Avocado Pesto Pizza Recipe & Avocado Holidays

August 18, 2024 at 4:55 pm · Filed under Food Holidays, Meatless Mondays, Pasta-Pizza, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetables-Salads-Herbs

Avocado Pesto Pizza Recipe
[1] Avocado pizza with homemade avocado pesto. The recipe is below (photos #1 and #5 © California Avocado Commission).

Avocados, Whole & Cut In Half
[2] Hass avocados (photo © Hass Avocado Board).

Avocado & Serrano Ham Pizza
[3] Avocado pizza with Serrano ham. The difference between Serrano and Prosciutto hams (photo © Avocados From Chile).

Grilled Pizza Topped With Avocado, Fig, & Prosciutto
[5] Grilled pizza with avocado, fig, and Prosciutto. Here’s the recipe.

[6] Check out these avocado toast recipes (photo of avocado toast with mashed black beans © Better Bean).

Grilled avocados on a cutting board
[5] Too many avocados? Put then on the grill or invite people for a DIY stuffed avocado bar (photo © California Avocado Commission).

This was California Avocado Commission’s #1 recipe last year. When we saw a sale on avocados recently, we knew that the time was right to make it.

And we can’t wait to make it again!

The recipe was created by Fresno-based Ashley Hankins, the author, photographer, and recipe developer for her vegan food blog, Eat Figs Not Pigs.

The recipe follows. But first:

CELEBRATE THESE AVOCADO HOLIDAYS

> February is National Avocado & Banana Month.

> March 23rd is National Chip & Dip Day (tortilla chips and guacamole).

> June is fresh vegetable month (but avocado is a actually a fruit, not a vegetable—see the footnote*).

> July 31st is National Avocado Day.

> September 16th is National Guacamole Day.

> October 1st is World Vegetarian Day.

> November 14th is National Spicy Guacamole Day.

Plus:

> February 9th is National Pizza Day.

> October is National Pizza Month.

MORE AVOCADO RECIPES

> 60 more avocado recipes.

> 50 more pizza recipes.

> How to ripen avocados quickly.

> How to freeze avocados.

> Avocado history

> Avocado Toast history

> Guacamole history

RECIPE: AVOCADO PESTO PIZZA

This vegan take on the classic pesto pizza is topped high with seasonal green veggies and California avocados. Great for Meatless Mondays!

Thanks to the California Avocado Commission for the recipe.

Ingredients For The Avocado Pesto

You can make this up to three days ahead of making the pizza.

1/2 cup olive oil, divided

2 large* ripe Hass avocados, seeded and peeled

2 cups fresh basil, loosely packed

1/2 cup pine nuts

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast (what’s nutritional yeast?)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

4 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes,

Ingredients For Pizza

12 ounces prepared pizza dough†, homemade or store bought

1 cup mozzarella†

3/4 cup Parmesan†, divided

1 large zucchini, cut into thin ribbons, divided

1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces, boiled and blanched

1 cup broccoli microgreens 1 ripe

Lemon wedges for juice

Garnish: ripe avocado, seeded, peeled and thinly sliced, with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent browning

Variations

*Large avocados are recommended for this recipe. A large avocado averages about 8 ounces. If using smaller or larger size avocados, adjust the quantity accordingly.

†Buy vegan substitutes as desired.

Add additional seasonal vegetables or proteins as toppings for a heartier meal.

Beverage Pairings

Citrusy iced tea (recipe)

Lemonade (check out these recipes)

Arnold Palmer (recipe: half lemonade, half iced tea)

Lemonade cocktails and mocktails (recipes

Iced tea 23 recipes

Shandy (recipe: half lemonade, half beer)

Sparkling water with citrus slices or infused water (recipe)

Still or sparkling water with True Citrus

Red & pink wines: Beaujolais, rosé

Sparkling wine: Cava, or Moscato d’Asti or other sparkling white wine

Spritz (half wine, half club soda/sparkling water)

White wine: Chardonnay, Grüner Veltliner, Muscadet, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Verdicchio, Vinho Verde

Preparation

1. MAKE the avocado pesto, up to 3 days before use. Add half of the olive oil and all remaining ingredients into a food processor. Pulse until smooth, adding the remaining olive oil in small increments until you reach your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt if necessary. Store in the fridge.

2. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F. Roll out dough on a clean, lightly floured surface to about 14 inches around. Transfer the rolled dough to a prepared baking sheet or pizza stone.

3. SPREAD 3/4 of the avocado pesto evenly onto the dough. Top evenly with the vegan and 2/3 of the Parmesan, half the zucchini, and all the asparagus.

4. PLACE the pizza in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the crust is a light golden-brown and the cheese is melty. Remove from the oven.

5. TOP the pizza with the remaining Parmesan and zucchini ribbons and the broccoli microgreens, and thinly sliced avocado.

6. SQUEEZE some fresh lemon juice onto the avocado, slice the pizza into even pieces and serve with the rest of the avocado pesto on the side.

________________

*The difference between fruits and vegetables: In botanical terms, a fruit is the part of a plant that develops from a flower and contains seeds. Avocados grow from the flower of the plant and contain seeds, making them a fruit by definition. But it’s just as easy to see them as the tree fruits that they are.

The avocado is classified as a single-seeded berry, as are the date, mango, avocado, and olive. Here’s why.

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