Vegan White Pizza with Asparagus and Arugula

Here’s a lovely, light vegan white pizza with asparagus and arugula that features fresh vegetables and sun-dried tomatoes atop a creamy base made of silken tofu.

It’s the perfect pizza for a springtime meal, but since asparagus has gotten to be more of a year-round vegetable, you can enjoy it any time.

What to serve with vegan white pizza: All you need to complete this meal is a simple salad of lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, bell peppers. Avocado is a nice option. Toss in some chickpeas for extra protein.

This recipe makes 4 to 6 slices, so if you’re feeding a hungry group, it’s easy to double the recipe.

Ingredients for Vegan White Pizza with Asparagus and Arugula

• Asparagus, fresh (12 medium-thick spears)
• Garlic, fresh
• Silken tofu, 12.3-ounce package firm or extra-firm
• Salt
• Pizza crust, 12- to 14-inch, preferably whole-grain
• Mozzarella-style vegan cheese shreds
• Sun-dried tomatoes (oil-cured or not, as you prefer)
• Baby arugula

Some Asparagus Tips (excuse the pun!)

• Slender asparagus is often seen in spring, but too slender, as mentioned in the recipe, isn’t a good thing. You want stalks that are succulent, or you’ll just be getting a lot of skin and little flavor. 
• Choose bundles with firm spears; the tips should be closed, plump and green.
• Avoid bundles whose ends look withered — a sure sign that they’re past their peak.

STORAGE

• If you won’t be using the asparagus right away (though you should use it within a day or two of buying), wrap the ends of the stalks with a damp paper towel and put them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
• You can also stand asparagus spears upright in a glass filled with 2 to 3 inches of cool water. That’s even better! 

WHEN YOU’RE READY TO USE IT

• Wash the asparagus stalks, then cut about an inch off the stem ends.
• If the skin looks tough toward the stem end, peel about half of the stalks toward the stem end with a vegetable peeler. This isn’t a lot of fun to do, but your finished dish will be that much better for it!
• If steaming briefly to use in a cold asparagus recipe like this one, make sure to rinse the asparagus under cold running water after it steams to a nice bright green, to stop the cooking process.

Recipe is from Vegan Express by Nava Atlas. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky, BittersweetBlog.com.

Explore more:

• Creative Vegan Pizza Recipes
• Vegan Silken Tofu Recipes
• Delectable Vegan Asparagus Recipes
• A Guide to Arugula, With Easy, Tasty Recipes

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Yield: 6 slices

Vegan White Pizza with Asparagus and Arugula

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Here’s a lovely, light vegan white pizza with asparagus and arugula that features fresh vegetables and sun-dried tomatoes atop a creamy base made of silken tofu.  This pizza goes down easy, so if you're feeding a hungry group, double the recipe.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 2 minutes

Total Time 32 minutes

Ingredients

• 12 asparagus spears (medium thickness; not skinny)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 12.3-ounce package firm or extra-firm silken tofu
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12- to 14-inch prepared pizza crust
• 1 cup mozzarella-style vegan cheese shreds
• 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes (oil-cured or not, see Note), cut into strips
• A big handful of baby arugula

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425º F.
2. Trim about an inch from the bottom of the asparagus spears. Scrape the bottom halves if you’d like, if the skin looks tough. Cut the spears into 1-inch pieces.
3. Steam the asparagus and garlic with a little water in a covered skillet until bright green and just barely tender-crisp. Drain well.
4. Puree the tofu with the salt in a food processor or with an immersion blender and its container. 
5. Place the crust on a baking sheet or a pizza stone. Spread the tofu puree evenly over the surface of the crust. Follow with the cheese shreds.
6. Scatter the asparagus evenly over the surface of the pizza, followed by the dried tomatoes. 
7. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Scatter the arugula over the surface and bake for another minute or so, until it wilts. 
8. Remove from the oven, let stand for a minute or two, then cut into 6 slices and serve.

Notes

If using sun-dried tomatoes that aren’t oil-cured, make sure they’re nice and moist. If they’re a bit leathery, soak in hot water for a few minutes, then drain.

See more irresistible vegan pizza recipes.