Vegetarian Mexican Pizza

This super easy weeknight meal comes together in under 30 minutes. Loaded with veggies and a richly flavorful refried black bean salsa sauce, vegetarian Mexican pizza will be your go-to dinner all summer long.

So, before I dive too far into this post, I want to state right up front: you’re going to love the simple black bean sauce that subs for the good ole standby, tomato-based pizza sauce. I take refried black beans, with its fiber and protein boost, and mix in my favorite salsa. Voila! Pizza magic, with just a pour and a stir.

Right now, in the heart of Spring, I’m using my favorite prepared salsa from the store (a mango peach salsa that I can eat right from the tub with a spoon. Oh, who am I kidding — I can eat *all* salsa straight-up with a spoon!).

But later, as my gardens kick in with fresh tomatoes, garlic, onions, and herbs, I’ll be using homemade salsa from my weekly prepared batch. Either way, the combo of rich and creamy refried black beans and bright and savory salsa makes a unique and unforgettable pizza.

Cook’s notes for vegetarian mexican pizza

• Speaking of refried black beans and salsa sauce — be sure to use a sturdy pizza crust, because the black beans/salsa combo is more substantial than a thin schmear of tomato sauce. You don’t want your slice of pie drooping from the weight of all the magic saucy goodness!
• Just like any pizza, vegetarian Mexican pizza is a super easy weeknight meal. Chop the veggies and toppings while the oven preheats and the sauce cooks. Or, for even less hands-on-after-a-long-day-cooking, prep the veggies ahead of time and stash them in the fridge.
• Some pizza connoisseurs favor minimally topped pizzas. Well, I love pizza, and I love my pizzas loaded with crunch and flavor. But that’s the beauty of this vegetarian Mexican pizza — make it your own! Whether delicately topped or pass-me-the-knife-and-fork maxed out, it’s all good.
• As mentioned above, you’ll probably want to use a crust that’s sturdier than your typical thin-crust pizza. Homemade pizza dough is awesome, but truth be told — and maybe some of you can relate! — I’m just not often in the homemade pizza dough making mindset at dinner time. So, I go for flatbread, either naan-style, or a pre-baked, ready-made pizza crust. But you can absolutely use fresh pizza dough. Just bake it for the length of time the dough requires. The toppings will be just fine.
• if you’re strictly vegetarian, check the ingredient label on the refried black beans — sometimes they’re made with lard. To make this vegan, use cheese substitute and — highly recommended — a good sprinkling of nutritional yeast.
• Party idea: have you ever had a DIY pizza party? Buy mini rounds or flatbreads, set up a spread of toppings — don’t forget the refried black bean sauce! — let your guests create their own pizza masterpieces, and grill ’em up on the grill. (And ice cold mojitos, sangria, or refreshing fruit-infused water on the side won’t hurt a bit. 😉 )

And now, I’d like to close with a word about getting more veggies into your life. We’re slowly transitioning into the season (in the U.S.) where fresh fruits and vegetables rule. If you’ve been thinking that it’s about time to get the full daily recommended amount of vegetables on your plate, now’s the time to start scoping out recipes, finding farmers’ markets in your area, and learning what vegetables are season month over month.

If you’ve been a veggie-avoider all your life, don’t feel like you have to dive in head first, all-or-nothing. Start slowly, if it makes you and your family more comfortable. Try a new vegetable each week, research how to prepare it, and give it a go.

And then pat yourself on your back for taking steps to healthy eating while munching on fresh, healthy meals that include green salads and vegetarian Mexican pizza.

Veggies Rule! 🙂

Karen xo

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Vegetarian Mexican Pizza

Give a Tex-Mex twist to your dinner with Vegetarian Mexican Pizza. Black bean sauce topped with loads of fresh veggies on a pre-made crust means dinner is less than 30 minutes away.

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Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Servings: 6 - 8 slices

Author: Karen Gibson

Ingredients

• 15 ounce can refried black beans (or regular refried beans) - you'll use half
• 1/4 salsa (use your favorite; a peach-mango tomato salsa is mine)
• 1 flat bread round or blind-baked pizza crust (such as Boboli*)
• 2 cups chopped vegetables (see suggestions below)
• 1 cup of a grated melty cheese (such as quesadilla or fontina)
• 1 tablespoon minced cilantro

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Heat 1/2 can of refried beans in a small sauce pot over medium/low heat, until soft and stirrable. Add the salsa and reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally to keep the black beans from drying out.
• Place the pizza round on a baking pan. Spread the black bean sauce over the crust, leaving a finger-hold's width along the edges (an offset spatula or sandwich spreader works really well here).
• Sprinkle the vegetables over the sauce evenly, followed by the cheese.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes (or according to the instructions of your pizza crust - the toppings will be okay, whatever the length).
• Top with the cilantro, and serve immediately.

Notes

* You can absolutely use your fresh pizza dough here - just treat the whole thing as you normally would a tomato-sauce-based pizza. The pre-baked rounds are super convenient for weeknight meals.

Suggested toppings:
bell peppers
green chilis
red onions
green onions
black olives
green olives
jalapenos
fresh cherry tomatoes
corn
avocado
mangos
herbs, such as oregano and thyme

Nutritional information, if shown, is provided as a courtesy only, and is not to be taken as medical information or advice. The nutritional values of your preparation of this recipe are impacted by several factors, including, but not limited to, the ingredient brands you use, any substitutions or measurement changes you make, and measuring accuracy.