Making pizza at home is fun, and it’s perfect for sharing. Whether you’re cooking for yourself, family, or friends, this one feels special. The crust bakes up crisp, thanks to a hot pan or pizza stone, and you can top it with almond ricotta and fresh arugula for a bright, peppery finish.

This recipe uses store-bought dough for ease, but homemade works just as well. It’s a great way to experiment with toppings and get comfortable in the kitchen. The shallots and mushrooms take a little time, but the payoff is big. Serve it hot and fresh from the oven for dinner or slice it up for a relaxed weekend lunch. Either way, it’s a solid plant-based option when you want something warm, flavorful, and a little bit elevated.

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Make your own mushroom pizza

Try this savory-sweet pizza with vegan mozzarella, Medjool dates, arugula, and mushrooms. It's great for yourself or sharing with a side salad.

5 from 1 vote

Servings1 large pizza

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil plus more as needed
• 5 large shallots sliced
• Kosher salt
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup 55 g pitted Medjool dates chopped
• 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp (3 g) fresh thyme
• 8 oz (225 g) mixed wild mushrooms roughly torn
• All-purpose flour for dusting
• 8 oz (225 g) prepared pizza dough
• 1 cup (112 g) non dairy mozzarella cheese shreds
• Almond ricotta for serving
• Arugula for serving

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) and place a sheet pan on the middle rack.
• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When shimmering, add the shallots and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar, then add the dates, garlic and thyme. Continue to cook the shallots for another 5 to 7 minutes, or until deeply caramelized. If the shallots seem a little dry, add a splash of water until they break down into a jammy consistency.
• Transfer the shallot mixture to a plate and set aside. Add another drizzle of olive oil to the pan and cook the mushrooms until they are browned and release their moisture—about 4 minutes.
• Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the pizza dough to about ½ inch (1.3 cm) thick. Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment paper and top with a layer of caramelized shallots, followed by the non dairy cheese and sautéed mushrooms.
• With oven mitts, remove the sheet pan from the oven and carefully transfer the parchment paper with the pizza on top to the pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown and no longer doughy in the center. Serve immediately with dollops of vegan ricotta and arugula.

Tip:

Preheating the sheet pan in the oven yields an extra crispy crust and helps the center of the pizza cook through. If you happen to have a pizza stone, feel free to use that instead.

Reprinted with permission from Fantastic Vegan Recipes for the Teen Cook by Elaine Skiadas. Page Street Publishing Co. 2023. Photo credit: Elaine Skiadas.

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This article was written by Elaine Skiadas on the PBN Website.

The mushroom and white bean soup recipe uses simple ingredients but delivers depth thanks to garlic, white wine, and vegetable stock. A touch of nutritional yeast and chili flakes round out the flavor. Blending a portion of the soup creates a thick, smooth base while leaving some texture for balance.

It’s gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free, making it a versatile option for different diets. If you want something cozy, this soup works well for lunch or dinner. Serve it with crusty bread and a drizzle of oil for a complete meal.

It’s quick to make, easy to customize, and filling without being heavy. A great one to keep in your weekly rotation.

Read more: Chickpea And Veggie Pita Pockets

How to make the white bean soup

Give this bean and mushroom soup a go for lunch or dinner. It is very simple and quick to make but tastes delicious.

1 from 2 votes

Servings3

Ingredients

• 1 shallot
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 350 g oyster mushrooms
• ⅙ of a bunch dill
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 50 ml white wine
• 300 g cooked white beans
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon chili flakes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 L vegetable stock
• ½ lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon tahini

Instructions

• Cut the shallot, grate the garlic cloves, cut the dill and tear apart the mushrooms.
• In a pot, add half of the oil and fry the mushrooms on a medium heat, until golden.
• Then add the shallots and garlic with the remaining oil and sauté for a couple more minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper, and deglaze the pot, with a white wine and scrap the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
• Let the wine evaporate for 2-3 minutes, then optionally keep some of the mushrooms on the side, to garnish the dishes.
• Back into the pot, add the beans, nutritional yeast, oregano, chili flakes, bay leaf and the stock. Let it come to boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• In the meantime, in a bowl, combine the lemon juice with the tahini along with some broth from the soup and let it aside.
• Take 2-3 ladles of the soup, add then in a blender and blend until the soup is smooth.
• Add the blended soup and tahini mixture back into the soup, along with the fresh dill and taste test to adjust the seasoning if needed.
• Serve in bowls, along with the mushrooms you kept on the side, some (pumpkin seed) oil and bread.

This recipe was republished with permission from Natlicious Food. You can view the original recipe here.

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This article was written by Natali Eleftheriou on the PBN Website.

Read more: Butter Beans Are Having A Moment – Here Are 8 Recipes To Try

Shallots are a type of vegetable in the allium family, closely related to onions, garlic, and leeks. They are characterized by their small, elongated bulbs that grow in clusters, similar to garlic cloves. Shallots have a more delicate, sweeter flavor than regular onions, with a hint of garlic, making them a highly versatile ingredient. They’re great for roasting due to their natural sweetness and mild flavor, which intensify when exposed to heat. As they roast, the sugars in shallots caramelize, creating a rich, sweet, and slightly tangy flavor that adds depth to your dish.

According to Mills, this is one of her favorite recipes from her cookbook Healthy Made Simple, and she describes is as like a “nourishing hug.”

Read more: 17 Protein-Packed Vegan Bean Recipes

Cozy roasted shallot and butter bean bowls

I imagine lots of people might skip past this recipe – roasted shallots don’t tend to carry the same appeal as veggies like sweet potatoes, but roasting them in their skins ensures they’re perfectly sweet and tender, so please trust me on this one, it’s a must and one of my favourite recipes in the book. It feels like one giant, very cosy, nourishing hug.

No ratings yet

Duration30 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Servings2

Ingredients

• 5 shallots, quartered lengthways, keeping the root intact and the skin on
• 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve (see tip below)
• 4 garlic cloves, skin on 
• 1 tsp thyme leaves, finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme 
• Pinch of dried chilli flakes (optional) 
• 2 leeks, sliced
• 120 g green beans, trimmed
• 400 g tin of butter beans
• 2 large handfuls of baby spinach (about 100g), roughly chopped 
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• Grated zest of 1 lemon 
• Sea salt and black pepper 
• Sourdough toast, to serve (optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Toss the shallots with a tablespoon of the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Place on a baking tray, cut-side down, add the garlic cloves and roast in the oven for 25–30 minutes, until soft and caramelised. 
• Warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan or shallow casserole, over a medium–low heat. Add the thyme, chilli flakes (if using), leeks and a pinch of salt and cook for 10 minutes, until the leeks have softened but not coloured. 
• Next, add the green beans and the butter beans, along with the liquid from the tin. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 4–5 minutes, until most of the liquid has reduced. Stir in the spinach, and allow to wilt, then add the white wine vinegar and season to taste.
• When the shallots are ready and cool enough to handle, peel their skins off and stir the flesh into the beans. Peel the garlic, gently mash it with a fork (it should be very tender) and stir it into the beans too. 
• To serve, divide the braised beans between serving bowls, top with a generous drizzle of olive oil, the lemon zest and plenty of pepper. This is delicious as it is or served with some sourdough toast.

You can swap the spinach for kale, cavolo nero or Swiss chard, and make sure to use a really good quality olive oil for the drizzle at the end, it makes all the difference.

Read more: 6 Protein-Packed Vegan Bean Stew Recipes

DELICIOUSLY ELLA HEALTHY MADE SIMPLE by Ella Mills is published by Yellow Kite and is out now.

This article was written by Ella Mills on the PBN Website.

Read more: 8 Vegan Creamy Bake Recipes

The dish is brought together with a rich, savory dairy-free béchamel sauce made from plant-based milk, miso, and nutritional yeast, which adds a cheesy, umami depth. With a sprinkle of cayenne pepper and fresh thyme, the bake delivers a comforting, flavorful meal perfect for cooler weather.

As the bake cooks, the sauce thickens beautifully, coating the tender vegetables in creamy goodness. The addition of panko breadcrumbs creates a satisfying, golden crust that complements the soft interior. This vegan dish pairs perfectly with a simple salad, braised greens, or a pot of beans, making it versatile enough for weeknight dinners or cozy fall gatherings. The recipe also suggests using any leftover butternut squash in grain bowls or salads, adding even more value to this seasonal, plant-based meal.

Read more: 17 Vegan Dinner Recipes Where Vegetables Are The Main Event

Cheesy butternut squash bake

Sweet, savory, and cheesy, this satisfying cheesy butternut squash and potato bake makes for a fabulous dinner alongside a simple salad, braised veggies, or beans. Try this excellent weekend dinner for when you want to impress friends.

No ratings yet

Servings6

Ingredients

• ½ small butternut squash 14 ounces/396g, peeled, seeded, and cut into slices 1/4 inch (6mm) or thinner
• 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes 11/2 pounds/680g total, scrubbed and thinly sliced
• 1¼ teaspoons fine sea salt plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ red onion or 1 large shallot 3 ounces/85g, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves finely grated or pressed
• ¼ cup 31g all-purpose flour
• 2½ cups 590ml nut milk, oat milk, soy milk, or store-bought plant-based milk
• ½ cup 120ml water
• 1½ tablespoons yellow or red/brown miso
• ¼ cup 20g nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice plus lemon wedges for serving
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves plus more for garnish
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ cup 40g panko breadcrumbs

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
• In a large bowl, toss the squash and potatoes with ¾ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper.
• In a medium saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. (You can also do this directly in the dish you’ll be baking in, if it’s flameproof.) Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and starting to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to medium, add the flour, and whisk until it’s starting to turn golden, about 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in the milk and water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• In a small bowl, whisk the miso with ¼ cup (60ml) of the hot sauce until smooth, then transfer it back to the saucepan and stir to combine. Stir in the nutritional yeast, lemon juice, thyme, cayenne, ¼ teaspoon of
• the salt, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Taste—it should taste aggressive, since the vegetables are so mild—and season with more salt as needed.
• Transfer about ½ cup (120ml) sauce to a 3-quart (3L) baking dish (such as an oval casserole), 9-inch (23cm) square pan, or large deep ovenproof skillet. (If you made the sauce in the dish you’ll be baking in, pour all but about ½ cup/120ml sauce out into a large measuring cup.)
• On top of the sauce, make a single layer of overlapping squash and potatoes (no need to be exacting!). Add
• ½ cup (120ml) sauce over the top, spreading evenly. Repeat with another layer of vegetables and sauce, continuing until you have used up all the vegetables and ending with ½ cup (120ml) sauce.
• Cover with a lid or sheet pan and bake until the sauce is bubbling at the edges, 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the vegetables are very soft and the sauce is thick and bubbling in the center of the dish, 30 to 40 minutes.
• While the dish is baking, in a small bowl, stir together the panko, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt.
• When the casserole has about 10 minutes remaining, scatter the panko mix over the top. It should brown nicely by the time the sauce is bubbling.
• Remove from the oven, scatter with thyme and more black pepper, if desired, and let cool for 10 minutes before serving warm, with lemon wedges.

Reprinted with permission from Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking by Joe Yonan, copyright © 2024. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.

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This article was written by Joe Yonan on the PBN Website.