This raw pizza is built on a soft crust made from courgette and flaxseed, topped with a plant-based ricotta of macadamia nuts and sun-dried tomatoes. On top, asparagus, mushrooms and onion are marinated and then lightly dehydrated, taking on a texture close to roasted vegetables without ever going into the oven. A generous, colourful dish that needs some planning ahead but very little hands-on work.
Raw courgette pizza with macadamia ricotta and roasted-style vegetables
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Ingredients
Pizza crust
- 4 medium courgettes
- 60 g ground flaxseed
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 garlic clove
Macadamia ricotta
- 150 g raw macadamia nuts, soaked for at least 4 hours, then drained
- 1 garlic clove
- 6 sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated for 30 minutes, then drained
- 2 tablespoons filtered water, a little more if needed
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Topping
- 150 g asparagus, cut into 2.5 cm pieces
- 225 g brown button mushrooms (chestnut mushrooms), sliced
- 1/4 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Method
- Blend all the crust ingredients in the food processor until smooth.
- Spread the mixture into rounds on two dehydrator sheets, without making them too thin, and dry for about 16 hours, turning the rounds over halfway through, until they are firm and crisp at the edges.
- For the ricotta, blend the macadamia nuts, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, water and lemon juice until smooth with a slightly grainy texture. Keep in the fridge.
- For the topping, mix the asparagus, mushrooms, onion, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, tamari and thyme in a bowl.
- Spread the vegetables on a dehydrator sheet and dry for 3 to 4 hours, until tender and roasted-looking.
- Spread the ricotta over the crusts, scatter the vegetables on top and serve straight away.
Tip
It is well worth making a double batch of the courgette crust: once it is completely dry, it freezes well and lets you put together a raw pizza in a few minutes. Add the topping at the last moment so the crust stays crisp.
FAQ: your questions about the raw courgette pizza
How do you make a courgette pizza crust without flour?
In this raw version, ground flaxseed takes the place of flour: blended with the courgettes, it absorbs their water and binds the crust. Add garlic, thyme, rosemary and salt, then spread the mixture into rounds that are not too thin on dehydrator sheets. Allow about 16 hours of dehydrating, turning the crust over halfway through, so that it becomes firm and crisp.
What cheese can replace ricotta?
On the dairy side, well-drained fresh curd cheese or a fresh sheep's cheese will give a similar texture. For a plant-based version, macadamia nuts soaked for at least 4 hours and then blended with garlic, lemon juice and a little filtered water make a creamy, slightly grainy "ricotta". The sun-dried tomatoes in this recipe add a mellow, fruity note that goes very well with the vegetables in the topping.
How do you store a homemade pizza?
For a raw pizza like this one, keep the components separate: the dehydrated crust keeps for a few days in an airtight container, somewhere dry. The macadamia ricotta and the marinated vegetables keep in the fridge in closed jars. Assemble at the last moment, otherwise the moist topping will soften the crust.
What is plant-based cheese?
It is a preparation made without animal milk, most often based on nuts such as cashews, almonds or macadamias, blended and sometimes fermented to develop flavour. In the European Union, the word "cheese" is reserved for dairy products, which is why the term plant-based alternative is used instead. The macadamia ricotta on this pizza is a simple, unfermented version, ready as soon as it is blended.
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