As a plant-based food blogger, I’ve learned that creativity is key when it comes to pizza — and this Buffalo Chickpea variation is proof that dairy-free can still be downright irresistible. Topped with protein-packed chickpeas and hemp seeds, then finished with a creamy, garlicky drizzle you’ll want to put on everything, it’s bold, tangy, and so satisfying you won’t even miss the cheese. This flavor-packed recipe is a healthy, crowd-pleasing twist on classic game day pizza.
Ingredients
- Pizza dough and sauce: This pizza starts just like any other, with a ball of dough and your choice of pizza sauce.
- Garlic cloves: Sautéed garlic gives the chickpeas a savory, aromatic bite.
- Dried oregano: Or use Italian seasoning — to season the chickpeas.
- Hot sauce and sriracha: For tangy, spicy flavor. Skip the sriracha for milder heat.
- Coconut sugar: Adds sweetness to balance the heat.
- Chickpeas: Simmered in buffalo sauce, the chickpeas will achieve a tender texture and crisp exterior for the perfect bite.
- Garlic drizzle: Made with steamed cauliflower, nutritional yeast, hemp seeds, milk (I use plant-based), olive oil, red wine vinegar, salsa, cumin, garlic, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
How to Make Buffalo Chickpea Pizza
- Steam the cauliflower. Add cauliflower florets to a saucepan with enough water to cover and simmer until tender.
- Prep the buffalo chickpeas. Warm butter (I use vegan butter, or you can substitute olive oil) in a skillet and sauté garlic with oregano, salt, and pepper. Add hot sauce, sriracha, and coconut sugar and stir. Add chickpeas and let them simmer while moving onto the next step.
- Make the garlic drizzle. Add drained cauliflower along with the rest of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Assemble the pizza. Spread out the pizza dough on a lightly greased pan and top with pizza sauce. Brush the crust with olive oil, if desired. Top with simmered chickpeas and drizzle with some of the garlic sauce. Bake 10 minutes, or until the crust is golden.
- Serve. Let cool for a few minutes, then top with more garlic drizzle and sliced green onions.
Storage & Reheating
Leftover Buffalo Chickpea Pizza can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat at 350°F in a toaster oven or oven until warm.
More Appetizer Recipes You Might Like!
Buffalo Chickpea Pizza
A buffalo chickpea pizza that doubles as a crowd-friendly appetizer with crispy buffalo chickpeas and a garlicky drizzle over top.
Equipment
- high speed blender
Ingredients
- 1 lb pizza dough
- 2-4 oz pizza sauce
- Sliced scallions
Buffalo Chickpeas
- 1/4 cup butter or vegan butter
- 8 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 1/4 cup hot sauce like Frank's RedHot
- 1 tbsp sriracha optional, for extra heat
- 2 tsp coconut sugar or cane sugar
- 15 oz chickpeas drained and rinsed
Garlic Drizzle
- 2 cups cauliflower florets I used frozen cauliflower
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds
- 3 tbsp milk I used soy milk
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp salsa
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Remove dough from the fridge and let rest on a lightly floured surface for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 450F.
- Add cauliflower florets to a saucepan with enough water to cover. Boil until fork-tender, about 10 minutes, then drain.
- Warm butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper, and sauté for 5 minutes.
- To the pan, add hot sauce, sriracha (if using), and coconut sugar. Whisk into a sauce, then add the chickpeas. Let simmer on low heat while you move on to the next step.
- Add the cauliflower, nutritional yeast, hemp seeds, milk, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salsa, and spices to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth.
- Roll out the pizza dough onto a lightly greased baking sheet. I like to roll it into a rectangular shape to make it more appetizer-friendly. Brush the edges of the crust with olive oil, if desired, then spread pizza sauce over top. Sprinkle the buffalo chickpeas evenly onto the pizza, then drizzle some of the garlicky sauce over top. Bake 10 minutes, or until the crust is golden.
- Let cool for a few minutes, then drizzle with more of the garlic sauce. Garnish with sliced green onions.
Nutrition
Calories: 500kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 18gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 1256mgPotassium: 445mgFiber: 9gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 479IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 84mgIron: 6mg
Tried this recipe?Rate it above to let us know how it was!
Enjoy this easy Buffalo Chickpea Pizza!
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About the Author
Kate Feinberg