When summer in Canada arrives, nobody wants to be inside — and nobody wants to be stuck in the kitchen! So take your gatherings and your cooking outdoors and make the most of this all too short Canadian season with some our easy summer entertaining tips and this oh so delicious vegan mushroom pizza from the grill!
This post is sponsored by Mushrooms Canada.
Give your next al fresco dinner party an upscale flair with these delicious Vegan White Mushroom Pizzas! These easy but elegant pizzas are cooked entirely on the grill, making them perfect for effortless summer entertaining. Think outside the kitchen and assemble, grill and garnish these simple pizzas outdoors while you visit with company over a chilled glass of wine. The recipe calls for pre-made, whole wheat pizza crust to make meal prep a snap!
Theses decadent, plant-based pizzas are enjoyed by vegans, vegetarians and meat eaters alike. They have a clean, earthy flavour profile, including a medley of sautéed mushrooms, garlic, shallots and peppery arugula with a creamy, cashew-based white sauce, brightened with a splash of lemon. Vegan White Mushroom Pizzas are ideal for guests with dairy allergies and sensitivities, or for those who don’t eat meat but also don’t want to sacrifice flavour.
In the true spirit of al fresco dining, we invite you to bring the inside out on a beautiful summer evening to create a unique and memorable celebration. Thoughtful touches like blankets, candles and personalized place settings create an inviting outdoor atmosphere for your guests. Cheers to good food, good wine and inspired summer entertaining!
- 1 package white mushrooms
- 1 package cremini mushrooms
- 1 package of enoki or white shimeji mushrooms
- A splash of Sauvignon Blanc
- 2 shallots
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2 10” whole wheat pizza crusts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup baby arugula
- Freshly cracked sea salt and black pepper to taste
- ⅔ cup cashews
- 1½ cups water
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp salt
- Begin by soaking the cashews in 1 cup of water for 2 - 6 hours.
- Preheat your outdoor grill and side burner to medium heat. In the meantime, slice mushrooms and shallots, adding to a large bowl along with 2 whole cloves of garlic and 4 minced cloves of garlic.
- Brush the pizza dough with extra virgin olive oil on each side.
- Add 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a in a non-stick pan on the side burner. Sauté mushrooms, shallots and garlic for 5 - 10 minutes (or until fully cooked and reduced in size), seasoning with salt to taste. Deglaze the pan with a splash of Sauvignon Blanc and cook remaining liquid off for approximately 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Turn the side burner off.
- Grill pizza crusts for 1 - 2 minutes per side, until light grill marks are achieved. Set aside, but leave the barbecue on.
- To make the Garlic Cashew White Sauce, rinse the cashews soaking in water. Add rinsed cashews, ½ cup water, ¼ tsp salt, 1tsp of fresh lemon juice and the 2 whole cloves of garlic from the sautéed mushroom mixture to a high-powered blender. Blend until smooth.
- Begin assembling the pizzas by spreading the garlic cashew cream sauce over each pizza crust. Add the sautéed mushroom mixture on top, spreading evenly. Grill pizzas for 5 minutes to warm through and combine flavours. Once the pizzas are cooked, remove them from the grill.
- Garnish each pizza with baby arugula and season with freshly cracked black pepper, salt and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
- Slice and serve immediately with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc!
More Easy Summer Entertaining Tips
- keep things simple but delicious by using good quality, fresh ingredients that can be the star of your food
- prep a pitcher or two of one signature cocktail before your guests arrived - all you have to do is pour!
- have a star item to cook on the grill (like these pizzas) but prep simple sides beforehand - a fresh homemade salsa with seasonal fruits or veggies like tomatoes or peaches can be made ahead, as can a heartier potato salad. Popsicles are a fun summer dessert that can be made several days in advance!
- for dessert, focus on berries and stone fruits which are oh so plentiful and delicious in summer - go family style with a bumbleberry pie or a peach cobbler with pre-made home made ice cream and let guest help themselves
- look for shortcuts - like a pre-made pizza crust, or crusty rolls from a great bakery
The Easy Vegan White Mushroom Pizza recipe was developed by Justine Celina — a Creative Director, Designer, Stylist and Blogger who’s passionate about creating in every area of her life and sharing it.
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It was a pleasure to create this recipe and al fresco dinner party!
Thanks for sharing such a mouthwatering recipe with us Justine! This is taking dinner parties to a whole new level.