White Garlic Cashew Cream Pizza with Dijon Brussels and Shiitake Bacon
White Garlic Cashew Cream Pizza with Dijon Brussels and Shiitake Bacon- packed full of so much flavor, you won’t miss the cheese in this amazing plant-based pizza!
This post officially has the longest title of all time. I was tempted to squeeze caramelized onion in there too but that would have been completely ridiculous.
The flavor combos are truly what makes this pizza so incredible which is why I had a hard time leaving things out of the title. It starts with a base of a white sauce which is essentially garlic cashew cream, and gets topped off with sweet caramelized onions, tangy dijon brussels sprouts, and smoky shiitake bacon. I don’t know if you’re drooling yet but I sure am.
I thought for sure that after giving up dairy I would never be able to enjoy pizza again but with a little research and creativity, I’m enjoying it more than I ever have before.
Not just because it tastes so good but it actually feels good to eat too.
It might seem like there are a lot of moving parts to this recipe but with a little bit of prep work, it can come together fairly quick.
I like to make the cashew cream in advance and use store-bought whole grain naan (or pizza dough! Trader Joe’s is my favorite) to help save time. Once that part is done, all you have to do is caramelize the onions and roast the brussels and shiitake mushrooms.
I’ve made this pizza several times and discovered that the key factor to making sure it turns out right is par-baking the crust. That means allowing it to cook until it’s almost done before adding the toppings. This help to prevent it from getting soggy due to the cashew cream. Because ain’t nobody like soggy pizza, am I right?
Whether you eat dairy or not, this plant-based version is a fun way to mix things up on pizza night. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
White Garlic Cashew Cream Pizza with Dijon Brussels and Shiitake Bacon
Yield: 2 pizzas
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 45

Ingredients:
White Garlic Cashew Cream
- 2 cups raw cashews
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup water
For the Pizza
- 2 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms
- 2 cups thinly sliced brussels sprouts
- 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 2 whole grain naan or one large prepared pizza crust
Directions:
In a small pot, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Remove from heat, add cashews and allow to soak for about 30 minutes. In a skillet, warm 1 teaspoon oil over low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside. Strain excess water from cashews, rinse, then add them to the bowl of a high speed blender along with cooked garlic and remaining ingredients. Blend on high until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Add more water as needed to thin.
Preheat the oven to 400°F then line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine one tablespoon oil, 2 tablespoons tamari, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika and a sprinkle of salt & pepper. Whisk together then add the sliced mushrooms and toss until evenly coated. Spread them out on one of the baking sheets and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoons pure maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon oil. Add the brussels sprouts and toss until evenly coated. Spread them out on the remaining baking sheet. Bake the mushrooms and brussels sprouts in the oven for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Meanwhile prepare the caramelized onions by warming 1 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, sprinkle with coconut sugar and cook for about 10 minutes, until golden brown.
Bake the naan in the oven at 400°F for 5 minutes on each side (or pizza dough for 10 minutes). This step keeps the cream from making the dough soggy. Top with white garlic cashew cream, caramelized onions, brussels, and shiitake bacon. Bake in the oven for 5 more minutes, until heated through. Serve warm and enjoy!
Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback!
The cashew cream sounds really delicious! As for brussels and mushrooms…I haven’t been able to eat them after a bout of nausea around week 7. haha. I used to have to parbake my pizza doughs too until I bought a pizza stone. Now I just put the pizza stone in the oven while I heat the oven up to 500 degrees. Then I take it out, roll out the dough, top it and bake it for about 12-14 minutes. It works every time. I highly recommend investing in one if you make pizza at home often.
Oh no! Hopefully you are almost past the nausea stage?
I have heard such great things about a pizza stone. I need to get one because we’ve been making pizza at least once per week now!
I’m past the nausea but I’m still haunted by some of the foods that brought it on – haha.
I can understand that. Associating certain foods with feeling bad can definitely leave scars. Hopefully your brain forgets soon! ;)
You know how much I love pizza night! This looks really good, especially the mushrooms. I love mushrooms on just about anything!
Heck yes. All the shrooms!
I’m all over naan sans pizza dough.. and though I still make pizza dough, but in a pinch, naan is SO darn convenient and tastes SO good! I love all the componenets you added to this pizza, Sarah… there’s so much Umami going on here I can see why it’s a total drool fest! What a fabulous way to enjoy cashew cream too! Hooray!
Yes, naan is definitely good if you’re lazy like me, lol! Thanks Traci!
This looks amazing! What do you recommend for dough if you are gluten-free?
Thanks Mel! Simple Mills and Bob’s Red Mill make pizza dough mixes that you could use. I tried it with Simple Mills before and while I wasn’t blown away with the crust, it was decent. Some stores also sell prepared GF pizza dough in the freezer section. I hope that helps!
I have never tried a pizza without cheese, but this look amazing! I love all the flavors you put together, drool worthy indeed. My husband wont’ eat brussels sprouts, do you think broccoli would work in it’s place? Thanks!
Thanks Alison! I think broccoli could work although I would probably chop it into very fine pieces. Let me know if you give it a try!
I’m working on getting myself to love mushrooms and this looks like a great recipe to do it with! This looks so delicious – I’m all about flatbread and cashew cream sauces!
Definitely give the shiitake bacon a try! I have a feeling that will make a mushroom lover out of you. ;)
You make dairy free pizza look even better than ones with cheese…this is just gorgeous! Beautiful photography, Sarah, and the toppings on this pizza sound out of this world. This is making me want to run into the kitchen and make cashew cream!
Thanks Marcie! Cashew cream is so versatile. I hope you get a chance to try it sometime!
I can’t believe I’m saying this,but… This looks better than traditional pizza!
Haha! I’m definitely a fan. ;)
Oooh my stars, this looks AMAZING!!! We still make pizza once a week, so I deff. need to add this to our repertoire!! So creative!
Thanks Sarah! Pizza night is my favorite. :)
I agree with you about carmalized onions! This pizza looks absolutely delicious and I can imagine the onions take this over the top! I love white cream sauces and I absolutely love that you made a classic flavor in such a healthy way!!! Cashews really are amazing in everything, aren’t they? I am very excited to try this recipe!!
Haha, I have that problem with naming recipes too! I love all the delicious things you packed into this pizza! I always struggle with dairy free pizza but I love this garlic cashew sauce! I could eat this whole pizza! :)
Aaaagh that cashew cream saaaauce! This whole thing looks so inviting…I’m loving the fresh veggies and replacing the dairy with the cashew cream sauce is so brilliant! I’ll be sure to pre-bake the crust..crispy crust lovers unite!
Ohhhhh myyyy. This is so well timed! Just this week I transitioned from being vegetarian to also being dairy free. And, as a Wisconsinite, it’s already tough, after just 5 days!! I love cheese, cream, yogurt, and butter. So the journey will be a rough one. But wow, this looks so damn amazing. Serious question: does the Shiitake Bacon taste like mushrooms? Because I’m the one vegetarian in the world who despises mushrooms… I could easily replace them with carrot or seitan bacon, though :) Thanks for coming up with such a seductive recipe!
Hi Christina! Congrats on going dairy-free! I feel so much better since I quit eating it. It’s actually pretty easy with all of the great plant-based options out there now. Miyoko’s Kitchen makes an awesome vegan butter and mozzarella that’s perfect for pizza, in addition to other delicious cultured cheeses. You can check them out here: https://shop.miyokoskitchen.com/?_ga=1.46602983.131493691.1476766039
Also Kite Hill makes an awesome almond milk yogurt and cream cheese. Not everyone feels the same about the yogurt but I love it.
About the shiitake bacon, I think the seasonings mask the mushroom flavor pretty well. But I also love mushrooms and eat them all of the time so I might not be as sensitive to the flavor. You could always try it and just tell yourself they’re not mushrooms, lol. ;)
This looks amazing Sarah! I love how this pizza doesn’t include any cheese, such a nice alternative! Would never have thought of a recipe like this, definitely going to try this!
Thanks Ashley Diana! :)
This recipe is amazing! I make it with GF Simple Mills crust and it is absolutely delicious! A regular in our vegan dinner rotation
Tried this after loving your cashew ricotta shell recipe! This was anazing! I’m new to plant based but am loving it more and more with every recipe I try; this one, most definitely included!
That makes me so happy! Thank you! :)
Made this on cauliflower pizza crust! So fantastic! Thank you so much for the recipe!
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This looks good but I don’t see how you’re using the nutritional yeast in the recipe. Where does it go? Thanks!
You add it in the blender with all of the ingredients for the cashew cream :)