Vegan pizza toppings from chef Matthew Kenney

Chef and entrepreneur Matthew Kenney is known for creating plant-based dishes with flavors that rival their non-vegan counterparts. 

Kenney, who has authored a dozen cookbooks, first carved a space for himself in the food world with innovative Mediterranean cuisine. He has since explored many other plant-based endeavors, but these recipes for pizza toppings highlight his roots.

These toppings can be used on your favorite store-bought or homemade pizza crust recipe. You can opt to also sprinkle on some nut-based "cheese," but you'll probably find you don't even need to.

Prep time: 1 hour | Cook time: 3-4 hours 

Serves: 12

Basil Sunflower Pesto
3 cups of packed basil
3 cups of spinach
3 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 cup of olive oil
½ cup of toasted sunflower seeds (blend last so pesto stays green)

Blend until smooth.

Slow-cooked onion
10 white onions - sliced into ¼ inch rings
½ cup of olive oil
2 tablespoons of salt
1 cup of white wine

Oil a pot, place onions into pot and cook at low heat for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. When onions have cooked down and have begun to sweeten, add white wine. Continue to cook for another 30-45 minutes. Remember to stir to ensure onions do not burn.

Tomato Confit
4 pints of cherry tomatoes
2 shallots, finely sliced
8 cloves of garlic, sliced
4 sprigs of fresh oregano - leaves
1 bunch of fresh basil - leaves
6 sprigs thyme
2 tablespoons of salt
1 tablespoon of black pepper
1 tablespoon of crushed red chili

Preheat over to 200 degrees. Place tomatoes in shallow pan, place spices and herbs on top of tomatoes. Fill pan till ⅓ of the way up with olive oil. Tomatoes will cook down. Place in oven and cook for 3-4 hours, stirring tomatoes occasionally. Remove tray, strain the tomatoes and repurpose the oil for finishing pizzas.