30-Minute Cheesy Avocado Skillet Pizza Bread (Whole-Wheat and Vegan)
This pizza bread is what you’d get if you crossed cheese bread with avocado with pizza. It’s made with whole-wheat flour, with no kneading and no fuss, can be kept vegan, and is ready in just 30 minutes. If you can’t decide if you want bread or pizza, this moist, soft, dense, cheesy pizza bread is the perfect solution.
pinchsaltoptional and to taste (remember buttermilk is salted, cheese has salt, and many seasoning blends contain salt)
*To Keep Vegan – Use vegan buttermilk. Make by combining 1 1/4 cups non-dairy milkor regular milk if vegan considerations aren’t important and you just don’t keep buttermilk on hand with 2 tablespoons white vinegar or lemon juice, let stand for 10 minutes, stir, and use. Use vegan sour cream/yogurt, and vegan cheese to keep recipe vegan.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F. Spray an enameled 10 1/4-inch cast-iron skillet (or skillet that’s 10 to 12 inches in diameter) with cooking spray, grease a seasoned cast iron skillet, or prepare an oven-safe skillet; set aside. Bread could likely be made in a sprayed 9-by-13-inch pan although I haven’t tested it.
In a large mixing bowl, combine first four ingredients and whisk to combine.
Add about 6 ounces of cheese and fold to incorporate.
Add the remaining ingredients and fold to incorporate. Batter will be lumpy, bumpy, thick, and not at all smooth; don’t overmix and don’t try to make it smooth.
Turn dough out into skillet. Bake at 400F for 15 minutes.
Remove skillet from oven, and evenly sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
Lower oven temperature to 350F, return skillet to oven, and bake for 15 minutes, or bread is cooked through and cheese is golden.
Optionally, place skillet under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes in order to brown the cheese more. Be very, very careful if you use the broiler so you don’t burn it. It can burn in the span of 1 minute; stand right there and watch it the entire time. I keep the oven door ajar.
With a large spatula, slide or nudge bread out of skillet and onto a wire rack to cool. Don’t keep it in the skillet because it will continue to cook from the carryover heat. Slice and serve after it’s sufficiently cooled. Serve plain, with guacamole, salsa, sour cream, or your favorite dip. Bread will keep airtight for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.