6 Enticing Alternatives To Tomato-Based Pizza Sauce

If pizza is starting to seem like the same old thing, try some alternatives to tomato-based sauce and you'll find yourself falling in love with these meals all over again. Perhaps you've never tasted some of the more unusual options on menus at your favorite pizza restaurants, or maybe it's time to venture out of your comfort zone and try some pizzerias you've never been to before.

Cheesy Artichoke & Spinach

You may have enjoyed cheesy artichoke and spinach dip with chips at a restaurant or by the jar from a grocery store. Restaurants that have this dip on the menu are likely to offer it as a pizza sauce as well. The classic recipe for this rich, creamy sauce includes mozzarella, provolone and Parmesan; it may include cream cheese too.

You don't really need additional ingredients on this type of pizza, but fresh mushrooms and onions are good options. If you want meat on the pizza, choose chicken. 

Pesto

Basil is the primary flavor in pesto sauce and gives the sauce its bright green color. Other essential components include garlic, ground pine nuts and olive oil. Some chefs add Parmesan or Romano cheese, parsley and lemon juice.

If you have any vegan friends or relatives, pizza with pesto sauce and no cheese or meat is a welcome option for them. Order the meal with items such as sun-dried tomatoes, fresh mushrooms and black olives. 

Refried Beans

Some restaurants provide a Mexican pizza topped with refried beans instead of standard pizza sauce. The Mexican pizza is likely to include diced tomatoes, onions, black olives and shredded or ground beef, although you can probably order it in a vegetarian version. A blend of cheddar and mozzarella cheese is standard, but other Mexican-style cheese blends are provided at some dining establishments.

Some chefs like to add freshly baked tortilla chips over the refried beans before topping the pizza with the other ingredients. 

Barbecue 

If you're a fan of barbecue sauce, you'll probably love a pizza with this component. Envision eating chicken fresh from the grill, smothered in barbecue sauce; a barbecue chicken pizza has a similar flavor. When the weather's cold and you don't want to grill outside, you can fulfill your cravings at a pizzeria with this option on the menu.

Chefs commonly add red onions along with mozzarella cheese; some versions include smoked provolone or Gouda cheese as well. 

Ranch

Ranch dip is one of the more popular items to enhance foods such as chicken wings and veggie platters. A pizza with ranch sauce, along with chicken, bacon and veggies, is a fun variation on the traditional tomato sauce. 

A mozzarella and cheddar blend is an excellent topping for the ranch pizza, as are black olives and onions.

Hummus

A lot of people are still unfamiliar with hummus. Are you one of them? You've probably tasted garbanzo beans -- also known as chickpeas -- as these are common items at restaurant salad bars. The beans are the primary ingredient in hummus, which likely was first made in Middle Eastern or Mediterranean countries. Hummus includes additional ingredients such as garlic, cumin, tahini and olive oil. 

If you're unsure about ordering a hummus pizza, perhaps somebody you know who loves this Middle Eastern-style dip would come with you and let you sample a slice of his or her pie. 

Enjoy Your Adventures

As you start patronizing restaurants you've never been to before, you'll likely find many other unusual pizzas on the menu that look intriguing. It's fascinating to discover how different and delicious pizza can taste when you stray from your usual choices. Have fun enjoying your new adventures in food and experiencing a wide range of alternative flavors. 


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