Ditch The Tomatoes And Use This Creamy Dip On Pizza Instead

We all know that tomato sauce is obviously the go-to move for pizza. Unless we're talking about the occasional white pizza (or pizza bianca), generally speaking, a classic pizza consists of a dough base, tomato sauce, and mozzarella cheese. However, if you're ever in the mood to switch things up, then hummus just might be the creamy tomato sauce alternative you need. Instead of going Italian, hummus allows you to lean into a more Mediterranean or Middle Eastern style pizza. And it works because it has the same garlicky depth as tomato sauce, just with more protein, fiber, and healthy fats.

It's also just as easy to use. Whether you're making a homemade fluffy hummus or keeping it simple by using a store-bought version, you're in charge of how you season the sauce (or dip, in this case) base. Of course, a from-scratch recipe allows for much more customization, but even store-bought hummus can taste homemade with a drizzle of olive oil and some lemon juice. These additions will also loosen up the dip a bit to make it easier to spread. Plus, going the store-bought route makes the whole process so much easier and appealing for a quick weeknight dinner. 

Because hummus is made from chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, and garlic, it really delivers on the creamy, hearty, and flavorful front, unlike tomato sauce which can be quite thin and light in comparison. And because hummus is so substantial in itself, you don't need to go overboard with other elements. The addition of cheese to classic pizza makes sense because there's a need for a fatty and creamy element to balance out the tomato sauce, but with hummus that element is already built in. So cheese is definitely not a requirement for a hummus pizza, but if you can't imagine one without cheese, feta would work well here, boosting the pie's Mediterranean vibe. One thing to note is that hummus will behave differently in the oven compared to tomato sauce. When baked, the soft and velvety hummus puffs out slightly and crisps up at the edges, creating a nice layer of textural contrast. 

If you want to try hummus on a pizza, you should lean on toppings that complement the theme, such as roasted eggplant, caramelised onions, artichokes, olives, red onion, and spinach. These will bring out the dip's garlicky and creamy nature without competing with it. All of that richness can also do with a little freshness after baking, think a squeeze of lemon or a sprinkle of fresh herbs and za'atar which brighten up the pizza and give it an overall lighter feel. This tomato sauce swap would be excellent to top not only homemade pizza dough but also flatbreads, naan, and pita. You can layer the hummus onto these breads for a more scaled down version of an exciting Mediterranean-inspired pizza.