Saag Vegetarian Pizza Recipe

Prepare greens

Wash the spinach and mustard greens thoroughly to remove grit. Roughly chop the stems if large.

Blanch or sauté greens

In a large pot with 2–3 cups water, bring to a boil, add a pinch of salt and the greens, and blanch for 2–3 minutes until wilted. Drain thoroughly and press out excess water. Alternatively, sauté the greens in a skillet with 1 tsp oil until wilted (3–4 minutes).

Cook aromatics

Heat 2 tbs oil or ghee in a skillet over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 20–30 seconds. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add minced garlic, grated ginger and chopped green chili; sauté 1 minute until fragrant.

Spice and combine

Stir in ground coriander, turmeric and garam masala; cook 30 seconds to bloom the spices. Add the wilted/drained greens to the pan, toss to coat and cook 1–2 minutes to combine flavors.

Blend to a smooth base

Transfer the cooked greens and aromatics to a blender or use an immersion blender. Add 1/4 cup water, lemon juice, salt and optional cream or yogurt. Blend to a smooth, spreadable consistency (slightly coarse is fine). Taste and adjust salt or lemon.

Cool

Let the saag base cool slightly (5–10 minutes) so it spreads on dough without making it soggy.

Prepare dough

Preheat the oven to 475°F (245°C) with a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet inside if available. On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll the pizza dough to a 12-inch round. Transfer to a piece of parchment paper or a pizza peel dusted with semolina or flour.

Season tomatoes

Arrange thin tomato slices on a plate, sprinkle 1/4 tsp salt and let sit for 5 minutes to draw out excess moisture, then pat dry with a paper towel.

Lightly oil dough

Brush the stretched dough edge with 1 tbs olive oil to help it brown and crisp.

Spread saag

Using a spoon or offset spatula, spread an even layer (about 3/4–1 cup) of the cooled saag base over the dough, leaving a 1/2–1 inch border for the crust.

Add cheese and toppings

Evenly sprinkle 1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella over the saag. Distribute the thin tomato slices and red onion slices on top. If using paneer, scatter the lightly pan-fried cubes across the pizza. Sprinkle red chili flakes if desired.

Bake

Slide the pizza (with parchment if used) onto the preheated stone or baking sheet. Bake at 475°F (245°C) for 10–12 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.

Garnish

Remove pizza from oven. Immediately sprinkle a light 1/4 tsp dusting of garam masala and chopped cilantro over the hot pizza. Drizzle a little olive oil if desired.

Serve

Let rest 2–3 minutes, slice into 6–8 pieces. Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over each slice for a bright finish.