Gluten-Free Beet Pesto Pizza with Kale and Goat Cheese is a nutrient-dense healthier pizza recipe, packed with vitamins and flavor! This colorful superfood pizza is packed with antioxidants!
I knowโฆa vegetable-forward pizza may sound like a snooze, but heavens-ta-Betsy, itโs good.
We simply whip up our favorite pizza dough, pre-bake it, then slather it in my amazing superfood Roasted Beet Pesto sauce.
Topping the pizza with kale is our insurance policy and justification for eating the entire thing and using two cheeses instead of just one because we know how to party.
Due to the micronutrient density of kale and the pesto recipe, we can call this a healthy pizza, right? Right.
Speaking of two cheesesโฆ
The goat cheese. Have you ever eaten baked goat cheese?
Something magical โ nay, fantastical โ happens to goat cheese in the oven.
It gets an outer layer of crisp and becomes bombastic on the inside. There are no words to describe the magnanimity that is baked goat cheese.
It is truly a wish granting factory.
I use a gluten-free pizza dough for the crust because thatโs how I roll, but you can go with any kind of pizza dough, be it store-bought or homemade.
All of this to say, the fresh ingredients in this gluten-free pizza recipe bring us a flavorful, uplifting experience. Beets lift us up where we belong.
Letโs discuss the wholesome ingredients for this delicious gluten-free pizza.
Beet Pesto Pizza Ingredients:
Pizza Dough: Pick your favorite pizza dough and whip it up! You can make homemade pizza dough or buy pre-made pizza dough from the store.
I like using Bobโs Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix, but any store-bought or homemade crust will do. See more crust options below!
Beet Pesto: Rather than going with traditional red sauce or even traditional pesto sauce, weโre whipping up a superfood sauce using beets.
This sauce is comprised of red beets, garlic cloves, walnuts, olive oil, parmesan cheese, and lemon juice.
This combination of ingredients makes a rich, sweet and savory sauce that is perfect on anything from sandwiches to pizzas.
Fresh Kale: Because incorporating leafy greens into pizza is our ultimate excuse to go to town on it, we add fresh chopped kale leaves to the pizza.
Thereโs no need to sautรฉ them first, although you can if youโd like. You can use baby spinach or Swiss chard instead of kale, or leave out the leafy greens altogether.
Goat Cheese and Mozzarella Cheese: The combination of goat cheese and mozzarella cheese really makes a swoon-worthy pizza!
Itโs ultra creamy, tangy, and cheesy, with so much flavor your mouth will hardly know how to behave. Swap this cheese combo out for any of your favorite pizza cheeses.
Recipe Adaptations:
- Make my Beet Green Pesto using beet greens instead of roasted beets.
- Switch out the cheese for any of your favorites. Feta cheese and raw milk cheddar are great here too.
- Omit the kale or replace it with spinach or chard.
- Add any of your favorite pizza toppings, such as olives, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, etc.
Now that weโve covered the basic ingredients, letโs make this amazing homemade pizza recipe!
How to Make Beet Pesto Pizza:
Prepare the Roasted Beet Pesto and the pizza dough.
Chop the beet and wrap it in a foil packet. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, or until the beets are very soft when poked with a fork.
โAllow the beets to cool enough to handle. Once cool, remove them from the aluminum foil packet.
Transfer the cooked chopped beet to a food processor along with the rest of the sauce ingredients (walnuts, parmesan, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt and black pepper).
Process until a thick, smooth spreadable sauce forms. Taste the pesto for flavor and add more parmesan, lemon, or salt to your personal taste.
Preheat the oven to 415 degrees F.
Dust gluten-free flour (or cornmeal) on a baking sheet and press or roll the dough to desired thickness.
Bake the dough for 5 to 7 minutes with no toppings.
Remove the crust from the oven and spread the beet pesto over it.
Add the kale leaves, followed by the goat cheese and grated mozzarella.
Note: the kale will cook down in the oven so don’t be alarmed by its volume. If you’d like, give the pizza a drizzle of olive oil before baking it. This makes the crust extra crispy.
Bake pizza for 20 to 25 minutes or to desired crisp.
Allow pizza to cool 5 minutes before serving.
Store leftover pizza in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Looking for recommendations for pizza crusts? Iโve got your back when it comes to gluten-free and grain-free options.
Crust Options:
You can prepare your favorite pizza crust to be the caravan of this superfood pizza. Whip up an Almond Flour Pizza Crust , Cauliflower Pizza Crust , or even a Kale Pizza Crust.
I use Bobโs Red Millโs Gluten-Free Pizza Crust mix which is a real pleasure cruise given its simplicity.
If you donโt need the crust to be gluten-free, make Sallyโs Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe.
โPizza stone owners, now is a great time to utilize your pizza stone!
Love homemade pizza recipes? Also try out these gems.
More Pizza Recipes:
- Caramelized Onion Fig Ricotta Pizza
- Asparagus and Pancetta Pesto Pizza
- Prosciutto Artichoke Heart Sun-Dried Tomato Pizza with Pine Nuts
- Roasted Chicken and Mushroom Pesto Pizza
Put this bombastic pizza in your face trap!
Beet Pesto Pizza with Kale and Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 lb gluten-free pizza dough
- 1 cup beet pesto
- 2 cups kale leaves thinly sliced*
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese grated
- 2 to 4 ounces goat cheese to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the beet pesto and the pizza dough.
- Preheat the oven to 415 degrees F.
- Dust gluten-free flour (or cornmeal) on a baking sheet and press or roll the dough to desired thickness.
- Bake the dough for 5 to 7 minutes with no toppings.
- Remove the crust from the oven and spread the beet pesto over it. Add the kale leaves, followed by the goat cheese and mozzarella. Note: the kale will cook down in the oven.
- Bake pizza for 20 to 25 minutes or to desired crisp.
- Allow pizza to cool 5 minutes before serving.
OMG, this looks amazing and I REALLY love all the colour! I also love the beet pesto. Beautiful ๐
Thanks, Olivia! Let me know if you try one of the beet pestos. They’re seriously addicting ๐
That beet pesto, gah, I just… no words. Love it!
You’d love it, Abs! Let’s put it on our To-Make list when we eventually hang together! ๐
I love the combination of goat cheese and beets and you are correct—something magical happens to goat cheese when it is baked.
YES! What is that?! It’s like goat cheese becomes and entirely new specimen after it’s been baked. LOVE it.
Ooooweeeeee! This looks amazing. I adore goat cheese and beets. They are the perfect pair ๐ Really looking forward to your new book!!!
Thanks, love! I’m so glad to hear it you like the pizza and that you’re excited for the book!
Literally all I could think looking at this way, “Oh my god, yes, now, beets, YAY!” Thanks for sharing ๐
Wahoo!!! You got it, Kate!
This looks absolutely delicious and I LOVE Bob’s Red Mill GF pizza crust! That was the first GF pizza dough mix I’ve ever tried, and though my mom and I had our challenges, it turned out crazy yummy! Your’s is making me crave pizza again! ๐
http://caseythecollegeceliac.blogspot.com/2014/05/mastering-magic-of-gluten-free-baking.html
BRM GF Pizza crust lovers unite! I find I need to add a little more GF flour for kneading when I follow the instructions they put on the back. When you follow the instructions, you end up with a sticky dough, so I just dust the crap out of it with their gluten-free all-purpose flour, and it all works out magnificently ๐
Girl, I’m already slapped silly just by the pictures!! My saliva glands are crying to me right now. You should see the tears, it ain’t pretty.
I can’t wait to get my hands on your book and a slice of this pizza!!
Haha! I doubt you have un-pretty tears, but am so glad you like the pizza! And I’m thrilled you’re excited about my lil’ booklet, too!
For some reason I have always said that I don’t like beets, but you are making me wonder if I should rethink that opinion. ๐
Beets definitely aren’t for everyone, but I feel like there’s got to be a way of making them that pleases even the most beet-averse. Beet pesto is definitely great for those who can’t handle beets in their raw or roasted form. Also – beet chocolate cake…have you had it? Freaking amazing!
I’m all over the idea of a beetza (haaaa, get it???). I for some reason forget how much I love beets, and then go crazy and look for every possible way in the world to get them into my mouth. I sense one of those epidemics coming up!
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG Beetza! Why did I not thing of that?!!! You slay me, my dear!
This looks so good! I love the combo of beets and goat cheese! Delicious!
Thanks, Maria! Let me know if you try it ๐
I love, love beet pesto. It makes anything it touches look amazing! Plus baked goat cheese – I want this on my lunch plate!
Yahooooo! So happy to hear you’re a fellow beet pesto lover, Grace! I completely agree that it makes all foods wonderful. Can we eat baked goat cheese at every meal? Please and thank you.
Your roasted beet pesto is one of the most favourite thing in my life right now. I make it all the time. Beet pesto on pizza is definitely brilliant!!!
I could squeeeeeze you, Rebecca! I’m so happy you like the pesto. I feel like I need to make a quadruple batch and freeze it so that I can always have a constant supply. Glad you like the pizza ๐
Yay! I’m looking forward to your book being released!! Eat all the kale!! I think I’ll plan on wearing my kale t-shirt on that day. You know, to celebrate. I really know how to party! Let’s eat kale pizza!!
Oh, you just gave me a great idea with your kale t-shirt comment! Thank you! Thank you for the great idea you elicited ๐ Let’s do some kale-iiiiing!
Oh my this pizza looks amazing! I love kale and goat cheese on pizza, and now I’m intrigued by your beet pesto. I never would have thought of that myself! The color is just beautiful!
Thanks, Kristine! Let me know if you try the pesto and/or the pizza! If you like beets, I definitely recommend trying the pesto! It’s so tasty and lots of fun to spread on everything ever…or to just eat…with a spoon…or your finger…no judgements ๐
This might just be my favorite pizza ever! And I LOVE pizza! So obsessed with that gorgeous beet pesto!
Thanks so much, love!! The pesto really is a beaut, isn’t it? xoxo
Yes, yeah and yes!!! This looks awesome and I love all the color!
Oh Tiegs, I hope you try the beet pesto! I know you’re not a huge beet fan, but it’s a great Intro to Beets course! I promise ๐