Roasted Carrot Pizza with Vegan Béchamel & Dukkah
A white pizza gives carrots room to be extraordinary. Thin ribbons soften and curl in the oven, their edges catching a little color while orange zest and a touch of maple bring their sweetness forward. Underneath, a creamy vegan béchamel and melting cheese settle into the warm crust. Above it all comes the fragrant crunch of freshly toasted dukkah.
The pleasure is in those layers: tender carrot, silky sauce, a golden rim and a scattering of almonds, hazelnuts and sesame that stays crisp because it goes on after baking. Cumin, coriander and fennel make the kitchen smell wonderful before the pizza even reaches the table. Cilantro and cracked pepper give the rich toppings a fresh finish.
There is a little waiting in a homemade yeast dough, and that wait gives the rest of supper its rhythm. Roast the carrots, stir the sauce and toast the dukkah while the dough rises. By the time it has doubled, the components are ready to become something generous enough to share and special enough to linger over.
A supple dough and a hot foundation
Start with a dough that feels smooth and slightly tacky after kneading. A heavy hand with extra flour can make the finished crust firm and dry, so add only what you need to keep it manageable. The rise is a visual cue: look for the dough to double rather than treating sixty minutes as a deadline. A cool room may ask for more patience.
Preheat the oven thoroughly and follow the instructions for your pizza pan, stone or steel. The heat underneath matters as much as the heat above. Stretch or roll the dough into one twelve-inch round with a modest rim; an evenly thin center helps the base cook before the toppings dry out. If the dough keeps shrinking back, cover it and give it a few minutes to relax.
Carrot ribbons, creamy sauce and a dry surface
Shave the carrots lengthwise into even, thin ribbons, using a mandoline with its hand guard or a sharp knife. Roast them before they go on the pizza. This softens their texture and lets some moisture escape, so the crust does not have to finish cooking a pile of raw vegetables.
The béchamel should coat a spoon and spread easily. Let the flour cook briefly in the oil before whisking in the oat milk a little at a time; that steady whisking gives you a smooth sauce. Use plain, unsweetened milk so vanilla or added sweetness does not wander into dinner. A thin layer is enough. Leave watery carrot juices on the roasting sheet and arrange the ribbons loosely across the sauce and cheese.
The finishing handful that makes the pizza
Toast the nuts first, then the smaller seeds and spices, which darken more quickly. Let the mixture cool slightly before crushing it into a coarse dukkah. You want little pieces to bite into, not a fine powder. Sprinkle the full measured mixture over the hot pizza after baking, followed by cilantro and black pepper.
This is a good place to enjoy small choices. A few especially curled carrot ribbons look lovely on top, but every ribbon need not be arranged perfectly. The important choices are even slicing, restrained sauce and a properly hot oven. If hazelnuts are hard to find, an all-almond dukkah can be delicious, though its flavor will be different; the recipe as written celebrates both nuts. Keep the sesame and nut allergy information in mind when sharing.
Bring it to the table while the edges are crisp
Cut the pizza into wedges and serve it hot, perhaps with a simple leafy salad. Wheat provides the structure of this crust, while the nuts and sesame contribute richness and texture. Choose vegan butter, cheese and plant milk by their labels; those products can carry additional allergens, and an ordinary wheat dough is not gluten-free.
For an easier evening, make the carrots and béchamel up to two days ahead and refrigerate them separately. Let the sauce loosen gently as you prepare the dough. Refrigerate leftover pizza promptly at 40°F (4°C) or colder for three to four days, then reheat thoroughly in a hot oven or skillet. That short return to dry heat brings more life back to the base than a soft, steamy reheating.
Roasted Carrot Pizza with Vegan Béchamel & Dukkah
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Stir the yeast, the dough’s maple syrup and warm water in a mixing bowl. Leave for about 10 minutes until foamy. Add the 2 cups flour, dough salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Mix, then knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and supple, using only enough extra flour to prevent sticking. Cover and let rise for about 60–90 minutes until doubled; a cool kitchen may take longer.
- During the rise, heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss the thin carrot ribbons with vegan butter, orange zest, the measured orange juice and maple syrup, olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread over a lined baking sheet in a loose layer. Roast for 15–18 minutes, turning once, until flexible and lightly browned at the edges. Keep them tender rather than brittle.
- Toast the almonds and hazelnuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring. Add the sesame, cumin, coriander, fennel and peppercorns and toast for 1–2 minutes more until fragrant, watching the sesame closely. Cool, then coarsely crush in a mortar or pulse in a small grinder. Stir in the dukkah salt and smoked paprika.
- Heat the béchamel’s 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in its 2 tablespoons flour and cook for about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in oat milk. Simmer gently for 3–5 minutes, whisking, until creamy and thick enough to spread. Stir in nutritional yeast, garlic and onion powders, then season with salt and white pepper. Cool briefly; it should spread without running.
- Heat the oven to 475°F (245°C). If using a pizza stone or steel, preheat it according to its instructions; check any parchment’s temperature limit. Gently stretch the risen dough to a 12-inch round on a suitable pizza pan or peel. Spread a thin, even layer of béchamel over the center, leaving about a 3/4-inch rim. Scatter with vegan cheese, arrange the roasted carrots and add a little black pepper.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, checking the base as well as the rim, until the crust is deeply golden underneath and the topping is hot. Vegan cheeses soften differently by brand. Rest for about 2 minutes, then scatter the dukkah and cilantro over the pizza. Cut into eight slices; two slices make one serving.
Nutrition
Notes
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