Veggie Naan Bread Pizza with Pesto

Veggie Naan Bread Pizza with Pesto is the perfect simple appetizer or light summer dinner. Made with pre-made naan bread, this crispy pizza comes together in less than 10 minutes and uses the best summer produce!    In the mood for more summer dishes? Try this Herby Lemon Orzo Salad with Roasted Vegetables or this Easy Watermelon Salsa with Kiwi and Mint or these Easy Melon Caprese Skewers with Crispy Prosciutto! These dishes use the best fruit and vegetables of the summer!   Aside from the warm weather and sunny skies, the best part of summer to me is the fresh produce. I love eating what is fresh and in season. It is even better when you can grow it yourself! This naan bread pizza combines the best of summer produce, tomatoes, zucchini and corn, with fresh pesto and ricotta cheese. It is the perfect quick and easy appetizer or a light dinner to pair with a salad.

 

Veggie Naan Bread Pizza with Pesto Details

Level of Difficulty: Easy! This naan bread pizza comes together quickly using pre-made naan bread. Chop and sauté your veggies. Then, dress and bake your pizza. That is it! This easy appetizer or light dinner can be made in about 20 minutes from chop to finish. Time: From start to finish, this pizza can be made in 20 minutes. That includes prep time (chopping veggies), stove time for the veggies, pre-baking the naan bread and then baking the naan bread pizza. Flavor: Fresh! Basil is a prominent flavor in this pizza. The basil shines in the pesto and then again on top of the pizza. The ricotta cheese and fresh corn give the naan bread pizza a slightly sweet taste. The zucchini and the tomatoes give the pizza some tang and substance.  

Ingredients and Substitutions

Naan Bread: Substitute a pre-made flatbread or pizza dough for naan bread. Note, the cook time will vary when using a different base. If you are looking for a homemade naan bread, try this paleo flatbread!  Extra Virgin Olive Oil Pesto: I recommend using a homemade pesto. Try this delicious homemade pesto from my friend Giangi! If using a store-bought pesto, use a high quality pesto and be sure to check that the pesto uses basil. Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese: Substitute a part skim ricotta cheese or use fresh mozzarella cheese slices. Mixed Vegetables: I use a mix of sliced zucchini, fresh corn and cherry tomatoes. Use the vegetables that are fresh in your area. Yellow squash, cauliflower and mushrooms would be delicious on this flatbread. Fresh Basil: Substitute dried basil or use fresh oregano or rosemary. Fresh Rosemary: Substitute dried rosemary or use fresh chopped oregano.    

How to make Veggie Naan Bread Pizza with Pesto

1. Pre-bake the naan bread. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place naan bread directly on stove grates and cook for 3 minutes.
2. Sauté the vegetables. Heat a sauté pan over medium high heat. Add Extra Virgin Olive Oil to pan and heat. Add zucchini, corn and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until tomatoes are blistered and corn is slightly charred.
3. Assemble the pizza. Start by spraying the pizza crust with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Sprinkle chopped rosemary on crust. Spread pesto onto pizza. Spoon dollops of ricotta cheese on top of pesto. Add vegetables to pizza.
4. Bake pizza. Bake for 5-8 minutes. Pizza is done when edges begin to brown and ricotta cheese begins to spread.
5. Add toppings. Sprinkle with chopped basil and add any additional toppings. Serve hot or cold.

Expert Tips

• Use homemade pesto! The pesto makes this pizza. Using pesto made with fresh herbs will take this naan bread pizza to the next level. Here is another homemade pesto recipe made with pistachios!
• Pre-bake your naan bread! Pre-baking your naan bread will keep it from becoming soggy.
• Slice into handheld pieces to make a quick and easy appetizer!
• Cook veggies ahead of time. This pizza with naan bread cooks quickly in the oven. So quickly that it will not cook your veggies. Be sure to cook your veggies until they are tender before putting them on top of the pizza. The veggies will continue to cook in the oven.
• Dress up your crust! Add some EVOO and fresh herbs to your pizza crust. The EVOO will add a crispness to the crust and the fresh herbs will add extra flavor the base.

 

FAQ

• Is naan bread vegan? Traditionally, naan bread is not vegan as it can include butter, ghee or even eggs. This naan bread is not vegan and the toppings are not vegan friendly.
• How do you keep the naan bread from getting soggy? To prevent the naan bread from becoming soggy, prebake your naan bread. By prebaking the naan bread, the bread becomes crispy before adding the wet ingredients. This prevents the naan bread from becoming watered down and soggy.
• What toppings can I use on my pizza with naan bread? You can use any toppings when using naan bread as a pizza base. Use pizza sauce with cheese to make a traditional pizza. Or use a white sauce with your favorite veggies and cheese to customize your pizza.
• What should I serve my naan bread pizza with? Serve your naan bread pizza with a side salad for a light and healthy dinner. Or serve the naan pizza sliced as an easy entertaining appetizer.

    Looking for another easy flatbread? Try this Greek Veggie Flatbread!   If you make this Veggie Naan Bread Pizza with Pesto, please leave a comment and tag @delmarvaliciousdishes!

📖 Recipe