Gluten-Free Plant Based Pizza Bianca with Mushrooms

If you’re not familiar with pizza Bianca (Italian) or white pizza, its basically pizza without tomato sauce. This recipe is made with a delicious gluten-free dough and a savory plant-based mozzarella plus a few of our favorite veggie toppings.

INGREDIENTS

For pizza dough

• 1 cup almond milk made with the NutraMilk (Warm) microwave for 30 sec or until its body temperature
• 1 tbsp. Sugar
• 2 ¼ tsp Instant yeast (1 packet)
• 2 cups All-purpose Gluten-Free flour + more for sprinkling (
• ½ cup Tapioca
• 1 pinch Sea salt
• ¼ cup Vegan butter (melted) 20 sec in microwave should not be much warmer than body temp)
• 1 tsp Apple cider vinegar

For vegan mozzarella

• ⅔ cup raw cashews
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 clove fresh garlic
• 3 tbsp. nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp. agar powder, this is the one I use (see Notes for replacement)
• 2 tbsp. tapioca starch
• 1½ tsp. sea salt, or to taste
• ⅓ cup refined coconut oil
• 1⅔ cups water

For the toppings

• 8 oz. mushrooms of choice, sliced (raw or previously sautéed)
• ½ red bell pepper, sliced (raw or previously sautéed)
• 1 small zucchini, sliced (raw or previously sautéed)
• green olives

For almond milk

• 1 cup (150g) almonds
• 1 quart (946ml) water

• 1/8 teaspoon Pink Himalayan salt (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS                                                                                           

• Start by making fresh almond milk with the NutraMilk:
• Place almonds in the NutraMilk container.
• Press Butter cycle, set for 7 minutes.
• Press Start.
• Add water and replace lid.
• Press Mix (do not change the default Mix time).
• Press Start.
• Press Dispense, open spigot and fill your container with almond milk.

• Set pizza stone or heavy baking sheet on lowest rack of oven, and preheat to 400°F.
• Mix milk, sugar, yeast and ½ cup of the flour and let sit for 10-15 minutes, to proof the yeast. It should look foamy.
• In an electric mixer bowl or by hand, mix flour, tapioca, salt. Then add melted butter, vinegar, and yeast mixture.
• Mix on low speed for 1 minute or until the dough comes together. It should be a little sticky to the touch but dry enough to knead. If it is too wet, add ¼ cup of flour at a time until it is dry enough to knead.
• Cover with a moist towel and leave it rise 20 minutes. Then with oiled hands knead it and cover again for 1 hr.
• Transfer half of the dough onto a piece of parchment paper that is just big enough to fit onto your baking sheet. Using floured rolling pin, spread dough into a 9-inch (approx. ¼ in. thick) round pizza and using your palms to shape the crust. You can either make the other half now or you can also freeze it.
• Bake for 7-9 minutes. Add toppings and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes. *see notes for topping ideas

For the cheese

• Add all the ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth.
• Pour out into a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. It will start to thicken — as it does, continue to stir very vigorously.
• As soon as it starts to bubble along the sides, set your timer for 2 minutes and keep stirring. After 2 minutes, remove from the heat. Pour into a bowl or ramekins. Cover and place in the fridge to set, about an hour. You can also use it while still hot. Keep covered until ready to use.

• For this recipe, we can use is hot after pre-baking dough for 7-9 minutes. Add cheese and toppings.

• Bake for 10 more minutes until dough is crispy. Enjoy!

Prepared and photographed by NutraMilk nutritionist, Florencia Tagliavini.

Recipe inspired by Bakerita & Happy as Yam.