Curry Chickpea & Mango Mini-Pizzas with Emerald Sauce

With this Curry Chickpea & Mango Mini-Pizza recipe, you can have your pizza and eat it too!

In my house, we love Indian cuisine. Not only are we regulars at the local Indian eatery, an Indian flair often permeates my cooking, even if it’s not traditional Indian.

I can remember one evening when we had been out to eat at our local Indian restaurant, and I was putting the kids to bed. In with my 4-year-old, I give him a big hug, and he snuggles into my lap. He breathes deeply. And he whispers, “you smell like curry.” Ha! My little foodie!

Mango and curry are a classic combo in Indian cuisine, and my inspiration for this healthy pizza. And what a great time for mangoes, since they’re coming in to season soon! Mangoes are actually native to India, and there are over 1000 different varieties grown today. When you’re choosing a mango, make sure to give it a gentle squeeze. It should give a little, indicating its ripeness. Today, we can also buy mangoes conveniently cubed and frozen. This recipe uses fresh mango, but if you have frozen, thaw it first.

Mangoes are naturally sweet – sweeter than most fruits – so snacking on them can be a perfect answer to your sweet tooth! They are also high in fiber, and a great source of vitamins A and C.

I decided to go with a spinach sauce, modeled after the more traditional Saag, seen in Indian cuisine. The color and flavor both beautifully complement the chickpeas and the mango.

Putting it all on whole grain pitas bumps up the fiber factor while making it portion controlled! Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner for the whole family!

I added a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro to finish off the dish. Both are optional, but highly recommended. Especially the yogurt – it adds a cool creaminess to the pizza, that highlights the curry flavors.

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Curry Chickpea & Mango Mini-Pizzas with Emerald Sauce

Fast and healthy Indian-inspired pizza. Traditional? No. Delicious? YES!

Course Main Course

Servings 4

Ingredients

Sauce

• 1 medium tomato
• ¼ red onion
• 6 oz bag of spinach
• ¼ cup milk or substitute of choice
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp coriander
• ½ tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp salt
• Pinch of cayenne pepper

Chickpeas

• 1 cup chickpeas
• ½ tsp curry powder
• ½ tsp Garam Masala
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• ⅛ tsp ground pepper
• Pinch cayenne pepper or to taste

For assembly

• 4 whole grain pitas
• 1 mango diced (about 2 cups)
• Fat Free Greek yogurt for garnish
• Cilantro for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Add all ingredients for sauce to a blender or food processor, and process on high until smooth. Scrape down sides as needed.
3. Combine spices for chickpeas in a small bowl, and mix with chickpeas.
4. Divide sauce, chickpeas, and diced mango among the 4 pitas.
5. Bake for 10 minutes until warmed through.
6. Garnish with yogurt and cilantro, if desired.