We don't usually keep faux meats in our house. 
It's not because we don't like them. I don't have anything against them either. We just usually prefer whole food ingredients. During our transition into veganism, however, we relied on faux meats pretty heavily. I think they're great for a quick, convenient meal and totally perfect for satisfying any cravings a new vegan might have. 
We actually usually buy Trader Joe's chickenless wings for the twins on occasion when I know I'll be testing a recipe they probably won't be into. Lately, though, I've been getting Beyond Meat's vegan chicken strips for them and they love them! 
Chris and I have tried them a few times as well and really liked them too but like I said, I don't usually buy such things just for Chris and I. We did try their new vegan ground beef at Expo West over the weekend and also had pepperbellies from their food truck. They were easily one of our favorites from the weekend and by far had the best branding/marketing but I'll have more on Expo West in an upcoming post. 
About a month ago, Beyond Meat was at Whole Foods, giving out samples and coupons. I took a coupon and it's been burning a hole in my purse ever since. Last week, when I was buying ingredients for this artichoke pesto pizza I'd been craving, I walked by the Beyond Meat display and remembered the coupon in my purse. Suddenly, nothing sounded better than adding chunks of their grilled chicken strips to my pizza. Yada, yada, yada, I don't have that coupon anymore and this pizza came to be. 
I don't know what I love about this pizza the most. How scrumptious it was? How the flavors all blended so well? How quick and easy it was to make? I just used leftover pizza dough from a pizza I'd made for the book but you could use storebought dough or make this recipe (or another recipe) in advance. The pesto comes together in seconds with some spinach that only had a day or 2 of life left, some fresh basil, and cashews. The artichoke quarters were canned so they just needed a quick rinse before they were ready to go on and the Beyond Meat chicken and sun-dried tomatoes were ready to go out of the package. As an afterthought, I sprinkled some leftover Pecan Parmesan over the pizza before I shut the oven door. 
When it emerged from the oven just as Chris walked in the door, the aroma was heavenly. It was perfect for a very long, hectic day (for both of us) when all we wanted to do was collapse, eat pizza, and watch something silly (We're loving Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. The Louis CK episode in particular gave us stomach pains from laughing so hard). 
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup cashews
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves
- 1 packed cup of baby spinach
- 1 packed cup of basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable broth
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 recipe pizza dough (or other pizza dough recipe or storebought)
- 6 to 8 strips of Beyond Meat chicken strips, chopped into 4 pieces each (or substitute 8-ounces of sauteed sliced mushrooms)
- 4 to 4 artichoke hearts, cut into quarters
- 1/4 cup softened sliced sun-dried tomatoes
- a sprinkling of Pecan Parmesan, optional
Instructions
- Combine all of the pesto ingredients except for the vegetable broth, salt, and pepper in a food processor and process until combined. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of vegetable broth to thin it out to your desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill until ready to use.
- Preheat your oven to 475 F and if using a pizza stone, place it in the oven while it preheats. If using a pizza pan of baking sheet, sprinkle a little bit of flour on the pan/sheet you plan to use. Set aside.
- Roll out the dough on a floured surface until it is no less than 1/4 inch thick. Spread the pesto on the dough, leaving room around the edge for a crust. Top with Beyond Meat chicken pieces (or mushrooms, if using) artichoke hearts, and sun-dried tomatoes. Sprinkle the pecan parmesan, if using. Transfer the pizza to the prepared pan or to the stone in the oven. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the crust has risen and is golden. Remove from the oven, slice, and serve. Enjoy!
Congratulations to Abby Lawrence, the winner of the Oh She Glows Cookbook giveaway! Thank you to all who entered! Disclaimer: I was not asked by Beyond Meat to write this post. I just really like their product.
Do you eat faux meats? Which ones are your favorites?
Photography by Chris Miller
Emma
What a perfect looking pizza! I'm crazy for artichokes AND sundried tomatoes AND pesto so this is made for me!
I'd happily skip the faux meat. I've never really tried any, despite having been vegan for 4 years now. We don't have the range that you do stateside and the products I've seen here all contain palm oil and other suspect ingredients. I am definitely curious as to how they taste though!
Sasha
Yum! Artichoke hearts are one of my absolute favourite pizza toppings. I usually use hummus for sauce on my pizzas (I don't like tomato sauce), but I definitely need to try pesto again soon. Or maybe pesto hummus 🙂
I relied quite a bit on faux meats when I first went vegan, especially when I was still sharing a kitchen with a family of omnivores. Now, I try to focus more on whole foods. We don't have as much variety here, but I love Gardein once in awhile, especially the chipotle lime chick'n fingers. So good!
Richa
looks so good! the other day we were at whole foods and someone behind me shrieked! coz there was someone giving out free samples of eat pastry cookie dough. she was like sam come here this is #$%$# vegan, no egg! and she picked up 4 containers ... only at whole foods 🙂
Sarah
Thanks for all of your delicious recipes! My husband and I also love Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. My fave is the one with Michael Richards 🙂
Sarojini
Know what you mean about faux meat; but we do keep some for our teenagers as they love to raid the kitchen between meals or take food out with them... this looks like my kind of pizza! But the kids don't like artichoke hearts so maybe I'd cook this and let them have veggie sausages on their pizza. Thanks yet again for a lovely recipe 🙂
sarah@thesweetlife
I have the hardest time photographing pizza but you and Chris make it look easy! I enjoy beyond meat sometimes. I have a similar pizza recipe with cashew Alfredo sauce I like it with but sometimes I feel like it tastes too real for me. Looking forward to hearing about expo West!
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
I don't usually like to rely on faux meats either, but for this pizza, I can make an exception! : ) p.s. These pictures are beautiful, as usual!
Gabby @ the veggie nook
I love Comedians in Cars so of course I am not surprised that you do too! But somehow the Louis CK episode has eluded me. I don't know how this happened because Louis CK has a direct line to my funny bone. Have you seen is show Louis? Oh the hilarity!
Now onto this pizza- I am in the same camp as you, don't usually buy faux meat because I prefer whole foods. But every now and then I eat it, mostly at this one restaurant in Toronto that does unreal things with faux chicken (Utopia if you ever visit...hint hint). So I would definitely be game for a slice of this deliciousness!
Hanna
I just found your blog. . .via twitter, and I love the look of that, I've recently gone off "faux" meats, although I do love tofu. . but that probably doesn't count as a faux meat right? I just think I use it as one!
Amy @ parsley in my teeth
I love thin crust pizza and this one looks perfect!
Katie @ Produce on Parade
Dannnnng. This is right up my alley! Yumm! I also love Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. So funny!
Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen
Pesto Pizza is one of my favourites and I love that you made it using artichoke hearts and sundried tomatoes -- this sounds like the best flavour combo ever for on a pizza!! Can't wait to try this beautiful recipe! Thx!! Pinned!
Beyond Meat
Holy moly Kristy and Chris - this pizza looks crazy CRAZY good.
Thanks so much for including us in this awesome recipe and we're glad that you got to give our Beyond Beef a try from the Beyond Meat Truck at Expo.
Would you mind shooting us a quick email to eharlan@beyondmeat.com. Would like to give you a little somethin as our way of saying thanks for the support!
Alicia@ eco friendly homemaking
Oh this pizza looks so delicious!!
Heather
I am split, Justin like faux meat and I can take it or leave it, but once in a while I do get a craving for "beef" stew and gardein totally makes it yum!
Kristen Parks
This is my oven right now. It's actually the first time I've made pizza by myself! I didn't know how to transfer the pizza from my counter into the oven, so I called my bf and he said to put cornstarch on the bottom--which helped it slide right into the oven. Phew.