Since we are moving in about a week, I am cooking as if I am a contestant on Chopped. We are emptying out the fridge and pantry, cooking based upon what we have. This means I must be extra creative in my recipe creations this week. Sometimes the best dishes come from the unexpected. These Naan Pizzas with White Bean Puree and Bacon are just that.
We have a value pack of mini naan in our refrigerator, which means there are a lot of them. Typically I will freeze the extras, but since we’re moving I am trying to utilize them in different ways. I came up with this recipe after I saw a can of white beans in my pantry. These little naan pizzas are so gosh darn good. They’re seriously addictive!
Ingredients
- Naan Flatbreads: I designed this recipe based upon the mini/small naan you find at the grocery store. You can adapt the recipe to be used on the full size naan as well, the serving quantity will just be different.
- White Bean Puree: Instead of sauce, these pizzas have a base of white bean puree. It’s a healthy, delicious addition packed with flavor. The puree is made from white beans, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and salt.
- Bacon: The bacon bits can be made in advance. Use whatever bacon you like.
- Other Toppings: In addition to the bacon, I added chopped scallions and black olives to these pizzas. I feel these two items go hand-in-hand with the other elements of the dish.
- Cheese: The only cheese in this recipe is shredded parmesan. It pairs exceptionally well with the white bean puree and bacon, without overpowering any of the other flavors.
Pizza Procedure
The first thing to do is make the white bean puree. Since we do not have a food processor, I just used our immersion blender. The puree can be made with either. Blend the white beans (drained and rinsed), olive oil, minced garlic, and lemon juice until pureed. Season with salt to taste.
If you have not already cooked your bacon, set the white bean puree in the refrigerator while you do so.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the naan onto an ungreased sheet tray. Spread about 2 tbsp of white bean puree onto each naan. Sprinkle each with the bacon bits, scallions, and olives. Finally generously sprinkle each with Parmesan cheese. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Set the broiler to low and broil for one to 2 minutes. This will allow the crust and cheese to brown slightly.
Serve immediately.
These Naan Pizzas could be made as an appetizer to share or as an easy, fun dinner paired with a salad. I drizzled ours with Chili Onion Crunch (from Trader Joe’s) which was absolutely delicious. (This can be seen in the above picture.) It added a really nice sweet heat to the flavor profile, though it’s not necessary. These pizzas are phenomenal, Chili Onion Crunch or not. I really think you’re going to love these. If you make them, please comment below and let me know what you think!
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Naan Pizzas with White Bean Puree and Bacon
Ingredients
White Bean Puree
- 1 15oz can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ lemon juiced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- pinch salt to taste
Pizzas
- 6 miniature naan I used Stonefire brand.
- 3 slices bacon cooked and chopped into pieces
- 4 scallions diced small
- ⅓ cup sliced black olives
- 1 cup shredded parmesan
Instructions
- Place the white beans, olive oil, lemon juice, and minced garlic into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until creamy and completely incorporated. Add a pinch of salt, to taste. If using an immersion blender, see note.
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Place 6 mini naan onto a sheet tray. Spread approximately 2 tbsp of white bean puree onto each naan. Sprinkle each with bacon, scallions, and olives.
- Finally, sprinkle the shredded parmesan over each pizza.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, until cheese is completely melted. Set broiler on low and broil for about 1-2 minutes, until crust has browned slightly and cheese is bubbly. Serve immediately.
Notes
- If using an immersion blender for the white bean puree, mix in a container that has high edges to avoid mess.
- As noted in post, I topped these pizzas with Chili Onion Crunch after cooking.
Sounds delicious!
Thank you! 🙂