Pizza crust is slathered with creamy cashew Buffalo sauce then topped with smoky tempeh bacon, baked potato chunks, and dairy-free ranch to make this decadent vegan baked potato pizza.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Poke a few holes in the potato and place it directly on the oven rack. Bake until easily pierced with a fork, about 1 hour.
While the potato bakes, roll the crust out into a 12 to 14 inch circle and place it on a lightly oiled or parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the top with olive oil and sprinkle with cornmeal.
Once the potato is finished baking, remove it from the oven, and place the baking sheet with the dough into the oven. Bake until lightly browned, 18-20 minutes. Cut the potato in half and let it cool for a few minutes.
To make the tempeh bacon, stir the soy sauce, maple syrup, liquid smoke and apple cider vinegar together in a small bowl. Add the tempeh cubes and toss to coat.
Coat the bottom of a large skillet with oil and place it over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the tempeh, along with the soy sauce mixture. Cook for about 10 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the liquid has dried up and the tempeh is browned in spots. Remove from heat and transfer the tempeh to a plate.
To make the sauces, place the cashews in a food processor bowl with ¾ cup of milk and the garlic. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the side of the bowl as needed.
To make the cashew Buffalo sauce, remove ⅔ of the cashew mixture from the food processor and transfer it to a bowl. Stir in the hot sauce and season with salt to taste.
To make the ranch, add the remaining ½ cup of milk to the food processor (with the remaining cashew mixture), as well as the lemon juice, chives and parsley. Pulse until well blended, then season with salt to taste.
When the potato has cooled enough to handle, cut it into ½-inch chunks.
When the crust is finished baking, slather the top with the Buffalo cashew sauce. Cut the pizza into slices (it's easier before adding toppings). Sprinkle it with the tempeh bacon and potato chunks, then drizzle with the ranch. Sprinkle with scallions, and serve.
You can save time by microwaving the potato.