This Vegan Lemon Artichoke Flatbread with Za’atar is loaded with fresh ingredients and Middle Eastern flavors. It starts with a sesame seed crusted pizza dough, then a layer of za’taar and tender artichoke hearts marinated with lemon and herbs. Then it’s baked until golden brown and topped off with a creamy tofu based ricotta cheese, lots of greens and a drizzle of olive oil. It looks like a fancy restaurant dish, but with lots of healthy veggies, protein and healthy fats, its actually a pretty balanced meal. Plus, it’s vegan, nut free and comes together in less than 45 minutes!

The inspiration for this Vegan Lemon Artichoke Flatbread came from this traditional Middle Eastern flatbread called Man’oush. Its this delicious blend of olive oil and Za’atar spread over dough and baked until golden brown and crispy. It’s the perfect appetizer or snack, but I wanted to see if I could make a whole meal out of it.

So let’s start with the crust, which is probably my favorite part. You can use whatever dough you’d like, store bought or homemade. My personal favorite is Roberta’s Pizza Dough Recipe from NYT Cooking.

Once you’ve got a good base, the dough gets pressed down over top a layer of sesame seeds and baked until golden brown. In the oven, the sesame seeds get all toasty and adhere to the dough, giving you that delicious nutty, crunchiness in every bite. Fair warning, it makes this vegan artichoke flatbread a little hard to stop eating.

I know a lot of people swear by making pizza on a pizza stone, but for this recipe, I like to use a rimmed sheet pan. The edges made it easier to spread out the sesame seeds. If you do have a pizza stone, I recommend placing it on the rack above where you are going to put the sheet pan and preheating it with the oven. This helps radiate heat above the flatbread which results in a crispy crust.

As for cheese, my go to is always my Easy Vegan Tofu Ricotta. It comes together in just a few minutes in a blender or food processor and goes wonderfully on this flatbread. You can also use another brand of vegan cheese like Daiya or Chao, but I just like the tofu based one because it adds some protein and makes for a more complete meal. And of course, if you’re not vegan or dairy free, I’m sure real ricotta or burrata would be excellent.

Want more cheesy vegan recipes? Try these

• Vegan cauliflower Mac and cheese
• Vegan stuffed shells with sunflower pesto
• Vegan spinach artichoke grilled cheese

Tried this recipe? Tag @wandering_chickpea on Instagram!

Yield: 1 large flatbread

Vegan Lemon Artichoke Flatbread with Za’atar

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An easy Middle Eastern inspired flatbread, with a sesame seed crust, lemon marinated artichokes, za'atar, and vegan ricotta cheese.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lb pizza dough, store bought or homemade
• 2 14 oz cans quartered artichoke hearts, packed in water
• 6 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 2 tbsp dill, chopped
• 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp Za’atar
• 1 recipe Easy Vegan Ricotta (see above) or 1 1/2 cups other vegan ricotta
• Micro-greens or arugula for serving

Instructions

1. Start by draining the artichoke hearts and placing them in a large resealable container. Add 2 tbsp olive oil, parsley, dill, lemon juice and salt. Allow to marinate at room temperature for at least 20 minutes or up to overnight in the fridge. While the artichokes marinate, this is a great time to make the ricotta.
   
2. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Brush about a tbsp of oil onto a large sheet pan and sprinkle sesame seeds in an even layer.
   Roll out the dough to about a 1/2 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Curl the sides over to make a crust. Gently fold the dough in half and quickly transfer to the sheet pan, Unfold and use your fingers to firmly press down to ensure the sesame seeds stick.
   
3. Brush the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil over the dough, then top with Za’atar and artichoke hearts. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the center is no longer doughy.
   
4. Finish with a few dollops of ricotta, micro-greens and a drizzle of olive oil.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1/6
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 403Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 595mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 9gSugar: 6gProtein: 13g

All nutritional information is an estimation