Skip to main content
Epicurious

BBQ Mushroom Pizza

5.0

(7)

Barbecue mushroom pizza in a cast iron skillet on a green striped tablecloth.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca

As a child of suburbia, I have a special fondness for mall restaurants, the ultimate champion of which is California Pizza Kitchen. In particular, the chain’s BBQ Chicken Pizza looms large in my memory: sweeter than pizza probably should be, but savory too, with just enough cilantro sprinkled over the top to count as the inclusion of a vegetable. It was the meal I requested for at least one grade school birthday and shared with friends many times once I got my driver’s license and had the freedom to go anywhere (of course we picked…the mall).

This recipe is a vegetarian twist on the CPK fan favorite. All of the heavy hitters are the same: tangy barbecue sauce, melty cheese (a combo of mozzarella and smoked Gouda for richness and to double down on smoky flavor), and sweet red onion. But instead of chopped chicken breast, the meaty component is mushrooms (I like a mix of king trumpet, maitake, and oyster), which go crispy and tender in the oven in a way that chicken never could. With store-bought pizza dough and your favorite barbecue sauce on deck, it’s a recipe that comes together in minutes, no trip to the mall required. —Kendra Vaculin

What you’ll need

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Jalapeño Popper Skillet Tacos
Roasted poblanos, jalapeños, and red onion are coated with a melty sauce—warm with the flavors of pepper jack, and stabilized with a block of cream cheese.
One-Pot Beer Cheese Bucatini
Beer cheese dip meets mac and cheese.
Tiramisu Basque Cheesecake
Two of our all-time favorite desserts, now in one new classic.
Crispy Gnocchi Caprese
The summer salad stalwart gets a makeover.
Sheet-Pan Chicken Souvlaki
Tender, juicy chicken skewers are possible in the oven—especially when roasted alongside spiced chickpeas and finished with fresh tomatoes and salty feta.
Sheet-Pan Pierogies and Beets
A flavorful one-pan meal featuring baked pierogies, roasted beets, and a poppy seed dressing. Frozen pierogies and pre-cooked beets make this extra easy.
Gingery Pork Stuffed Tomatoes
We reimagined pork dumplings as a filling for juicy stuffed tomatoes.
Chickpeas With 40 Garlic Cloves
Braising canned chickpeas in chicken stock and olive oil makes them unbelievably tender and buttery. This is worth the effort of peeling 40 cloves of garlic.