This Vegan Chicken Alfredo Pizza is a game changer! It’s topped with creamy Alfredo sauce, artichoke hearts, arugula, and soy curls “chicken” for a delicious plant-based meal the whole family will love.
Friends, today we are looking back at one of the very first recipes I ever created for this blog. In fact, this recipe is one of the first recipes I created before I was even blogging!
I started created recipes when I went vegan in 2006 as a way to ensure that my new lifestyle change was satisfying and lasting. For 6 years I created recipes on paper, storing them in a 3-ring binder, before I ever put a recipe on the internet.
What a lifetime ago!
Over the 7 years this Vegan Alfredo Pizza recipe has lived on my blog, the recipe became outdated and in serious need of some TLC. This original pizza required a lot of heavily processed vegan replacements (such as vegan chicken and shredded cheese) making it a pizza that did not represent me or the majority of my readers (YOU!).
So now it’s back with an updated recipe that highlights fresh and whole ingredients and better than ever! Let’s take a closer look.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This recipe is amazing. It’s creamy, rich, savory, and filled with meaty soy curls that you are going to love.
Here is everything you need.
- Soy Curls –Originally, I created this recipe using store bought vegan chicken strips. However, I decided to switch it up recently and I’m so glad I did. After making my chicken-flavored soy curls for this Chicken Caesar Salad and then again for these Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas, I knew that I HAD to try this recipe.
- Vegetable Broth
- Nutritional Yeast
- Spices – For the soy curls “chicken” you will need oregano, garlic powder, salt, thyme, and white pepper.
- Alfredo Sauce – For your homemade alfredo sauce you will need vegan butter, garlic, non-dairy milk, cornstarch, and vegan parmesan. If you can find Violife parmesan I highly recommend it. It is the BEST vegan parmesan on the market. For non-dairy milk, I recommend soy or cashew.
- Canned Artichoke Hearts
- Arugula
- Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
- Pizza Crust – I typically buy pre-made pizza dough which can be found in the refrigerated section of most well-stocked grocery stores. When baked, it tastes as fresh as if made in your kitchen while eliminating a time-consuming step in homemade pizza. However, feel free to make pizza dough from scratch or buy par-baked pizza dough.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One – Prepare the Soy Curls
Place the soy curls and vegetable broth in a shallow dish, making sure the soy curls are fully submerged. I use vegetable broth instead of water to give the soy curls a more chicken-like taste.
Once the soy curls are rehydrated, drain the excess vegetable broth from the soy curls. Toss soy curls with the nutritional yeast and spices, until the soy curls are well coated. Set aside.
Step Two – Make the Creamy Alfredo Sauce
To make the vegan Alfredo sauce, melt vegan butter to the skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and add 1 1/4 cup non-dairy milk, reserving the remaining 1/4 milk to make a slurry with the cornstarch.
In a small bowl whisk together until the cornstarch and remaining soy milk until the cornstarch has dissolved. Add to the skillet, stirring frequently, until the sauce has thickened. Add nutritional yeast, vegan parmesan, salt, and pepper, and stir together until you have a thick and creamy sauce. Remove from heat.
Pro Tip: If you can find Violife parmesan I highly recommend it! It is the BEST vegan parmesan on the market; it is creamy, melty, and tastes exactly how I remember parmesan to taste. I find their cheeses at Whole Foods but you can also check out this map to find Violife near you. If you don’t have access to Violife, you can make your own parmesan or omit it altogether.
Step Three – Assemble the Pizza
To assemble the pizza, evenly spread the vegan Alfredo Sauce over the entire pizza. Top with artichoke hearts and soy curls. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the crust is browned. Time will vary if you are using a pre-cooked crust.
Remove from the oven and top with fresh arugula and red pepper flakes before serving.
Serving and Storing
Serving – Serve pizza fresh out of the oven.
Storing – Store leftover pizza in an airtight container in the refrigerator 1-2 days. Gently reheat the pizza in the oven or on the stovetop before eating.
Tips and Tricks
- To save on time, consider buying pre-made pizza dough or a pre-baked pizza crust. My preference is pre-made pizza dough which can be found in the refrigerated section of most well-stocked grocery stores. When baked, it tastes as fresh as if made in your kitchen while eliminating a time-consuming step in homemade pizza.
- Generously flour the surface of your pizza stone or baking pan to prevent the crust from sticking to the bottom.
- Need gluten-free? I recommend using a 1:1 baking flour blend or finding a premade gluten-free pizza crust at your local grocery store. I recommend this almond flour crust (<<affiliate link) from Simple Mills.
Frequently Asked Questions
Soy curls are a dehydrated soy product made by soaking the beans in fresh water and then constantly stirring them while they cook. They then get dried at low temperatures which hold in the nutrients making soy curls a fiber and omega-3 rich food. Also, they are delicious.
Most well-stocked grocery stores carry soy curls in the bulk section. If you can’t find them at your local grocery store, pick some up online.
For sure! Try this recipe with tofu, tempeh, or store bought vegan chicken.
Yes! Pizza dough can be made up to 1 day in advance. When making in advance, refrigerate the dough during the first rise to allow it to rise more slowly.
When you are ready to use it, pull the dough out of the refrigerator at least 2 hours in advance to let it return to room temperature before shaping.
More Vegan Pizza Recipes
- Roasted Beet and Cashew Cheese Pizza
- Grilled Pizza Margherita
- BBQ Chickpea with Vegan Ranch Pizza
- Eggplant and Caramelized Onion Pizza
- Palak Paneer Pita Pizza
Check out all my vegan pizza recipes for more inspiration.
Vegan Chicken Alfredo Pizza
Ingredients
“Chicken” Alfredo Pizza
- 1 homemade or prepared pizza crust
- 1/2 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
- 1 batch Vegan Alfredo Sauce, recipe follows
- 1 batch Soy Curls Chicken, recipe follows
- 1 large handful fresh arugula, chopped
- red pepper flakes, optional
Alfredo Sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp. vegan butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk, I used soy
- 2 tbsp. cornstarch
- 3 tbsp. nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp. vegan parmesan, I use Violife
- salt and pepper, to taste
Soy Curls Chicken
- 1 cup soy curls
- 1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
- pinch of white pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare your pizza crust and set aside.
- Place the soy curls and vegetable broth in a shallow dish. Ensure the soy curls are completely submerged. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the soy curls to rehydrate.
- To make the vegan Alfredo sauce, melt the vegan butter to the skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and add 1 1/4 cup non-dairy milk, reserving the remaining 1/4 milk to make a slurry with the cornstarch.
- In a small bowl whisk together until the cornstarch and remaining soy milk until the cornstarch has dissolved. Add to the skillet, stirring frequently, until the sauce has thickened. Add nutritional yeast, vegan parmesan, salt, and pepper, and stir together until you have a thick and creamy sauce. Remove from heat.
- Drain the excess vegetable broth from the soy curls. Toss soy curls with the nutritional yeast and spices, until the soy curls are well coated.
- To assemble the pizza, spread the vegan Alfredo Sauce over the entire pizza. Top with artichoke hearts and soy curls "Chicken" and bake for 12-15 minutes until crust is browned. Time will vary if you are using a pre-cooked crust.
- Top with fresh arugula and let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- To save on time, consider buying pre-made pizza dough or a pre-baked pizza crust. My preference is pre-made pizza dough which can be found in the refrigerated section of most well-stocked grocery stores. When baked, it tastes as fresh as if made in your kitchen while eliminating a time-consuming step in homemade pizza.
- Generously flour the surface of your pizza stone or baking pan to prevent the crust from sticking to the bottom.
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