This basil pizza is packed with flavor: buttery crunch from the cashews, smoky spiciness from the veggie sausage, and refreshing zing from the basil, and it's all vegetarian!
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👩🏻🍳 Why You'll Love Basil Pizza
This unique yummy pizza is the perfect recipe for a pizza night if you're looking to save money and go a healthier route with your dinner. Using a premade crust makes for super easy prep, and if you use a veggie sausage like the one from Morningstar Farms, that makes this a recipe for vegetarian pizza!
All of these flavors work together so deliciously you won't even miss ordering out!
🥘 Ingredients Needed
- pizza shell - I like to use a pre-made crust, but you could also use your favorite pizza dough if you prefer.
- pizza sauce - a pizza staple.
- shredded mozzarella and cheddar - using two types of cheese broadens the flavors of your pizza.
- cooked sausage - for this basil pizza I used veggie sausage to keep it vegetarian.
- roasted cashews - add a delicious crunch and a smooth buttery flavor.
- fresh basil leaves - a refreshing addition to any pizza, but pairs great with all of the flavors in this one!
🔪 Instructions
- Roll out your pizza dough or prepare your shell and place on a pizza stone or a baking sheet. Spoon the sauce over the dough and make sure to spread it evenly.
- Top with both kinds of cheese.
- Add the sausage, cashews, and basil leaves.
- Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes, then enjoy!
👪 FAQs
Yes, basil is a fantastic topping for pizza!
In order to get the most basil flavor, I recommend topping the pizza with basil both before and after baking.
One way to prevent your basil from getting too toasty while the pizza bakes is to place it underneath the cheese. This will protect it from some of the heat and make it less likely to burn.
Sweet basil is typically what tastes best on a basil pizza like this one!
Layer basil leaves in damp paper towels inside a plastic bag and place in the refrigerator. If your basil leaves are still on stalks, place them in a glass of water, then loosely drape a plastic bag over it, and secure with a rubber band. Then place it in the refrigerator. Replace the water every day, and they should stay fresh for about a week.
💭 Top Tips
- If you have leftover pizza, wrap it in foil or plastic or store in a plastic bag, then place in the fridge. It should last 3-4 days.
- To reheat, either put your pizza in the microwave for about a minute, or pop it in the oven (or a toaster oven) to bring it back up to temperature.
- Need to make your pizza ahead of time? Assemble the pizza, and then cover with foil or plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake.
- When you remove your pizza from the oven, let it cool for a few minutes before cutting it into slices so that the cheese doesn't slide right off or clump all in once place.
- For best results, use a pizza stone or place your pizza shell directly on the rack. I also like to use a pizza pan with a perforated surface for perfectly crispy crust!
This recipe for vegetarian pizza is the perfect way to cut spending on pizza night and also add some nutrition! Basil on pizza is refreshing and delicious!
📖 Variations
- There are a number of vegetables that would be great additions to this pizza. Broccoli and bell peppers would crisp up nicely.
- For extra cheesy taste, sprinkle some Parmesan cheese or fresh mozzarella on top of the pizza fresh out of the oven.
- Some other delicious toppings to add would be garlic salt or red pepper flakes.
- Instead of sausage, try veggie pepperoni or veggie beef crumbles.
🥗 Suggested Side Dishes
Here are some ideas for side dishes to serve with your pizza!
🍞 Additional Pizza Recipes
For more pizza topping ideas, check out these recipes!
Recipe for Vegetarian Pizza
Love this recipe? Awesome! Please give it a 5 star ⭐ rating below! And if you make this, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram. You can find me at DizzyBusyandHungry or #dizzybusyandhungry!
📋 Recipe Card
Easy Vegetarian Sausage Basil Pizza
Ingredients
- 14 ounces whole wheat pizza dough (I used store-bought)
- Flour
- ⅓ cup pizza sauce
- 1 cup mozzarella
- ½ cup shredded cheddar
- ½ cup cooked sausage (crumbled, you can use any kind, I used Morningstar Farms veggie sausage)
- ½ cup roasted cashews
- 10-15 small basil leaves (or more, if you like a lot of basil)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees Celsius).
- Roll out dough to about 16 inches in diameter. Use a little flour to keep it from sticking.14 ounces whole wheat pizza dough, Flour
- Place the pizza on a pizza baking sheet or pizza stone.
- Spoon the sauce over the dough and distribute evenly.⅓ cup pizza sauce
- Top with mozzarella and shredded cheddar.1 cup mozzarella, ½ cup shredded cheddar
- Distribute sausage, cashews, and basil leaves.½ cup cooked sausage, ½ cup roasted cashews, 10-15 small basil leaves
- Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Notes
- Store leftover pizza in the fridge for 3-4 days. Plastic wrap, foil, or a sealable bag are all good storage options.
- Reheat cold pizza in the microwave or the oven at 350 degrees F for 5-10 minutes.
- Best way to store basil until you are ready to use it: Layer the basil leaves in damp paper towels inside a plastic bag and place in the refrigerator. OR, if your basil leaves are still on stalks, place them in a glass of water, then loosely drape a plastic bag over them and secure with a rubber band. Place the glass in the refrigerator. Replace the water every day, and the stalks should stay fresh for about a week.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
Update Notes: This post was originally published in January 2014, but was republished with tips, step by step photos, and a recipe change in January 2021.
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Happy cooking!
Jenn
Hi Kristen! I'd love an invitation to the Rockin' Round-ups board on Pinterest. My username is jyoung434. Thanks!!
Kristin King
I invited you! Let me know if you didn't get the invite! 🙂
Stephanie Pass
My son is a cashew freak. He would love this!!
Kristin King
Thanks, Stephanie!
Joanna Sormunen
I love cashews but I would never thought to add them to a pizza. I can see how they would be great together though. I will be saving this recepy for later on. Thank you for sharing.
Kristin King
Thanks, Joanna! I hope you like it!
Margaret
This sounds really, really, good and I want to try it for dinner. But, Kristin I started my diet and I'm determined that it last longer than a week. It is so hard to blog and diet. I am pinning this for later because I adore cashews. Thanks for the recipe.
Kristin King
I totally relate, Margaret, it is REALLY hard to blog and diet. And now that I am thinking of Valentine's Day sweets to make, it is getting even harder! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and hope you have a great day!
Lucy
So clever! I would have never thought to do this!! I will head over and check out the recipes.
Kristin King
Thanks, Lucy! 🙂
DeDe@DesignedDecor
Interesting combination. I will have to try the cashews on our next pizza!
Kristin King
Thanks DeDe! I hope you like it!
Emily
wow, that sounds like such an interesting combination... how did you ever come up with that? :o) Emily
Kristin King
Emily, I think I was just trying to come up with some interesting things to put on pizza, and cashews are one of my favorite snacks, so I decided to try them together. Yum! Now if they could just come up with cashews that are lower in fat and calories so I can put even MORE of them on my pizza, that would be awesome! 🙂
Anyonita
Oh, man, cashews are my number one snack food! 🙂 I LOVE the idea of using them in a pizza, Kristin! Might have to see about making this sometime soon 🙂
Kristin King
Thanks, Anyonita! Enjoy! 🙂
Elizabeth
I would have never come up with this combination but it sounds amazing!
Kristin King
Thanks, Elizabeth! We really did enjoy it!
Edward Antrobus
I would have never thought to put nuts on a pizza.
Kristin King
Thanks! I love the idea of combining my favorite snack with one of my favorite dinners! 🙂