Kale Pizza with Mushrooms and Tomatoes (53 cents/slice)

The idea of Kale Pizza may surprise you, but in a good way. This kale pizza is loaded with leafy greens, mushrooms, two kinds of tomatoes, onions, and cheese. What a great way to get your vegetables!

Are you ready to do something wild and crazy? Something that might shock friends and neighbors? Something that feels so wrong, but tastes so right?

Then it’s time.

Time to bust out of that pepperoni rut and put kale on your pizza.

Kale on pizza? What in the world!

I know it may seem unconventional. Odd. Uber-healthy.

But, it’s so delicious. Not at all like broccoli on pizza.

Kale Pizza with Mushrooms and Tomatoes

This veggie pizza with kale, mushrooms and tomatoes would be one of those different kinds of pizza that I love. It’s easy to make, delicious to eat, and absolutely good for you.

It’s kale, for Heaven’s sake!

Certainly that must notch up the nutrition of pizza. I love to make this pizza on my homemade sourdough pizza crust and then my husband grills the pizza. It’s a highlight of the week!

Do you need to cook kale before you put it on pizza?

Kale doesn’t need to be cooked before putting on a pizza. It will cook in the oven atop the pizza.

What can you serve with kale pizza?

Kale pizza is a great main dish that includes plenty of veg, but if you’d like, you can serve it alongside a salad or veggie dippers.

Can I use spinach instead of kale?

If you’ve got baby spinach on hand, you can use that instead of kale. Both taste delicious.

How do you make kale pizza?

Kale pizza is super easy to make! 

1. Slice up all the ingredients.
2. Prepare the pizza dough and place it on a pizza screen or pizza pan.
3. Brush the dough with olive oil.
4. Sprinkle it generously with Jamie’s Spice Mix.
5. Spread the kale in an even layer on the dough.
6. Spread the mushrooms over the kale.
7. Sprinkle the fresh tomatoes over the pizza, leaving space in between the mushrooms.
8. Layer the onion slices over the pizza, leaving space between the other vegetables.
9. Fill in the gaps with the sun-dried tomatoes.
10. Sprinkle shredded cheese over all.
11. Bake or grill the pizza until the crust is crisp and the cheese is melted.

Is it cheaper to make my own pizza?

You might assume that homemade is cheaper, but let’s crunch the numbers to see if it’s true.

• pizza dough – $0.75
• olive oil – $0.20 ($6.49/16 oz)
• spices – $0.10
• kale – $0.32 ($2.50/16 oz)
• mushrooms – $0.25 ($1.99/8 oz)
• tomato – $0.30
• sun-dried tomatoes $0.40 ($3.99/8.5 oz)
• mozzarella cheese – $0.94 ($1.88/8 oz)

Total cost of a homemade kale pizza made with good quality ingredients works out to be 3.26 or 41 cents a slice!

Compare that with these prices:

• frozen, personal-size kale pizza – $2.89
• large Domino’s specialty pizza – $17.99 or $2.24/slice

You can bet that homemade is the better deal!

HOW TO MAKE THIS EVEN MORE ECONOMICAL

Here are some of the strategies you can use to make this recipe more economical:

• Shop the cheapest store for your area. There’s a big difference between Whole Foods and ALDI, in what they provide as well as what they cost. Choose the store with the best pricing on the foods you normally buy.
• Shop the sales. Wherever possible, stock up on olive oil, onions, tomatoes, and spices when you see a great sale. 
• Buy in bulk. Large containers often cost a lot less per ounce than smaller ones. If the math pencils out, go big and store the extra in the freezer.

Do you need special equipment to make good pizza?

I’ve been making homemade pizza on the weekly for over 20 years. In that time, I’ve tried a lot of different recipes as well as different tools and techniques. These are the ones that I’ve found to be the most helpful:

• a bread machine or Kitchenaid mixer to make the dough
• a bench knife to cut the dough into portions
• a large cutting board to roll dough out on
• pizza screens for easier and more effective baking
• pizza cutter to cut it easily after baking

Don’t I need a pizza stone?

In my experience, a pizza stone is difficult to use and time-consuming for baking several pizzas for one meal. That said, if you’re just baking one pizza, it can be very useful to getting a nice texture on your crust. Consider these strategies:

1. Preheat the stone sufficiently. Up to 20 minutes before baking your pizza.
2. Assemble your pizza on parchment for easy transfer from the counter to the hot stone.
3. Allow the stone to cool completely before wiping it off. Dramatic temperature changes can cause the stone to crack and break.

If you prepare this recipe, be sure to take a picture and hashtag it #GOODCHEAPEATS. I can't wait to see what you cook up!

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Mushroom and Kale Pizza

Servings: 8 slices

Calories: 76 kcal

Author: Jessica Fisher

Ingredients

• 1/3 batch Pizza Dough or other 12-inch pizza round
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp Jamie's Spice Mix
• 1 cup kale (chopped)
• 1/2 cup mushrooms (sliced)
• 1 roma tomato seeded and chopped
• 1/4 onion sliced
• 2 tbsp sundried tomatoes packed in oil (julienned)
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 475°F. Prepare the pizza screen by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray. Prepare a baking pan by lining with parchment paper or greasing the pan and sprinkling it with cornmeal.

2. Stretch the prepared pizza dough into a generous personal sized pizza. Watch this video if you need help. Lay the dough onto the prepared pan.
3. Brush the crust with olive oil and sprinkle with spice mix.
4. Sprinkle kale over the entire pizza. Add mushrooms and tomatoes. Top with cheese.
5. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until crust is crisp and cheese is bubbly.

Recipe Notes

Promptly store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.

Nutritional values are approximate and based on 1/8 pizza.

Nutrition Facts

Mushroom and Kale Pizza

Amount Per Serving

Calories 76 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 11mg4%

Sodium 105mg5%

Potassium 188mg5%

Carbohydrates 3g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 1880IU38%

Vitamin C 25mg30%

Calcium 98mg10%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This post was originally published on April 25, 2013. It has been updated for content and clarity.