Roasted Garlic, Spinach & Tomato Whole Wheat Pizza: A Flavorful and Healthy Family Favorite
Discover the ultimate guilt-free indulgence with this incredible Roasted Garlic, Spinach & Tomato Whole Wheat Pizza recipe. It’s a satisfyingly healthy, vegetarian meal that promises to delight every member of your family, delivering fresh flavors and wholesome ingredients in every bite. Forget calorie-laden takeaways; this homemade pizza proves that healthy eating can be utterly delicious and incredibly easy to achieve. With its vibrant toppings and rustic whole wheat crust, it’s perfect for a weeknight dinner or a casual weekend gathering.
This pizza is a testament to how simple, quality ingredients can transform into an extraordinary dish. The star of the show is undeniably the roasted garlic, which mellows into a sweet, buttery spread that replaces traditional, heavier pizza sauces. Combined with nutrient-dense spinach and juicy cherry tomatoes, all atop a wholesome whole wheat crust, this pizza is designed to nourish and satisfy without compromise.
A Culinary Journey (and a Tech Hiccup!)
Life, especially in the digital age, often throws unexpected curveballs. This delightful pizza recipe was initially planned for an earlier release as part of a “Mystery Dish” challenge. However, a significant technical setback with my main computer, involving a failing hard drive and frustrating backup issues, meant a slight delay in sharing this culinary gem with you. After spending an unexpected few days troubleshooting and ensuring all my precious data was safe, I’m thrilled to finally bring you this recipe, fully recovered and more appreciative than ever of working technology!
It was a truly valuable, albeit challenging, lesson in the importance of regularly backing up digital content. Whether you’re a food blogger with countless recipe photos or simply someone cherishing family memories, losing digital files can be devastating. Thankfully, after some expert help and a new hard drive, I’m back in action, and my passion for creating and sharing healthy recipes burns brighter than ever.
Crafting the Perfect Healthy Pizza
Now, let’s turn our attention back to what truly matters: this exceptionally delicious pizza! This recipe was specifically crafted to meet the requirements of a “Mystery Dish” challenge, which tasked me with incorporating at least three ingredients from a pre-determined list. The talented Colleen from The Smart Cookie Cook provided an intriguing list of ingredients. While tempting to create a sweet dessert with options like white chocolate or eggnog, my focus after the holiday season was on something lighter and more nutritious. I opted for a savory creation using cherry tomatoes, fresh spinach, and aromatic roasted garlic – a trio of wholesome ingredients that shine in this pizza.
The Power of Fresh Ingredients
My love for certain ingredients has grown significantly over the years. Take cherry tomatoes, for instance. Once a disliked vegetable, they are now a weekly grocery staple for me, offering a burst of sweet acidity and a healthy snack option. These little gems are packed with antioxidants like lycopene, which are even more bioavailable when cooked. On this pizza, their natural sweetness beautifully contrasts with the savory garlic and earthy spinach.
Similarly, spinach has become a culinary workhorse in my kitchen. What used to be a childhood aversion is now a celebrated superfood. I regularly buy large bags of it, incorporating it into everything from vibrant green smoothies to fluffy omelettes. On this pizza, it wilts down into a tender, flavorful layer that adds essential vitamins and minerals, including iron and Vitamin K, without overpowering the other ingredients.
The Magic of Roasted Garlic
And then there’s roasted garlic. If you’ve never experienced the magic of roasting garlic, you are in for a treat! This simple technique transforms pungent raw garlic cloves into soft, golden, and incredibly sweet morsels. Roasting brings out a depth of flavor that is unmatched, making it the perfect base for this pizza, effectively serving as a rich, savory sauce without the added calories or heavy creams. It’s surprisingly easy to prepare, requiring minimal effort for maximum flavor impact. Just a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of water, and some time in the oven turn a humble head of garlic into a gourmet spread.
A Pizza That’s Deliciously Different
What truly sets this pizza apart is its innovative approach to flavor. Instead of a traditional tomato-based sauce, the creamy, spreadable roasted garlic takes center stage. This not only keeps the calorie count lower but also introduces a wonderfully complex and aromatic foundation for the toppings. A modest amount of shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese provides just enough gooeyness and salty tang to bind the fresh spinach and sweet cherry tomatoes together, ensuring a harmonious blend of textures and tastes.
The addition of pine nuts is a game-changer, providing a delicate crunch and nutty flavor that elevates the entire experience. They are like the “crunchy icing on the cake,” or in this case, the pizza pie! And, of course, the foundation of it all is a homemade whole wheat crust. Using whole wheat flour not only adds a delightful chewiness and earthy flavor but also boosts the fiber content, making this pizza a genuinely filling and nutritious meal. It’s a far cry from heavy, greasy pizzas, offering a lighter yet utterly satisfying alternative that everyone will adore. This isn’t just a meal; it’s a celebration of fresh, real ingredients coming together to create something truly special. Enjoy this healthy, hearty, and delicious pizza with your loved ones!
Whole Wheat Spinach, Tomato & Roasted Garlic Pizza
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Ingredients
- 1 whole head garlic
- 1 3/4 – 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 1/4-oz envelope pizza yeast (I used Fleischmann’s brand)
- 1 1/2 tsp. sugar
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 2/3 cup very warm water 120º – 130ºF
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves
- 3/4 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3/4 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 Tbsp. pine nuts
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Slice 1/2″ off the top of the garlic head and place cut side up on a piece of foil. Drizzle with 1 tsp. olive oil and a bit of water. Wrap up in foil and bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes. Let cool slightly.
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Meanwhile, prepare the pizza dough. Combine 1 cup whole wheat flour, undissolved pizza yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add 2/3 cup very warm water (120º – 130ºF) and 3 Tbsp. olive oil. Mix until all ingredients are well blended, about 1 minute.
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Gradually add enough of the remaining whole wheat flour until a soft, manageable ball of dough is formed. The dough will still be somewhat sticky to the touch.
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Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 4 minutes, adding more flour if necessary, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
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Preheat your oven to 425ºF (220ºC).
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Lightly grease a pizza pan. Pat the prepared whole wheat dough to evenly fill the greased pizza pan. Spread 2 tsp. olive oil evenly over the surface of the dough.
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Once the roasted garlic has cooled slightly, carefully squeeze the softened garlic cloves out of their skins and into a small bowl. Mash them with a fork to create a creamy, spreadable garlic mixture. Evenly spread this roasted garlic mixture onto the oiled pizza crust. Season lightly with salt and pepper to taste.
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Bake the prepared crust for 8 minutes in the 425ºF (220ºC) oven. After 8 minutes, remove the crust from the oven and evenly top it with the baby spinach leaves, shredded mozzarella, halved cherry tomatoes, grated parmesan cheese, and pine nuts.
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Return the pizza to the oven and cook for an additional 5-8 minutes, or until the cheese is beautifully melted and bubbly, and the cherry tomatoes are tender and slightly caramelized. Carefully remove from the oven, cut into slices, and serve hot. Enjoy!
Check out what my Mystery Dish friends made this month:
- Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies – I Dig Pinterest
- Spinach, Tomato & Roasted Garlic Flatbread – Inspiration Kitchen
- Spiced Biscotti with Eggnog Glaze – The Pajama Chef
- Brown Butter Eggnog Banana Bread with Cream Cheese Glaze – Flavor the Moments
- Creamy Chicken Pasta Skillet – Simpy Gloria
- Brown Butter Nutmeg Melted Ice Cream Cupcakes – The Sweet {Tooth} Life
- White Chocolate Chip Gingerbread Blondies – Culinary Couture
- Spinach and Tomato Quiche with Whole Wheat Crust – The Well Floured Kitchen
- Peppermint Bark Milkshake – The Smart Cookie Cook
Looking for more easy & healthy dinner recipes?
Quick & Easy Chicken Fajitas
Stuffed Bell Peppers Casserole
One Pot Turkey Taco Skillet