Pesto Flatbread with Sunflower Crema

To make these tasty vegan pesto flatbread pizzas, just grab a vegan naan bread, top with homemade green pesto, sunflower seed crema, and your favorite toppings, and you are good to go! I recommend artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, and caramelized shallots as these flavors compliment the zesty, herby pesto, and the cheesy, silky crema. This recipe makes a great appetizer or sharing plate or can be a delicious main course all by itself. 

Pesto Flatbread Toppings

  • Zucchini
  • Yellow squash
  • Artichoke hearts
  • Sun-dried tomatoes 
  • Shallots, caramelized in maple syrup
  • Arugula
  • Salt and black pepper

How to Layer The Toppings On Your Vegan Flatbread 

  1. Prepare your homemade sunflower seed crema, basil pesto, and toppings. The crema and pesto only need to be blended, but you need to fry the toppings for about 8 minutes before layering on the flatbread. 
  2. Add naan/flatbreads to a lined baking sheet and bake – you can use parchment paper or a reusable silicone baking mat
  3. Top the bread with pesto followed by your veggies (I recommend zucchini, squash, artichokes, and sun-dried tomatoes) and cook for 5 minutes to warm the pesto and veggies. 
  4. Finally, remove the pizza from the oven and finish with your sunflower seed crema and any fresh salad leaves, such as arugula, and take a well-deserved first bite!

Homemade Pesto Vs. Store-Bought 

If you are tight on time or cannot get to the shops for fresh ingredients, you could use a store-bought pesto as a backup to homemade pesto. However, I recommend making your own as the fresh taste comes through on the pizzas, and the addition of sunflower seeds in the pesto complements the sunflower seed crema topping. Also, the pesto recipe in this post is vegan and nut-free so that anyone can enjoy it! Not to mention that all you need to do is chuck the ingredients in a blender and whizz them for a few minutes to make the pesto. 

 

Although this simple basil and sunflower seed pesto is my favorite for flatbread pizzas, you could also experiment with different pesto flavors. For example, my basil and tahini pesto or the basil and pistachio pesto from my pesto roasted potatoes and sprouts recipe would also work as part of this vegan artichoke pesto pizza. 

What’s The Difference Between Flatbread and Pizza Dough? 

The main difference between flatbread and pizza bread is in the dough. Flatbread typically doesn’t use yeast (although some recipes will use a little yeast) in the dough, whereas pizza thrives with yeast and extra time to allow the pizza dough to rise. 

 

The addition of yeast in pizza dough causes the pizza to become thicker and chewier than flatbread. Flatbread (unsurprisingly) is flatter than a pizza base and therefore doesn’t need yeast (or much yeast) to rise. 

How To Soak Cashews For Sunflower Seed Crema

To make the silkiest crema, you need to allow time to soak your cashews before blending. There are a few ways to do this, depending on how much time you have:

  1. Soak in hot water. Add boiling water to cashews in a heat-safe bowl for at least 30 minutes or up to one hour. This is the best method if you haven’t got a lot of time.
  2. Soak overnight. Cover the cashews in water (room temperature or cold water is fine) and leave to soak for at least 5 hours or overnight if possible.

INGREDIENTS

Flatbread:

  • 2 Pieces of pre-made vegan naan flatbread

Toppings: 

  • 1/2 zucchini, sliced into half-moons
  • 1/2 Yellow Squash, sliced into half-moons
  • 1/3 cup artichoke hearts
  • 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, halved
  • 1 shallot, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup, for caramelizing the shallots
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, for caramelizing the shallots
  • A handful of fresh, organic arugula for topping
  • Salt to taste

Pesto Sauce:

  • 3/4 cup basil
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • Juice from ½ lemon
  • ⅓ cup sunflower seeds
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt + pepper to taste

Sunflower Seed Crema:

  • ½ cup sunflower seeds, soaked in hot water for at least 30 minutes
  • ¼ cup cashews, soaked in hot water for at least 30 minutes
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • Salt + pepper to taste

METHOD

  1. Preheat the over to 375. ( or according to naan package directions )
  2. Prepare the sunflower seed crema sauce. Place sunflower seeds, cashews, nutritional yeast, vinegar, salt + pepper into a blender on low. After 1 minute, turn the blender to high, adding water ¼ cup at a time until it starts to resemble a creamy sauce. Blend until completely smooth, adding water as needed.
  3. Next, make the pesto sauce. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until it reaches desired consistency, adding water if needed.
  4. Prep the toppings, place a small pan on medium heat and add in 2 teaspoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, shallots, and maple. Stir frequently and after about 5 minutes, add 1 tablespoons water + 1 teaspoon vinegar. Continue to cook down until browned, another 3-5 minutes then set in a bowl to the side.
  5. Start the flatbreads by laying them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10-15 minutes. ( or according to package )
  6. While the flatbreads bake, add sliced zucchini & squash flat in the pan with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and turn heat to high, cooking for 2-3 minutes on one side, NOT stirring, and allowing the one side of the zucchini to become slightly charred. Once they are browned, turn off the heat and set them to the side.
  7. After 10-15 minutes, take flatbread out, top with pesto, zucchini, squash, sun-dried tomatoes, and artichokes, and cook for another 5 minutes.
  8. Take flatbread out of the oven and finish topping off with shallots, fresh arugula, sunflower seed crema, salt, and pepper. Enjoy.

 

Pesto Flatbread

Pesto Flatbread With Artichokes, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Maple-Caramelized Shallots & Sunflower Crema

Dominique Ebra
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Servings 2 people

Ingredients
  

Flatbread:

  • 2 Pieces of pre-made vegan naan flatbread

Toppings: 

  • 1/2 zucchini sliced into half-moons
  • 1/2 yellow squash sliced into half-moons
  • 1/3 cup artichoke hearts
  • 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes halved
  • 1 shallot sliced
  • 1 tsp maple syrup for caramelizing the shallots
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar for caramelizing the shallots
  • Handful of fresh, organic arugula for topping
  • salt to taste

Pesto Sauce:

  • 3/4 cup basil
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • Juice from ½ lemon
  • 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt + pepper to taste

Sunflower Seed Crema:

  • 1/2 cup sunflower seeds soaked in hot water for at least 30 minutes
  • 1/4 cup cashews soaked in hot water for at least 30 minutes
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • Salt + pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the over to 375. ( or according to naan package directions )
  • Prepare the sunflower seed crema sauce. Place sunflower seeds, cashews, nutritional yeast, vinegar, salt + pepper into a blender on low. After 1 minute, turn the blender to high, adding water ¼ cup at a time until it starts to resemble a creamy sauce. Blend until completely smooth, adding water as needed.
  • Next, make the pesto sauce. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until it reaches desired consistency, adding water if needed.
  • Prep the toppings, place a small pan on medium heat, and add in 2 teaspoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, shallots, and maple. Stir frequently and after about 5 minutes, add 1 tablespoons water + 1 teaspoon vinegar. Continue to cook down until browned, another 3-5 minutes then set in a bowl to the side.
  • Start the flatbreads by laying them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10-15 minutes. ( or according to package )
  • While the flatbreads bake, add sliced zucchini & squash flat in the pan with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and turn heat to high, cooking for 2-3 minutes on one side, NOT stirring, and allowing the one side of the zucchini to become slightly charred. Once they are browned, turn off the heat and set them to the side.
  • After 10-15 minutes, take flatbread out, top with pesto, zucchini, squash, sun-dried tomatoes, and artichokes and cook for another 5 minutes.
  • Take flatbread out of the oven and finish topping off with shallots, fresh arugula, sunflower seed crema, salt, and pepper. Enjoy.