Vegetarian Flammkuchen (German pizza)
A German classic, vegetarian flammkuchen is a delicious white pizza with traditional onions and other veggies. Includes a vegan option.
Main ingredients:
 | Thin crust pizza dough – flammkuchen is usually very thin, so look for a thin shortcrust pastry |
 | Cherry tomatoes – cherry or grape tomatoes for a rich and tangy taste. |
 | Green salad – baby spinach or mache. You can also use small pieces of cooked broccoli if you wish. |
 | White onion – chopped or sliced onion is typical in a flammkuchen. |
 | (Optional) Grated cheese – cheddar, gruyère, mozzarella, or emmental cheese. |
Accents for the sauce:
 | Crème fraïche (Heavy cream) – this is the base of the white sauce. |
 | Garlic powder or flakes |
 | Flour – is mixed in with the cream to avoid the flammkuchen crust becoming too soggy. |
 | Salt and pepper |
If you are tired of boring pizza, but don’t want to stray too far away, a thin and airy flammkuchen may just be what you are looking for. Known as tarte flambée in French, the traditional recipe from Alsace calls for bacon lardons, onions and heavy cream. But if you are looking for vegetarian or vegan options, the versatile flammkuchen can do that too.
With a lighter dough, a vegetarian flammkuchen is a delicious meal that can be made quickly with any vegetables you have lying around. I’ve put cherry tomatoes and mache in my recipe because that is what I felt like making today, but you can use what ever you have.
Once you have your thin crust and base sauce, you can use a variety of ingredients as toppings such as:
- Artichokes, lemon, and garlic
- Spinach and mozzarella
- Peppers, zucchini, eggplants and red onions
- Brocolli and sun-dried tomatoes
- Zucchini, red onion, and feta cheese
- Red peppers and cheddar
- Red onions, feta, and black olives
- Kale, pesto, and cream cheese
- Potatoes and cremini mushrooms
- Figs, red onion, goat cheese
- Pear and gorgonzola
- Caprese (Tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil)
- Mushrooms and arugula
- Leeks and mushrooms
The main tip when making a vegetarian flammkuchen is actually not to overcook the vegetables. I recommend letting the crust rise halfway and then adding the vegetables, so that you still get that bright colorful look with all the nutrients intact.
Cooking tips
- You can substitute the heavy cream with low-fat greek yogurt for a lighter version or sour cream for a vegan version.
- If you have picky eaters, you can replace the onions with shallot (white onion) power mixed directly into the sauce to get some of that onion flavor.
- I like to add the cheese and the vegetables on top of the flammkuchen partway through the cooking process, after the dough has partially risen, so that they don’t burn.
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Vegetarian Flammkuchen
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 thin pizza crust base
- 25 cl of crème fraiche or heavy cream* (1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour
- 1 chopped or sliced white onion
- 6-8 cherry tomatoes
- 100 g handful of fresh baby spinach or mâche
- pinch of garlic powder
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 50 g of grated cheese like gruyère or emmental (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 410°F (210°C).
- Spread the pizza crust dough in a baking pan and lightly fold the corners to avoid sauce overflow.
- Chop the onion into small cubes or slices.
- Chop the cherry tomatoes into small halves or quarters.
- In a mixing bowl, mix in the cream with the tablespoon of flour.
- Mix in the salt, pepper, and garlic powder and blend well.
- Spread some of the cream mixture onto the pizza base.
- Add the onions on top of the flammkuchen base.
- Place in the oven for 15 minutes until the dough rises halfway.
- Remove from the oven, and add the chopped up cherry tomatoes and green mache.
- Place the flammkuchen back in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Serve while warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note: We are not certified nutritionists and these estimates written and produced for entertainment purposes only.
What to serve with it?
Flammkuchen can be served with a blended vegetable soup or a minestrone. You can also serve it with a mixed green salad with vinaigrette or a salad niçoise if you want something a little more substantial.
How to store it?
While you can place the flammkuchen in the fridge for a few hours, I don’t recommend keeping it for more than that.
And I would avoid putting flammkuchen in the freezer. The dough may get soggy and not taste good if it is not specifically meant to be frozen.
