Delicious, Indulgent Tridoshic Ayurvedic Pizza

by Stacey Lindsay on Dec 30, 2020

One of the many things that we admire about Sahara Rose Ketabi is her refreshing, modern take on Ayurveda. The ancient science doesn't have to be complicated, says the Ayurvedic author and practitioner. It can fit your lifestyle. You can start slow. And—you can be Ayurvedic and eat pizza. The proof is in Sahara's insanely decadent, comforting recipe for Sweet Potato Pesto Pizza, which she generously shared with us below. The best part? It's great for all doshas.

Sahara Rose's Parihasa (Fun) Sweet Potato Pesto Pizza from Eat, Feel, Fresh

Just because you’re plant-based Ayurvedic, doesn’t mean the pizza party has to stop. In fact, it just got upgraded with a root veggie crust, plant-based pesto, almond feta, roasted chickpeas, and assorted veggies. The crust is super easy to make and chances are, you already have everything in your kitchen. You can omit the raw arugula, but I’ve found that even my Vata clients are able to digest it well when paired with warm, grounding ingredients, plus a little bit of raw foods alkalizes the body and contains cellular intelligence that can repair the gut. This crust contains the six tastes: sweet (sweet potatoes), sour (lemon), salty (salt), bitter ( arugula), pungent (curry), and astringent (walnuts), leaving you satiated and craving free. Best of all, it’s tomato free so you can share it with the Pittas in your life (we all have one!). —Sahara

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 cup baked and mashed sweet potato

1 cup oat flour (blended oats) or almond flour for Paleo

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp dried oregano

½ tsp dried basil

¼ tsp curry powder (optional)

½ tsp sea salt

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the plant-based pesto (makes 1 ¼ cup):

2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves

½ cup walnuts or pine nuts

1 garlic clove, chopped (omit for Pitta/yogic path)

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tbsp lemon juice

3 tbsp nutritional yeast

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Toppings:

Your choice of veggies (mushrooms, kale, artichoke coated in olive oil)

1 handful arugula tossed in olive oil and lemon, optional

Almond Feta (see Eat Feel Fresh for recipe)

Roasted Chickpeas (see Eat Feel Fresh for recipe)

To make the pesto, combine all ingredients, except olive oil, in a food processor. Pulse until mixture is coarsely ground. Stream in the olive oil while blending. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the sweet potato, flour, baking soda, oregano, basil, curry powder, salt, and pepper. Knead well until the mixture resembles pizza dough.
Coat a wood board and rolling pin with flour and roll the dough into a large circle, about 1/2 inch thick.
Bake for 15–20 minutes or until the crust edges are slightly browned.
Remove the crust from the oven. Spread ¼ cup pesto over the crust, then top with feta, roasted chickpeas, and vegetable toppings. Broil for 3–5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Cool briefly before slicing. Top with arugula salad and enjoy.