns and bubbles in the oven, forming a delicious golden brown crust on top. Is your mouth watering yet?
I love pizza, but I also love nourishing my body. These pizzas are where the two worlds meet in the best possible way. You can have the flavor of pizza in a paleo, vegan, vegetarian, grain-free, dairy-free, egg-free, bite. Whether you have a food allergy, eat in accordance with one of the afore mentioned diets, or just want to eat ALL THE PIZZA without the guilt. These bites are for you. You are my people.
Tips for amazing Zucchini Pizza Bites:
Tip #1: Buy the right zucchini.
For this recipe, any zucchini will work, but for the best results I recommend buying the short and stocky zucchini variety that is nearly round. This makes for larger and more substantial pizza bites.
Tip #2: Salt that zucchini.
Zucchini is a whopping 95 water. For perfect pizzas, we need to remove some of that water before baking. Skipping this step results in soggy pizza and pools of zucchini water. Not what we want to go for here. Be sure to salt the zucchini according to the directions even if you’re tempted to skip it. This is a make or break step.
Tip #3: Aim for golden brown.
Whatever you do, get a golden crust on that cheese. It is a game-changing life-altering delicious crust that you need in your life. If your cheese is still white after the designated baking time, broil these bites until the crust developed. While broiling, be sure to check the bites often so they don’t burn.
Ingredients you’ll need to prepare Zucchini Pizza Bites:
Ingredients For the pizza sauce:
- 1 (15)oz. can tomato sauce
- 1 (6)oz. can tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Pinch pepper
Ingredients For the cheese:
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for 4 hours
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon mellow white miso
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup hemp hearts
- 2 large round zucchini
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 fresh basil, cut into thin strips
Directions step by step to prepare the homemade pizza:
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Slice the zucchini into thin rounds. Line a sheet tray with paper towels and place the cut zucchini on top in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and let sit for 30 minutes. Pat the zucchini dry to remove excess moisture.
- Combine all of the pizza sauce ingredients together and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and set aside.
- Add all of the cheese ingredients except the hemp hearts into a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Transfer to a bowl and stir in the hemp hearts.
- Line a baking sheet with nonstick aluminum foil. Place the zucchini rounds on the baking sheet. Spoon on the pizza sauce and spread it around.
- Add dollops of the cheese, tomatoes, and basil.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese begins to turn golden brown.
Vegan Zucchini Pizza Bites Recipe
These adorable and mouth watering bite-sized pizzas are made with whole food ingredients but still have all the flavor of pizza. They are richly cheesy, have a robust tomato sauce, and are topped with fresh basil for an Italian trifecta of flavors.
Ingredients
- 1 (15)oz. can tomato sauce
- 1 (6)oz. can tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Pinch pepper
Ingredients for the cheese:
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for 4 hours
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon mellow white miso
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup hemp hearts
- 2 large round zucchini
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 fresh basil, cut into thin strips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Slice the zucchini into thin rounds. Line a sheet tray with paper towels and place the cut zucchini on top in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and let sit for 30 minutes. Pat the zucchini dry to remove excess moisture.
- Combine all of the pizza sauce ingredients together and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and set aside.
- Add all of the cheese ingredients except the hemp hearts into a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Transfer to a bowl and stir in the hemp hearts.
- Line a baking sheet with nonstick aluminum foil. Place the zucchini rounds on the baking sheet. Spoon on the pizza sauce and spread it around.
- Add dollops of the cheese, tomatoes, and basil.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese begins to turn golden brown.