These Veggie Pita Pizzas are quick, easy, and totally tasty!
Back when I was a ridiculously hyperactive kiddo, I took karate.
Hiiiiaaaayyyhhh!
After matches and belt ceremonies, everyone would meet up at Applebee’s for dinner. Our parents got a night off of cooking and we all relished the opportunity to order whatever we wanted. Without fail, I always ordered the same thing: the Veggie Patch Pizza.
Have you had it? It’s flipping legendary!
Creamy spinach works double duty as a topping and as the sauce itself while garlicky sauteed mushrooms, ripe juicy tomatoes, and ooey gooey cheeses melted together on top of a light and crunchy crust.
But, at the risk of sound like a snobby foodie, my homemade version is better.
Veggie Pita Pizzas
Quick – Easy – Healthy – and absolutely delicious!
Veggie Pita Pizzas
These Veggie Pita Pizzas are quick, easy, and totally tasty!
Ingredients
- 1 package frozen creamed spinach*
- 4 mini pita pockets (also called pitettes)
- 8 oz sliced mushrooms
- 1/2 tsp oil or butter to saute the mushrooms in
- 2 oz grated mozzarella
- 3-4 oz grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
- crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1 ripe roma tomato diced
Instructions
- Pre-heat toaster oven or your conventional oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat up your creamed spinach or leftover spinach dip.
- Paul’s speedy sauteed mushrooms: Heat up a splash of oil in your skillet on the lower end of medium-high, add mushrooms, and season with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Add optional cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes if you want a kick! Stir frequently to mix the mushrooms with the oil and seasoning. The salt will help the mushrooms to give up a bit of their liquid and, once they do, pop a pot lid on top of your skillet to steam them into tender deliciousness. Make a batch ahead of time and toss them into meals all week long.
- Spread your pitas with spinach mixture and mushrooms.
- Top with grated mozzarella and bake directly on the rack (or on a baking sheet if preferred) for 10 minutes until cheese is perfectly melted.
- Top with diced or sliced tomatoes, grated parmesan cheese, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
Recipe Notes
* I love creamed spinach as the base for these handheld pizzas. Grab an 8-9 oz container of frozen creamed spinach or some leftover spinach and artichoke dip!
You can also sauté a bag of fresh spinach with garlic and parmesan or even make your own creamed spinach. You’ve got so many options that there’s no excuse not to make these!
Only need 2? Make enough veggies for 4 and store the leftover veg in the fridge for a speedy lunch or dinner later! They’ll stay fresh in your fridge for four days and will help you sneak in some extra veggies into your life without all that pesky effort. You can also grab 2 regular sized pitas if you’d like! I keep the minis on hand for their glorious built-in portion control.
Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator using mini pita pockets. Adjust as needed if using full-sized pita and enjoy!
And since I promised a mini pizza happy hour with two recipes for one – Grab some hummus and get back in the kitchen!
Mini Mediterranean Pizzas
- 4 mini pitas
- 1 [8-9oz] pkg of frozen creamed spinach [or sauteed spinach or leftover spinach dip]
- 1 large, ripe roma tomato, sliced
- 4 heaping tablespoons of roasted red pepper hummus
- salt, pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes
- crumbled feta
Spread your pitas with hummus and top with creamy spinach seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Layer on a few slices of roma tomatoes and a generous sprinkle of feta and bake [on the rack] in your toaster oven for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and try not to pout while waiting for the pizza to cool enough down enough for you to eat it. I have zero composure and suffer through the burn.
These veggie pita pizzas are all I can think about lately! I cooked a giant batch of sauteed seasoned mushrooms and keep them in the fridge for impromptu pizzas. This way I can whip them up in the time it would take me to make a sandwich! I’ve eaten them for lunch every day this week without tiring of them. If I had to pick a favorite, I think it would be the Mediterranean pizza. I add the mushrooms to it and it’s everything I could ever want in a lunch. Satisfying and flavorful. I’m obsessed!
What’s your all-time favorite pizza topping?
If you get a chance to try these veggie pita pizzas or mini mediterranean pizzas, let me know! You can leave me a comment here (LOVE checking those daily!) or tag @PEASandCRAYONS on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creations. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
Maria
This is such a great idea! Love it!! And they look FANTASTIC!!!!
SarahinSC
OMG! That Veggie Patch Pizza was my absolute fave at Applebee’s too. I haven’t thought about that in years. Oh, I’m so happy to see this! Thank you!!!!
Jenn @ Peas and Crayons
eeee so glad you like it! Thanks for the super sweet comment!
Claire Gallam10
YUM!! These look super healthy and delicious!!
Meredith @ DareYouTo
These look all kinds of delicious and adorable.
Jenn @ Peas and Crayons
You’ll love your 1st kitchen so much more after living in the dorms — I totally did! When I finally got a place I treated the kitchen like a freaking castle (even though it was the size of a closet! lol) — Good luck finding a place super soon!!!! <3 You’ll have to send me a photo when you do =)
My biggest tip for meal plan food is to find some really cool sauces and salsas that taste nothing like you’ve ever had before and start dumping it on everything they serve up! Mrs. Renfros green salsa is really unique and delish and there’s always a heavy splatter of Sriracha chili sauce or sweet chili sauce to make something taste totally different!
Hope you’re having a rockin’ weekend Natasha!
Natasha
I go to University of Michigan, and while I do have a meal plan, I rarely will use the dining hall because I’m so sick and tired of the food!!! I can’t wait to finally be out of the dorms and have a real kitchen! Dorm food for two years is not very fun!
Jenn @ Peas and Crayons
roma basil and mozz are a match made in heav-en! i’ll have to try it with green onion too next time! Brilliant =)
So happy the recipe is dorm friendly!!!!! I spent years living in dorms and tiny campus apartments =) What school do you go to?
Natasha
Wow…that is such a simple/awesome recipe (totally college dorm room friendly YAY for me!!)
My favorite pizza toppings include roma tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, and green onions!! YUMMY
Fitandfuninthird
Yum! Perfect weekend recipe! 🙂 I love any/every kind of veggie on my pizza… pile them on!
Kiri W.
Awww, totally adorable! 🙂 And I love all that spinach!
Alnissa Ruiz-Craig
Looks delicious! Love your blog, I’m a big vegetable fan but my family, not so much so I like you veggie ideas. 🙂
Blonde Ponytail
YUM!!!! Pizza everyday is fine by me! These both look delish!
Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love.
I heart these little pizzas! I haven’t been to Applebees in years, but I have had that pizza before and it was yummy!
Jenn @ Peas and Crayons
Thanks Lacy!!! I half-expected to dislike the hummus combo when I made the test batch but ohmygooooooosh its so good! A really great flavor combo with all the components! =) Hope you have a rockin’ weekend girly!
Lacy @ NYCityEats
Seriously love Applebees – even though I haven’t been to one in years! I love the inspiration! This pizza with the red pepper hummus sounds pretty great!
Anna @ The Guiltless Life
Genius idea, Jen! I love the Mediterranean one – mmm. I have pita pizzas all the time, just LOVE them and how guiltless they are!
Jen
I LOVE the idea of using pitas as the pizza crust! So clever and quick and easy which is even better!
Kris Britton
Giiiirrrrllll, I miss you!!!! How are ya?? Ok, these are da bomb!! My FAV pizza topping is black olives, I could swim with my mouth open in a sea of black olives 🙂
xxoo
Heather Blackmon
Mediterranean is the one that jumps out to me too – love using hummus as the base of pizzas! That’s actually one of my tricks for eating vegan pizza when I go out, look for something creamy (like hummus!) to replace the cheese with on a normal pizza.
kris
OOOHHHHHH!!!! i am in an english muffin pizza rut for lunch, i am making the switch, these look amazing!!!
Zoe
The mushroom pizza looks great! My absolute fave!
Nette @ This Dusty House
I am intrigued by the spinach sauce… I’m not usually a fan of anything other than a tomato sauce on a pizza but this looks so good… probably because it’s homemade and not frozen from a box in my freezer? Trying this!
Colleen
I love love love the idea of using creamed spinach on these pizzas! Forget Applebee’s; I’m sure yours are way better! I need this for dinner tonight.
Our Eating Habits
Yummy, looks like I will have to add this to my menu for vegetarian night!
Ravienomnoms
This looks amazing!! Great for my Lenten dinner tonight!
Jenn @ Peas and Crayons
Yayyy hope you love it!!!! Happy Friday gorgeous! =)
Shannon (Healthiful Balance)
Such an awesome idea! I know what I want for dinner now. 🙂 Enjoy your weekend Jenn! <3
Kristen @ notsodomesticated
I really like the idea of the pizza with creamed spinach … I would just want to sub out the mushrooms for something else b/c I’m not a huge fan … broccoli perhaps?? 🙂
Now if I’m eating a normal pizza, I like pepperoni and banana peppers. But I really think yours looks delicious!!!
Jenn @ Peas and Crayons
Ohmygosh girl I was too!!! The second I tried the veggie patch I never looked back! 😉 Loooove naan pizza — do you make your naan from scratch? I want to!
Emily @ Life on Food
These look fabulous. I was always the chicken fingers and fries girl at Applebee’s. I have made mini pizzas on Naan but never pita breads. Lovely!
Aparna B. @ Not A Leaf
OMG! I remember the veggie patch pizzas! I loved the old menu at Applebees (that and I used to waitress there during high school). Great idea to recreate this. Your sounds way better than there’s and I’m sure yours are also a million times healthier than anything Applebees could offer.
nicoleandgwendolyn
these look delicious! i do a similar version, but using a huge portobello mushroom cap as the base. 🙂
Jann
These look delicious and I love the story behind them. It makes them that much more special 🙂
Koko @ Koko Likes
HOLY YUM I want it! NOW!
Andi
Yum! I love veggie pizzas! My girls might actually try these! I make mini pizzas on whole wheat bagels for the girls all the time. Fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, and fresh tomatoes are my absolutely favorite pizza toppings.
Lisa@DailyRUNdown
I love pita pizzas! Thanks for the great ideas!
busybee2
Those look really good. I like the idea of using the pitas.
Jenn @ Peas and Crayons
ummmm you’re not too far – get your butt over here!!!!
Liz @ iheartvegetables
Ok, Miss Jenn… you are just too freaking amazing for words. I want this. Right now.
K Thanks 😉
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