Enjoy the BBQ vegetarian pizza recipe that's loaded with protein and flavor. This recipe is also gluten-free thanks to the homemade quinoa crust. A bit time-consuming to make, yet no one ever regrets it. Bon appetite!
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place pre-baked pizza crust on prepared baking sheet.
Stir chickpeas with BBQ sauce and spoon onto the crust, spreading in an even layer over the entire crust and almost to the edges.
Top chickpeas with diced sweet potato, corn, and red onion. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until onions are tender and pizza is hot throughout. Remove from oven and keep warm until ready to serve.
Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce:
While pizza is baking, prepare Creamy Cilantro Sauce. Place raw cashews and hemp hearts into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the chopping blade or into the jar of a blender.
Pulse to finely chop, but be careful not to overdo it or you’ll end up with cashew butter. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Stop and scrape down sides as needed. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use. (See recipe notes for a few helpful hints.)
To Serve:
To serve, cut hot pizza into 8 wedges, drizzle with Creamy Cilantro Sauce and top with a sprinkle of green onions and fresh cilantro.
Notes
Other fresh herbs can be substituted for the cilantro: parsley, mint, oregano and basil are all great substitutes.
Lemon juice or vinegar may be substituted for lime juice.
In this recipe, the raw cashews aren't soaked in water first. However, it can make the sauce a bit more creamy and easy to blend. To presoak the cashews, place them in a bowl of water and allow them to sit for 30 minutes or up to overnight. Drain off soaking water and rinse well, then place in blender with remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
You can control the spice and flavor of BBQ sauce, so pick your favorite!