One thing I am truly thankful for is California produce. I absolutely love using all the fresh vegetables and fruits in recipes both sweet and savory. I had some naan in the freezer that I wanted to use up, in addition to half of a cucumber (after making some of my cucumber bites.) I knew these two items would go hand-in-hand, so I looked in to the fridge to see what else I had to use up; thus, these Hummus Naan Pizzas with Cucumber and Olives were born.
I like to keep a large selection of fresh produce in the refrigerator, usually for salad use, but also for sandwiches and dinner items too. Cucumber is a staple ingredient here, always the seedless English variety. Scallions are another produce item that will always be in the crisper as well. In the case of these hummus naan pizzas, I utilized some sunflower sprouts that I had on hand too (which were starting to turn.)
Ingredient Breakdown
- Naan Flatbread: I love Trader Joe’s frozen naan flatbread. They carry both classic and garlic flavored naan in their freezer section. My personal go-to is always the garlic. I did use the frozen garlic naan for this recipe, however, if you cannot find it, any brand of naan will do. This recipe is designed utilizing the frozen naan, so you may have to adjust your baking times if using room temperature naan.
- Hummus: I just used a classic hummus here, as the garlic naan has plenty of flavor. If you make these with classic naan flatbread, feel free to play with the hummus flavors. (Garlic hummus would, of course, be good.)
- Feta: The recipe calls for crumbled feta. You could substitute with goat cheese or even a shredded mozzarella. Have fun with it!
- Toppings: Olives are lovely with hummus. I used sliced Kalamata olives here, but canned black olives would be great too. Chopped scallions could be substituted with sliced or diced red onions. The cucumber ribbons add to the overall appearance of the flatbread. (They look impressive, am I right?) And they add to the freshness of the dish. Finally, the sunflower sprouts are used as garnish, but are optional. Micro-greens or arugula would both be an ideal substitution.
- Lemon Juice: The lemon juice at the end is necessary for the missing acid. It completes the overall dish and flavor profile. And like the cucumber, it adds a lovely freshness to the pizza.
Assembly
The first step is to preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. As stated above, the recipe cook times are designed around frozen naan, so do keep that in mind. Place two (garlic) naan flatbreads on a baking sheet and bake for 3-5 minutes, or until thawed.
Remove from the oven and spread each with the hummus. Sprinkle each with the crumbled feta and place the tray back into the oven for an additional 7-10 minutes. Bake until hummus and feta have warmed and naan is slightly crispy. Remove from oven.
Evenly sprinkle each with scallions and sliced olives. Decoratively place the cucumber ribbons on top of each pizza. Finally, garnish with the sunflower sprouts and the juice of half a lemon (split between the two pizzas.)
These hummus naan pizzas should be served immediately after making them, while still warm. If you plan to make them ahead of time, only complete the baking part of this recipe and then reheat before applying toppings.
These hummus naan pizzas would be great for lunch or dinner. For a complete meal and added protein, feel free to add a little cooked chicken. These would make an impressive appetizer as well, just cut into slices before topping with the cucumber ribbons. This recipe is vibrant and summery. I hope these pizzas bring you some summertime happiness, if even just while you are eating them.
Stay safe and stay strong<3
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Looking for more fun “pizza” ideas?
Try This:
Hummus Naan Pizzas with Cucumber and Olives
Ingredients
- 2 garlic or classic naan flatbreads I used from frozen
- 6 tbsp prepared hummus
- ¼ cup crumbled feta
- 3 scallions diced
- ¼ cup sliced olives I used Kalamata
- ½ English cucumber sliced into ribbons with vegetable peeler
- sunflower sprouts for garnish, as desired
- juice of ½ a lemon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Place two (frozen) naan onto a baking sheet and bake for 3 to 5 minutes, or until thawed.
- Spread each naan with 3 tbsp of hummus, making sure the surface of each is covered. Sprinkle each with the crumbled feta cheese. Place the naan back into the oven and bake for about 7 to 10 minutes, or until hummus and feta are warmed, and naan is slightly crispy.
- Remove naan from oven. Sprinkle each with the scallions and sliced olives. Decotaively place the cucumber ribbons on top of each pizza. (You will not use all of them.) Garnish with the sunflower sprouts as deside. Squeeze lemon juice over each pizza. Serve immediately.
Notes
- See post for substitutions.
- If using room temperature naan, baking times will need to be adjusted slightly.
- Feel free to finish with a drizzle of olive oil as well.
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