Vegetarian Taco Pizza
Author: 
Serves: 8
 
Ingredients
  • Crust Ingredients or other homemade/premade crust to meet dietary restrictions or preferences
  • 1 ½ c warm water (not hot to the touch)
  • 4 tsp active dry yeast, typically 2 packages
  • 2 tsp granulated sugar, honey, or agave (no sugar free substitutions)
  • 3 c white whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp vial wheat gluten
  • Pizza Toppings
  • 15 oz can Mexican stewed tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
  • 15 oz can refried beans (vegetarian or fat free)
  • TVP taco meat (or about 1 ½ - 2 c preferred taco meat)
  • ½ – ¾ c cheddar cheese (see note for vegan pizza)
  • Taco seasoning and garlic powder, optional
  • Lettuce, sour cream, taco sauce, olives, etc for topping
Instructions
  1. (Skip to Topping and baking if using pre-made or homemade crust) Mix warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let sit 5 minutes until foamy (if it doesn’t get foamy, your yeast was dead or your water was too hot)
  2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, salt, and wheat gluten.
  3. Using a stand mixer with a dough hook (or a lot of elbow grease!) slowly add the yeast mixture to the flour and stir until it forms a ball. Add additional water one tablespoon at a time, if necessary, to incorporate any flour remaining in the bottom of the bowl or extra flour if the dough is very sticky. You may need to knead by hand to incorporate all of the flour.
  4. Using the hook on a low setting or kneading by hand, knead for 5 minutes. I typically split the time between hand and hook.
  5. Cut the dough in half. Wrap one half in plastic and place in either the refrigerator or freezer– use this to make pizza later, cinnamon rolls, or other pastries (more recipes to come), simply thaw to room temp and then let rise.
  6. Spritz the dough with nonstick spray or a dizzle of olive oile and cover. Let rise for approximately 1 hour, until doubled in size.
  7. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400ºF and prepare a baking sheet with nonstick spray or heat a pizza stone.
  8. *If using other homemade or frozen dough, start here* Roll the dough out into a 14 x 14” square or approximately 14” circle. Pinch the edges to create the crust – spritz with nonstick spray and lightly sprinkle with taco seasoning and garlic powder, if desired, for a flavorful crust.
  9. Bake the pizza crust for 6 minutes (if using other homemade or frozen dough, cook until dough is almost done. If using a premade crust, skip this step) and remove from oven.
  10. Microwave the beans for 1 – 2 minutes onion hot and easily spreadable. Spread with a layer of beans and then top with taco meat and tomatoes. Cover with cheese. Bake until cheese is melty and pizza is hot all the way through, 10 – 15 minutes
  11. Cut into 8 slices and top as you would a taco. Use a fork and knife, this can get messy!
Notes
For a vegan pizza, use a vegan cheese or omit the cheese entirely. There's a lot of deliciousness going on, so you won't miss it. If serving to vegans, please note that not all vegans eat honey (in the crust).
Make sure you microwave the beans before topping the pizza – this makes them not only more spreadable but also helps the pizza cook a little faster as the toppings are thick!
For a lighter pizza, cut the taco filling and beans in half (leave the tomatoes and cheese the same). As is, one slice is a pretty hearty serving.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 300 Fat: 3g Carbohydrates: 46g Fiber: 9g Protein: 23g
Recipe by Hidden Fruits and Veggies at https://www.hiddenfruitsandveggies.com/2013/11/06/vegetarian-taco-pizza/