Pesto pizza is a healthy alternative to traditional pizza, with a crust covered in green pesto sauce and a range of toppings. Pesto can be made with various ingredients, including basil, pine nuts, and parmesan, or cilantro, spinach, kale, or broad beans. Making pesto is simple with a food processor or blender. To create a low-calorie version, use less olive oil and leave out the cheese. Each ingredient offers health benefits, such as improving heart health, managing blood sugar, and fighting cancer.
For people who love new twists on old favorites, pesto pizza can be a healthy, vitamin- and mineral-packed option. Generally, pesto pizza is a pizza crust with green pesto sauce used as a substitute for red tomato sauce. Just like traditional pizza, a range of toppings can be used, and the pizza is typically topped with mozzarella, feta cheese, or a combination of both. A popular form of pesto pizza uses basil, pine nuts, and parmesan to create the pesto. Other pesto variations might include cilantro, spinach, kale or broad beans, as well as almonds or walnuts.
Making pesto for pesto pizza is a simple process, as long as the chef has a food processor or blender. To make traditional basil pesto, 25-30 fresh basil leaves are placed in the food processor with 2-3 tablespoons (about 28.6-42.9 grams) of pine nuts and parmesan. For a more smoky flavor, the pine nuts can also be toasted. 3 tablespoons (about 42.9 grams) to 1/2 cup (about 113.4 grams) of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper can also be added to the dough. At that time, the mixture is mixed or blended until it is smooth, like a sauce.
After making the pesto, pesto pizza can be created similar to traditional pizza. Basically, the crust is covered with pesto. Seasonings can then be added. Among the most popular pesto pizza toppings are tomatoes, artichokes, broccoli, olives, mushrooms, onions, and cooked chicken. In most cases, sliced or sliced mozzarella is also used. In some cases, feta cheese can be used as a substitute for mozzarella. The pesto pizza is then baked in an oven, preheated to 450°F (about 232.2°C), for about 10 to 12 minutes.
While a combination of basil, pine nuts, and Parmesan may be the most common type of pesto that’s used for pesto pizza, there are many different variations. For example, instead of fresh basil, other fresh ingredients can be used, such as coriander, spinach, kale or broad beans. Also, walnuts or almonds can be used instead of pine nuts. Some types of pesto leave out the cheese and add a spiced jalapeno instead for extra flavoring.
To create the lowest-calorie pesto pizza, it’s best to make the pesto using less olive oil and leaving out the cheese. Each ingredient offers many health benefits. Basil, for example, is an antibacterial and is also believed to improve heart health. Similarly, cilantro is thought to manage blood sugar and control cholesterol, and spinach and kale are both considered cancer-fighting and bone-strengthening superfoods.
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