Pizza with Plant-based Walnut Sausage
Restaurant Associates
New York City
Several manufacturers now produce plant-based sausage, but at Restaurant Associates’ locations, the kitchen makes their own from scratch. Walnuts and cannellini beans are the base for the vegan version, and the mixture is spiced with Italian seasoning, fennel, garlic and onion powder and smoked paprika to mimic the pork-based Italian-style sausages. This plant-based sausage is not put into casings; it’s more of a crumble that is scattered over the top of the pizza and baked.
Ingredients
Walnut sausage crumble
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 tbsp. coconut aminos
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. fennel seed
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. celery salt
Pizza
1 lb. pizza dough
6 tbsp. red pizza sauce
6 tbsp. pesto
2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Walnut sausage crumble, divided (recipe above)
1/4 cup sliced cherry tomatoes
Fresh basil leaves
Shaved Parmesan cheese
Steps
- In a food processor, combine all ingredients for walnut sausage crumble; pulse to a sausage-like consistency.
- For pizza, preheat oven to 500 F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide dough into 4 pieces and roll each out into a thin oval; place on baking sheets.
- Spread 2 dough pieces with red sauce and top with equal amounts of red sauce, half the cheese and half the sausage crumble.
- Spread the other dough pieces with pesto, remaining cheese, remaining sausage crumble and tomatoes.
- Bake for 8 minutes or until pizzas are golden brown on the edges. Garnish with basil leaves and shaved Parmesan.
Photograph courtesy of California Walnuts