Published by Best Fitness Routine. Editorial standards · Report a correction. Educational guidance; no individual clinical review is claimed unless a qualified reviewer is named.
About This Healthy Recipe
This red lentil pizza crust starts with dry split red lentils soaked in the refrigerator, drained and blended smooth. Four thin individual bases are pre-baked before adding concentrated tomato, wilted spinach, whole cooked white beans and basil. Each complete vegan pizza is one of four meal portions.
The visible total time must include the 2–4-hour refrigerated soak. The minimum schedule is about 3 hours 15 minutes using the shorter soak; allow up to 5 hours 15 minutes when soaking for 4 hours. Oven and tray capacity can extend this.
The dry-red-lentil estimate uses Bob's Red Mill's published 50 g label, scaled to a 100 g reference. Those are rounded label figures, not a laboratory result for your batch. A different brand or variety changes the estimate; 320 g is the dry pre-soak weight and the soaking water is discarded. For another preparation, see Ginger Red Lentil Soup with Spinach and Carrots.
Why Readers May Like It
- 1Measured portions, a clear crust method and practical doneness checks.
- 2Clear dry, cooked and drained ingredient weights.
- 3Four measured portions with the crust, sauce and listed toppings included.
Recipe Summary and Estimated Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated from the listed ingredient weights and the specific USDA records or manufacturer references linked below. Weights labeled dry, raw, cooked or drained must be matched to that state.
4 servings
One serving is one quarter of the base batch. Values are estimates rather than laboratory analysis.
Per one quarter of the base recipe
Per one quarter of the base recipe
Per one quarter of the base recipe
Per one quarter of the base recipe
Brands, drained weights, substitutions and final serving sizes can change these values.
Ingredient-by-Ingredient Nutrition Breakdown
Gram weights are the calculation basis; household measures are approximate. The table includes all listed oil, sauce and toppings. Water included in dough or batter is listed. Discarded soaking water is not counted as consumed food.
| Ingredient | Amount used | Weight | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Split red lentils, dry, rinsed; weighed before soaking | about 1 2/3 cups dry; weigh before soaking | 320 g | 1216 kcal | 76.8 g | 211.2 g | 6.4 g |
| Cold water for refrigerated soaking; discard after soaking | about 5 US cups, discarded | 1200 g | 0 kcal | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fresh cold water for blending after draining | about 3/4 cup plus 3 tbsp | 220 g | 0 kcal | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Olive oil, divided: 8 g batter, 8 g liners, 8 g tomatoes | about 1 tbsp plus 2 tsp | 24 g | 212 kcal | 0 g | 0 g | 24 g |
| Canned crushed tomatoes, including their juice | about 1 cup plus 3 tbsp | 280 g | 90 kcal | 4.6 g | 20.4 g | 0.8 g |
| Spinach, raw, washed and dried | about 8 loosely packed cups | 240 g | 55 kcal | 6.9 g | 8.7 g | 0.9 g |
| Cherry tomatoes, raw, halved | about 1 1/2 cups | 240 g | 43 kcal | 2.1 g | 9.3 g | 0.5 g |
| Garlic, finely minced | 2–3 small cloves | 8 g | 12 kcal | 0.5 g | 2.6 g | 0 g |
| Fresh basil leaves, torn | about 1/2 loosely packed cup | 12 g | 3 kcal | 0.4 g | 0.3 g | 0.1 g |
| Table salt, divided: 1 g batter, 1 g sauce | about 1/3 tsp | 2 g | 0 kcal | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Ground black pepper | about 1/2 tsp | 1 g | 3 kcal | 0.1 g | 0.6 g | 0 g |
| White beans, fully cooked without salt, drained | about 1 3/4 cups cooked | 320 g | 445 kcal | 31.1 g | 80.3 g | 1.1 g |
| Full recipe estimate | 4 servings | — | 2079 kcal | 122.5 g | 333.4 g | 33.8 g |
How This Nutrition Estimate Was Prepared
- Match each listed ingredient to its linked food record or stated label reference.
- Multiply the per-100-g values by the listed gram weight and add the unrounded ingredient values.
- Divide the full calculation by four servings, then round for the cards.
- Recalculate if you change the ingredient brand, amount or serving yield.
Ingredient cells are rounded independently. The footer sums displayed cells; per-serving cards use the unrounded calculation, so small rounding differences are expected. Final cooking yield and brands can change the estimate.
Ingredients
Measured ingredients
Step-by-Step Preparation
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Equipment links are paid affiliate links; use suitable tools you already own.
Equipment
- Digital kitchen scale (paid link)
- Chef’s knife (paid link)
- Cutting board (paid link)
- Mixing bowls (paid link)
- Cooking spoon or spatula (paid link)
- High-speed blender (paid link)
- Fine mesh sieve (paid link)
- Large flat baking sheets (paid link)
- Baking parchment (paid link)
- Shallow food containers (paid link)
Before You Start
The visible total time must include the 2–4-hour refrigerated soak. The minimum schedule is about 3 hours 15 minutes using the shorter soak; allow up to 5 hours 15 minutes when soaking for 4 hours. Oven and tray capacity can extend this.
Total time includes 120 minutes of resting or soaking, 25 minutes preparation and about 50 minutes cooking. Some tasks can overlap. Measure ingredients and prepare toppings before assembling. Use the listed raw, dry, cooked or drained state for each weight. Do not taste raw flour dough or batter.
Soak the dry lentils under refrigeration
2–4 hours refrigeratedSort and rinse the 320 g dry lentils. Put them in a covered container with 1200 g cold water and refrigerate at 40°F / 4°C or below for 2–4 hours. If still very firm at 2 hours, allow the longer soak. Drain through a fine sieve, rinse and discard the soaking liquid. A digital kitchen scale (paid link) helps keep the measured quantities consistent.
Blend a smooth batter
3–5 minutesBlend the drained soaked lentils with 220 g fresh water, 8 g oil, 1 g salt and half the pepper. Scrape the blender (paid link) and continue until no obvious coarse grains remain. Do not taste raw lentil batter. If it stays gritty after blending, allow more refrigerated soaking next time rather than treating gritty batter as ready.
Spread four thin individual bases
5 minutesHeat a conventional oven to 425°F / 220°C. Line two large sheets with parchment rated for this heat and brush with 8 g oil total. Divide batter equally into four circles, two per sheet, each approximately 8 1/2–9 inches / 22 cm across and no more than about 1/4 inch / 5–6 mm thick.
Bake until the lentil layer sets
30–40 minutes total, to setBake for 25–32 minutes, rotating trays between racks midway, until the tops are matte and the centers are firm enough to lift from the parchment. If a base sticks or smears, bake longer. Once firm, carefully turn each base with a broad spatula and bake the other side for 5–8 minutes.
Prepare a dry spinach-tomato topping
8–10 minutes, can overlapWhile the bases cook, simmer crushed tomatoes, garlic, the remaining 8 g oil, salt and pepper for 8–10 minutes until thick. In a separate skillet, wilt the spinach, then drain and press out liquid. Blot the halved fresh tomatoes. Keep the basil for the finish.
Top only the fully cooked bases
3 minutesSpread a quarter of the concentrated sauce over each base, leaving a small rim. Add equal shares of squeezed spinach, drained fully cooked white beans and tomato halves. If any base has a wet center, finish cooking it before topping rather than hiding raw batter beneath sauce.
Finish until the beans and vegetables are hot
8–10 minutesBake the topped pizzas for about 8–10 minutes until the beans and vegetables are hot. The lentil base should remain set beneath them, without a wet paste-like center. Add time if the oven is cooler or the layer thicker than intended. This topping has no cheese to use as a melting cue.
Stand briefly and add basil
5 minutesLet the pizzas stand for 5 minutes so they can be lifted cleanly. Scatter over basil and serve one complete individual pizza per portion. The base is tender and earthy, not elastic like bread dough. Transfer planned leftovers to shallow containers promptly.
How to Know It Is Ready
The base must be matte and firm through its middle and lift without wet smearing before topping. After the second bake there should be no uncooked graininess or gummy wet paste; do not taste raw batter to assess seasoning.
Tender earthy lentil bases with set edges and a firm cooked center, topped with spinach, cherry tomatoes, distinct white beans and basil. There is no melted-cheese topping or airy wheat-style rim.
One quarter of every listed ingredient, including crust, sauce and any measured topping.
What This Meal Provides and What to Consider
Meal Balance
- The measured batch supplies about 30.6 g protein per serving.
- The crust or flatbread, toppings, measured oil and listed vegetables are included in the estimate.
Things to Consider
- Lentils and white beans are legumes and may themselves cause allergy. No dairy or egg is added. Check products and preparation conditions for any required gluten cross-contact precautions.
- Energy, sodium and saturated fat still depend on ingredients and portion size. This meal does not guarantee a particular fitness or health result.
Who May Enjoy This Recipe?
Pizza meal planning
Home cooks looking for a measured vegan lunch or dinner.
Home cooking
The dry-red-lentil estimate uses Bob's Red Mill's published 50 g label, scaled to a 100 g reference. Those are rounded label figures, not a laboratory result for your batch. A different brand or variety changes the estimate; 320 g is the dry pre-soak weight and the soaking water is discarded.
Measured portions
People who want to understand how ingredient weights relate to a four-serving batch.
How to Adjust the Meal
Smaller appetite
Serve a smaller portion and save the rest safely. Recalculate nutrition for the portion you actually eat.
Larger appetite
Choose an appropriate larger portion or accompaniment and include those ingredients in the meal calculation.
Protein adjustments
If changing the main protein, crust or flatbread, use its product label and recalculate. The amount can also change texture and cooking requirements.
Substitutions, Dietary Notes, and Allergens
Practical Substitutions
- An equal cooked drained weight of chickpeas can replace the white-bean topping, with a changed texture and nutrition estimate. Whole green or brown lentils are not a direct soaking and timing substitute for split red lentils in the base.
- A different flour, base or topping changes texture, timing and nutrition. Do not substitute flours gram for gram without adjusting the method.
Allergen Information
Lentils and white beans are legumes and may themselves cause allergy. No dairy or egg is added. Check products and preparation conditions for any required gluten cross-contact precautions.
Check packaged ingredient labels for the allergens relevant to you. A substitution changes both the recipe and the calculation.
Storage and Meal Preparation
Refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when surroundings exceed 90°F / 32°C. Use shallow containers and a refrigerator at 40°F / 4°C or colder. Use safely handled cooked leftovers within 3–4 days; reheat hot leftovers to 165°F / 74°C.
Keeping This Pizza Meal
The soak takes place in a covered refrigerator container at 40°F / 4°C or below. Refrigerate cooked portions within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F / 32°C, and use within 3–4 days. Count the storage window from the earliest-cooked prepared ingredient, and follow any shorter use-by limit. Assembling or reheating pizza does not restart the clock for previously cooked beans, fish, poultry or vegetables.
Reheating the Meal
Reheat baked portions until the middle reaches 165°F / 74°C. Use a baking tray, cover lightly while heating and uncover briefly at the end if a firmer edge is desired.
Follow USDA leftovers guidance. For another crust and topping combination, browse Chicken Crust Pizza with Peppers and Basil.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Cooked canned lentils have a different hydration and structure from soaked uncooked red lentils. They will not follow this formula, and cooked drained weight does not match the dry-lentil nutrition basis.
The lentils may need the longer refrigerated soak or more thorough blending. Use a suitable blender, scrape its walls and work within its safe capacity. Do not shorten cooking because the outside browns; the center must also be fully set and cooked.
No. There is no added wheat, dairy or egg in this version, but products and kitchens can have cross-contact. Choose ingredients and equipment appropriate to your needs. Lentils and white beans can themselves cause allergy in some people.
Use the serving controls to scale the gram quantities and serving count. Use more baking trays and work in batches; oven time does not simply double. Household notes remain at the base four-serving quantities.
Nutrition Sources and Recipe Notes
These values are planning estimates, not individualized nutrition advice. Use labels for your exact products when precision is important. The recipe has not been kitchen-tested and the image is a generated illustration of the intended dish.
Nutrition Data Sources
See our Nutrition Calculation Methodology for weights, rounding and substitutions.
Food Safety Reference
Recipe development note: this page does not claim independent kitchen testing. The image is illustrative and does not document a tested result. Ingredient-based nutrition estimates can change with brands, weighing state, preparation and serving size; use exact labels when precision matters.
Useful Tools for This Recipe
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Equipment links are paid affiliate links; use suitable tools you already own.
These tools fit the preparation above. Use suitable equipment you already own, or compare options if you need an item.
High-speed blender
Turn soaked drained lentils and measured water into smooth batter.
Compare on Amazon → (paid link)Paid link · opens in a new tabFine mesh sieve
Rinse and drain lentils without losing small pieces.
Compare on Amazon → (paid link)Paid link · opens in a new tabLarge flat baking sheets
Provide room for four thin 22 cm bases.
Compare on Amazon → (paid link)Paid link · opens in a new tab
