This unique pizza is smothered in pesto and topped with gorgonzola cheese, Portobello mushrooms and chopped walnuts with the most amazing sesame seed crust, all baked to golden perfection. It is a copycat version of the “Shear Delight” from Asheville Brewing Company that happens to be one of my favorite pizzas of all time! I love to order this pizza when we have friends in town. It is so much fun watching someone’s reaction when trying the Shear Delight for the first time. It is quite the experience.
The Best Pizza Joint
If you live in the Asheville area, I have no doubt you are well aware of Asheville Brewing Company. It is one of our favorite places to eat. They have a diverse menu and the most unique pizzas. I’ve never ordered anything I didn’t love. We used to go all the time pre-COVID, and we still pick up their pizzas regularly. Early in the pandemic, they put together a really fun make-at-home pizza kit for kids that my 2 year old loved. It came with 2 ready to bake pizza doughs, red sauce, cheese, and pepperonis. We had a really great time making them together at the house. I’m not sure if they are still offering this, but it is worth asking about. Your kids will love it! Here is a link to their full menu. We always get the “Shear Delight” and the “Magnum P.I.E.” You can order online here.
Sesame Seed Crust
Once you try this pizza, you may decide that every pizza should be made with a sesame seed crust. This crust is seriously delicious and probably my favorite part about the whole pizza. You absolutely can’t skip the sesame seeds! The other pizza we normally go for at Asheville Brewing Company has a shredded coconut crust which is also amazing.
A Quick Dinner
This pizza is an incredibly fast and easy meal if you go with store bought ingredients. There is basically no prep work, so it is great for a weeknight. Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods both have quality fresh pizza dough that is ready to bake. Does anyone have a favorite pesto sauce? I don’t have a “go-to” so I’d love to hear about it in the comments if there is a brand you love. Also, I highly recommend you treating yourself to a fancy gorgonzola cheese. Pre-packaged crumbled gorgonzola is totally fine if it is what you have on hand, but I normally spend a little extra for a nice gorgonzola for this pizza. If you do happen to have some extra time, give my Easy Homemade Pizza Dough a try or make your own pesto at home!
Family Time
My kid loves making pizza, so consider getting your little one involved! Making pizza is a fun family activity that can spice things up when we are all a little more cooped up than usual. I couldn’t use half of the pictures I took for this post because tiny little hands had snuck their way into the frame. I didn’t have much time for picture taking when the pizza was done either, on account of a miniature gremlin relentlessly reaching for his first piece. We really did have a great time making this together ????.
One Last Shout Out to Asheville Brewing Company
If you are looking for a fun new beer to try, I’m obsessed with their Ninjabread Man porter around the holidays. I look forward to it every year, and I think it is still available. Make sure to try some before it goes away for the season! Ok, that’s all.
Thanks for reading! I hope you love the pizza ????.
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Pesto, Mushroom, Gorgonzola Pizza (Without Tomato Sauce)
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 square pieces 1x
Description
A unique pizza smothered in pesto and topped with gorgonzola cheese, Portobello mushrooms and chopped walnuts with the most amazing sesame seed crust, all baked to golden perfection. A copycat version of the “Shear Delight” from Asheville Brewing Company is one of the best pizza combinations you’ll ever taste!
Ingredients
- 1 store bought ready-to-bake pizza dough or my Easy Homemade Pizza Dough
- Olive oil for greasing pan and brushing the crust (can use cornmeal instead of oil to prevent crust from sticking)
- 1– 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (I like to go heavy on the sesame seeds, its the best part!)
- 1/4 cup pesto
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (depending on how cheesy you like your pizza)
- 4 ounces baby Portobello mushrooms, sliced
- 2 ounces gorgonzola cheese, crumbled into Nickle sized pieces
- 3 Tablespoons chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
- Spread your pizza dough out into a circle or rectangle on a pizza stone or baking sheet. (If using a baking sheet, you will need to either grease the pan with a tablespoon of olive oil or sprinkle with cornmeal to prevent sticking).
- Brush the edges of the pizza with olive oil and sprinkle the crust with sesame seeds.
- Cover the center of the pizza in a thin layer of pesto and top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Add your toppings (sliced mushrooms, bits of gorgonzola cheese, walnuts).
- Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until top is golden and crust is cooked through.
Notes
Don’t forget to top with some red pepper flakes if you like a little heat!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Mains
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Pizza
Keywords: pesto, gorgonzola, vegetarian, pizza, sesame seeds
