Pizza with Garbanzo Sauce and Tomatoes

Cheap Eat Challenge, Part2: Watch as our family of 6 eats on less than $10/day.

Let me start off with a disclaimer: If you or someone you love hates beans, you or someone you love will hate this pizza. 

If, however, you like beans--especially in nearly hummus form, this may be just the thing for you. It's particularly welcome if you are in a bit of a pizza funk and bored to tears with whatever kind of pizza you usually eat. This was the case with me. I wanted something different. I got this idea from Debbi at Debbi Does Dinner Healthy and it got me out of my funk very nicely. This pizza is hardy, nutritious, and tasty. If--I must re-emphasize--beans are something you like. Because there is no escaping the beans in this. I thought that they might just subtly blend in with the tomato sauce. They do not. They are their own layer, not one of those hidden nutritious foods that you can just slip under your kids' noses in order to get more plant proteins and fiber into their diet. The beans are there. You will either embrace them or not. Take your stand. 

Pizza with Garbanzo Sauce and Tomatoes

adapted from Debbi Does Dinner Healthy and Low Calorie

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cost: $3.80

(crust: homemade is about .80, beans: .66, tomatoes--free for me; I'm guessing .80, mozzarella: 1.50, other stuff: .04)

1 large or 2 small pizza crusts

1 14-oz. can garbanzo beans (chick peas)--drained and rinsed

1 tsp olive oil

1 Tbsp water

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tsp Italian seasoning

about 20 small pear tomatoes or 25 cherry tomatoes

4-8 basil leaves

8 oz mozzarella cheese

meat such as pepperoni or sausage if desired

Note: This can be prepared with any old marinara sauce in lieu of the tomatoes listed above. However, if using a marinara that contains salt, omit at least 1 tsp of the Italian seasoning from the bean concoction because it is very salty. In this recipe that's fine because it balances with the plain tomatoes. However, a salted sauce would push it over the edge if you don't reduce the Italian seasoning.

Prepare crusts. Heat oven to 425.

Mash garbanzo beans in food processor or blender. Add olive oil, water, garlic clove, and Italian seasoning. It won't quite be as smooth as hummus, but it will be close.

Spread bean paste onto crust. 

Wipe out food processor or blender and put tomatoes and basil in. Give them a few pulses until they are the texture you wish (I was going for very slightly chunky because I knew this wouldn't be approved by my kids no matter what I did.) 

Pour the tomato sauce over the beans. I used yellow tomatoes because that's what my garden had. However, something red would have been prettier. 

Top as you wish. You can add spinach, olives, meat, or whatever. Top this with mozzarella cheese. 

Bake at 425 for 12-17 minutes.

PRINTABLE RECIPE