Save Last March, my neighbor knocked on the door with a bag of mismatched vegetables from her garden, insisting we do something festive for St. Patrick's Day that didn't involve corned beef. We stood in my kitchen laughing about how neither of us could draw a straight line, let alone arrange a rainbow, but somehow those vegetables lined up across a flatbread like they'd been waiting to become something beautiful. That afternoon turned into a tradition that now happens every year, and honestly, it's become my favorite way to celebrate.
The first time I made this for my kids' school potluck, I was genuinely nervous about whether a pizza with hummus and broccoli would survive three minutes before someone pushed it to the side. Instead, it became the first thing gone, and two parents asked for the recipe before dessert was even served. Since then, I've learned that people are far more adventurous than we give them credit for, especially when the food is this colorful and approachable.
Ingredients
- Flatbreads: Store-bought ones work beautifully here and save your sanity, though homemade adds a nice touch if you have dough in the fridge.
- Olive oil: Just enough to brush the edges so they crisp up golden.
- Hummus: It becomes your secret sauce base, creamy and garlicky, holding everything together while staying healthier than cream cheese.
- Garlic: One clove minced into the hummus transforms it from simple to complex.
- Mozzarella cheese: The stretchy, melty foundation that binds everything together.
- Parmesan cheese: A quarter cup adds nutty depth and helps the mozzarella brown beautifully.
- Cherry tomatoes: Halved so they don't roll around, and they stay juicy instead of turning into tiny raisins.
- Bell peppers in orange and yellow: These are the bridge between the red and green, and they stay slightly crisp instead of turning soft.
- Baby spinach: Chopped fine so it doesn't overwhelm any single bite, and it wilts just enough to be tender.
- Broccoli florets: Blanch them briefly first so they cook through without becoming watery.
- Red cabbage: Shredded thin so it catches the cheese and gets a little caramelized at the edges.
- Corn kernels: Optional but they add sweetness and visual pop, and they never hurt.
- Black olives: Position them like a pot of gold at the end of your rainbow for that playful touch.
- Green onions: Scattered on top at the very end so they stay fresh and bright.
- Oregano and basil: Just enough to remind everyone this is still fundamentally a pizza, without overpowering the vegetables.
- Salt and pepper: The final say in making everything taste like itself.
Instructions
- Heat your oven and prep your stage:
- Get that oven to 425°F while you line a baking sheet with parchment paper so nothing sticks and cleanup feels less like punishment.
- Brush and place your flatbreads:
- A light brush of olive oil on each flatbread brings out the nuttiness as they bake, then arrange them on your sheet so they have room to crisp.
- Make your hummus layer:
- Mash minced garlic into hummus in a small bowl, then spread it evenly across both flatbreads like you're painting a canvas. It's forgiving and actually improves the more you work it.
- Add the cheese foundation:
- Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan over the hummus layer so you've got something that will meld and hold the vegetables in place.
- Arrange your rainbow:
- Start with cherry tomato halves at one end, then move across with orange pepper, yellow pepper and corn, then spinach, broccoli, and red cabbage. This is where patience pays off because a thoughtful arrangement actually does taste better.
- Season generously:
- Sprinkle oregano, basil, salt, and pepper over everything so the vegetables aren't just pretty but actually seasoned.
- Bake until the moment of gold:
- Twelve to fifteen minutes in a hot oven is the sweet spot where cheese is bubbling, edges are turning golden brown, and vegetables are tender but not surrendered. Watch after twelve minutes because ovens vary.
- Finish with freshness:
- Pull it out, scatter green onions across the top while it's still hot, let it cool for just a minute so you don't burn your mouth, then slice and serve.
Save There's a moment right after it comes out of the oven when the cheese is still bubbling and the edges are crispy and someone always says wow before tasting anything. That's when I know this recipe has done what it set out to do, which is make a celebration feel a little more special just by being more colorful than usual.
When Hummus Becomes Your Secret Weapon
Most people think you need tomato sauce on a pizza, but hummus brings something different to the table. It's creamier, slightly tangy, and it keeps the vegetables from sliding around while everything bakes. The garlic mixed in adds depth without needing fresh tomatoes, and honestly, once you've tried it this way, plain tomato sauce feels a little boring in comparison. My sister actually swapped her pizza sauce entirely after trying this, and now she uses hummus on everything from regular dough pizzas to focaccia.
Building Your Rainbow With Intention
The magic of this pizza isn't just that it looks beautiful, it's that every color represents a different flavor and texture working together. The soft spinach plays against the crisp red cabbage, the sweetness of corn balances the earthiness of broccoli, and the tomatoes give you something acidic to cut through the richness of the cheese. When you arrange them thoughtfully across the flatbread, you're not just decorating, you're composing something that tastes as good as it looks. I've served this to people who usually pick vegetables off their pizza, and they finish it because each bite is different.
Variations That Keep It Fresh
The beauty of this recipe is that it bends to whatever you have on hand or whatever mood strikes you. Swap the hummus for pesto if you're feeling herbaceous, use goat cheese instead of mozzarella for something tangier, or swap the vegetables entirely depending on the season. I've made versions with roasted zucchini, thinly sliced radishes for peppery crunch, and even microgreens scattered on top for a fancy touch. The structure stays the same, but the flavors can travel anywhere you want them to go.
- Pesto works beautifully if you want an herbier, more Mediterranean vibe.
- Goat cheese adds a tangy creaminess that pairs surprisingly well with the hummus base.
- Leftover roasted vegetables work just as well as fresh ones and sometimes taste better.
Save This pizza proves that celebrating doesn't require tradition, just intention. Make it, share it, and watch people light up when they realize healthy can taste this good.
Recipe Guide
- → Can I substitute the flatbread base?
Yes, store-bought or homemade flatbreads work well; gluten-free options can be used to suit dietary needs.
- → What sauce can I use instead of hummus?
Try pesto or a traditional tomato pizza sauce for different flavor profiles.
- → How do I achieve the rainbow vegetable effect?
Arrange vegetables in order of colors: red cherry tomatoes, orange and yellow bell peppers, green spinach and broccoli, then purple red cabbage.
- → Can I add different cheeses?
Absolutely, goat cheese or feta can add a creamy texture and tangy flavor.
- → What temperature and time are ideal for baking?
Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 12–15 minutes until cheese melts and flatbread edges turn golden and crisp.
- → Are there allergen concerns with this dish?
It contains dairy and gluten; use gluten-free flatbread and check hummus ingredients if needed.
