Homemade Easy Vegan Pizza (Vegan Pizza Dough Recipe + Toppings!) (2024)

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This vegan pizza dough is quick and easy to make, with the most perfect crust, and tons of unbelievably vegan pizza toppings, including the best melty gooey vegan cheese! Options for both grilling the pizza and freezing the dough for later too!

Homemade Easy Vegan Pizza (Vegan Pizza Dough Recipe + Toppings!) (1)

This is the ULTIMATE vegan pizza recipe

I love ordering in pizza as much as the next gal (Colony Grill is my absolute fave, thanks to the fact that they have a vegan pizza option!). But to be honest, other than Colony, not many pizzerias have vegan pizza options.

So what do we do? We make our own vegan pizza! It’s honestly SO easy. You are just going to love this super easy vegan pizza recipe, and I think you’ll be shocked out how good it is!

And if you’re gluten-free:Try my amazing gluten free vegan pizza dough!

We have a perfectly chewy crust that’s flavorful and soft on the inside but tough on the outside to hold up all of your toppings. Then I’m going to share a few of my favorite topping options, as well as a recipe for the pizza I made in the first picture!

And this pizza goes great with a side of vegan focaccia (or gluten free focaccia!) as well- or serve it with a bowl of Tuscan white bean sou!

Homemade Easy Vegan Pizza (Vegan Pizza Dough Recipe + Toppings!) (2)

Now, there are different styles of pizza, but we’re going for a medium crust that’s slightly chewy. Then we top with fresh pizza sauce, cheese, and bake!

I actually learned how to make pizza from my great grandpa, who’s Sicilian. While this vegan pizza recipe isn’t a true Sicilian pizza, I tried to keep as close to what my great grandpa taught me as possible!

The verdict: my grandmother, his daughter, said that this vegan pizza was honestly one of the best pizzas she’s had. She didn’t even think I used vegan cheese ha (that’s how good vegan cheese can be these days!)!

Is pizza dough vegan?

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Often times, pizza dough is naturally vegan. The basic pizza dough formula is just water, flour, yeast, and salt. The only times that eggs or dairy are used for a bread recipe is typically just for enriched doughs (like brioche or cinnamon rolls– which we have the vegan options for on the blog!).

Homemade Easy Vegan Pizza (Vegan Pizza Dough Recipe + Toppings!) (3)

Ingredients for a vegan pizza dough

As we just mentioned, the ingredients for a pizza dough in general, is so simple.However, since we’re making a vegan pizza, we’ll keep the rest of the ingredients vegan and dairy free as well!

Vegan pizza dough is made from:

  • Flour:I recommend OO flour or all purpose flour.
  • Quick Rise Yeast
  • Water
  • Sugar:Just a tablespoon to activate the yeast!
  • Sea Salt
  • Olive oil:just a little bit is going to help our dough get wonderfully crispy on the outside.

For the pesto tomato white bean vegan pizza I made in the photos, the ingredients you’ll need are:

  • Pizza Sauce:rarely is pizza sauce not vegan, butplease be sure to double check ingredient labels!
  • Vegan Pesto:I have a homemade vegan pesto, but there are a few store bought brands that are great, including Gotham Greens’ vegan pesto.
  • Vegan cheese:This is a make or break situation right here. The vegan cheese you choose is so crucial!I have a homemade bean-based vegan mozzarella that is wonderful! We’re going to go over that in the coming sections, but in general, I recommend using Violife, which I believe is not only available nationwide, but also internationally!
  • Compari tomatoes
  • Olives
  • Mushrooms
  • Fresh Basil
  • Lemon dill white beans:cannellini beans, garlic, lemon, dill, sea salt, and olive oil!

This post contains affiliate links. This means that when you make a purchase from these links, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. All recommendations are based on my personal experience and preference! Thank you for supporting The Banana Diaries!

How to make the best vegan pizza recipe from scratch

Making a homemade vegan pizza is actually quite simple! It’ll give you a bit of an arm workout, but totally worth it because this vegan pizza dough comes out incredibly.

First I’ll walk your through making the dough, and then we’ll go over how to shape the pizza, top it, and bake. There’s even an option for a grilled pizza if you want more of that “fire” taste to the pizza.

As always, the full written instructions for this pizza are found down below in the recipe card. However, let’s go over the basics here!

The vegan pizza dough recipe

Making a pizza dough is super simple, and honestly easier than making cinnamon rolls or even bagels. The reason being is that we only need 4 ingredients, and the whole process actually goes pretty quickly.

I make my pizza dough without any sugar. Not that adding sugar is bad, but I just don’t see the need for it when the yeast can be bloomed with just flour.

The most important part here where a lot of people slip up is not using the proper temperature water. Your water should be heated to 110F, which will feel warm-hot, but it’s best to use a kitchen thermometer. Too cold, and the yeast won’t bloom, which means the dough won’t rise. Too hot, and the yeast won’t work at all. Here’s a great video on how to activate yeast the right way for pizza dough.

You can also make this pizza by hand or by using a stand mixer. I’ve made dough for years just by hand, and only recently acquired a stand mixer, so it absolutely works! Your pizza will be just as amazing.

Homemade Easy Vegan Pizza (Vegan Pizza Dough Recipe + Toppings!) (6)
Homemade Easy Vegan Pizza (Vegan Pizza Dough Recipe + Toppings!) (7)
Homemade Easy Vegan Pizza (Vegan Pizza Dough Recipe + Toppings!) (8)

How to shape pizza dough

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to toss the pizza dough in the air like you see in the movies (though yes, professionals will do that ha!). But since we’re mostly beginners to intermediate chefs, we actually don’t have to toss the dough into the air in order to achieve the round shape (or square if you want a true Sicilian pizza!).

We’ll start to shape the dough after you’ve proved the dough.

Do not use a rolling pin, as this will deflate the dough, causing it not to rise when you bake it! I simply start by dividing the dough in two (it makes it easier to bake in my oven, but you could make one extra large pizza!). I then form a flat disc with one of the dough balls.

Homemade Easy Vegan Pizza (Vegan Pizza Dough Recipe + Toppings!) (9)
Homemade Easy Vegan Pizza (Vegan Pizza Dough Recipe + Toppings!) (10)

Now, start to press the dough out with your fingers, in a circular shape, being mindful of where your crust is forming on the outer edges. Begin to gently turn the dough in a circular motion as your stretch it out to about 12-16″ in diameter, depending on how big your dough ball is.

And there you go! You’ve shaped the pizza dough!

Top the pizza

Once you’re ready to bake your pizza, spread the tomato sauce around the dough, just until the edges. Top with cheese, and place the pizza onto a pizza tray and into the oven to bake for 10-12 minutes at 475F.

Remove from the oven, top with fresh basil, and serve!

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Homemade Easy Vegan Pizza (Vegan Pizza Dough Recipe + Toppings!) (12)
Homemade Easy Vegan Pizza (Vegan Pizza Dough Recipe + Toppings!) (13)

How to grill a pizza

If you choose to grill, simply start your grill how you normally would and let it heat to about 500F. Arrange all of your toppings ready to go on the side of the grill (this part just takes being prepared!). Lightly brush your vegan pizza dough with a little olive oil on both sides and slide the dough onto the grill.

Flip the dough after about 2-3 minutes and grill on the other side. Then flip the dough back over and onto the parchment paper, and top with sauce and cheese (saving the basil for when you serve). Slide the simple vegan pizza back onto the grill and cover to let cook for about 2-3 minutes. If your cheese didn’t melt (it’s happened to me once or twice, and it’s because too much time passed between lifting the cover of the grill!), you can place your pizza into an oven at 475F for about 5 minutes to melt the cheese! Then just serve and enjoy 🙂

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Homemade Easy Vegan Pizza (Vegan Pizza Dough Recipe + Toppings!) (15)

What vegan cheese should I use?

I personally love my bean-based vegan mozzarella. It’s so quick and easy to make, with just a few simple ingredients. And really tastes like mozzarella cheese!

For store bought, the best vegan cheese to use for a vegan pizza isForager Project,but I also loveViolife!These brands I recommend for a few reasons. Both of these dairy free cheeses melt wonderfully, like real cheese, and both dairy free mozzarella versions come very close to the actual flavor of mozzarella (making this an ideal choice if you’re making this pizza for any vegan skeptics!).

The one thing to keep in mind: if you’re nut free, then go with Violife. Forager Project is awesome, but contains cashews. Violife is just as amazing!

What can you use instead of a pizza stone:

So most of us don’t have a masonry oven, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make a great pizza at home! If you don’t have a pizza stone, you can use:

  • The bake of a large baking sheet
  • A cast iron pan
  • A grill (like we discussed above!)
  • A flat pizza tray
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Vegan pizza toppings:

Want to make a pizza that’s not just cheese? No problem! Here are some ideas for different vegan pizza recipes other than cheese:

  • Top with your favorite Sunday sauce, vegan lentil meatballs, and fresh basil, along with your favorite vegan cheese
  • Spread some harissa, and top with roasted peppers, roasted tomatoes, and spinach. Then add a mint dill yogurt sauce on top!
  • Make a vegan pesto pizza
  • Top with sliced black olives, shredded kale or Brussels sprouts coated in olive oil, sliced figs, and drizzle with balsamic

How to freeze pizza dough:

The best part about this vegan pizza dough recipe: you can make two big pizzas from it, and freeze half of the dough!

To freeze your pizza dough: the most important part is that you’re done through the fermentation process, meaning the rising process.

  1. Then you’ll divide the dough in half.
  2. Take one half and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a ziplock bag.
  3. When ready to use, allow the dough to defrost at room temperature for one hour before shaping.

Then you can top and bake your vegan pizza!

Homemade Easy Vegan Pizza (Vegan Pizza Dough Recipe + Toppings!) (17)

I just know your vegan pizza is going to come out amazing! If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. This helps others to find the recipe!

As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations, so be sure to tag on Instagram and Pinterest!

Happy pizza making!

More vegan Italian recipes you’ll love:

Easy Peach Panzanella Salad

Best Vegan Tiramisu

Vegan Gnocchi

Amazing Vegan Cannoli Cheesecake

Easy Vegan Sweet Potato Gnocchi

How to make Focaccia

Homemade Pane di Pasqua

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Homemade Easy Vegan Pizza (Vegan Pizza Dough Recipe + Toppings!) (18)

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Homemade Easy Vegan Pizza (Vegan Pizza Dough Recipe + Toppings!) (19)

Homemade Easy Vegan Pizza (Vegan Pizza Dough Recipe)

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star5 from 3 reviews

  • Author: Britt Berlin
  • Prep Time: 60
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: grilling, baking
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This vegan pizza dough is quick and easy to make, with the most perfect crust, and tons of unbelievably vegan pizza toppings, including the best melty gooey vegan cheese! Options for both grilling the pizza and freezing the dough for later too!

Ingredients

Scale

Basic Vegan Pizza Dough Recipe:

  • 3 1/2 cups (440 grams) 00 flour or all-purpose flour or bread flour, plus more for kneading
  • 1 packet (2.5 tsp) quick rise yeast
  • 1 1/3 cup (320 mL) water, heated to 110F
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Basic Vegan Pizza Toppings:

  • 1 cup-1 2/3 cup your favorite pizza sauce
  • 1 batch homemadevegan mozzarella cheeseor store bought vegan cheese
  • Fresh basil for garnish

Vegan White Bean Pesto Vegan Pizza Toppings:

  • 1/2 cup cannellini beans
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
  • Sea salt + pepper to taste
  • Additional toppings: tomato sauce, vegan pesto, olives, mushrooms, vegan cheese

Instructions

  1. Weigh out all ingredients before beginning. Grease a large bowl with oil and set aside.
  2. Make the dough: in a stand mixer bowl or in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and quick rise yeast. Attach the dough attachment if using a stand mixer or use a large wooden spoon and pour in the hot water and olive oil. Begin mixing the dough. If using a stand mixer, mix the dough on medium-high speed for 7-9 minutes. Or knead the dough in the bowl. The dough should be slightly shaggy and tacky at this point. Then lightly flour a clean surface and place the dough onto the surface. Lightly knead the dough for 2-3 minutes until it becomes less tacky and more smooth. Place the dough ball into the oiled bowl, cover, and allow the dough to double in size by placing it in a warm area, at least 85F.
  3. Make the pizzas: Preheat the oven to 475F. Once the dough has doubled in size, lightly punch down the dough. Re-flour a clean surface or use a piece of parchment paper. This will be where you form the pizza dough. Remove the dough from the bowl and divide the dough in half. If freezing the other half of the dough, see blog post for instructions.For the first pizza, begin to form the dough into a disk shape. Place the pizza dough on a piece of floured parchment paper or lightly floured surface, and gently push the middle of the dough out, being careful not to stretch the dough. See the video for a better visual. Your pizza should measure about 18″ in diameter. Repeat for the remaining dough ball.
  4. Garnish the pizzas:Spread 1/2- 2/3 cup pizza sauce over the dough, and sprinkle the vegan cheese on top. If making the garlicky white beans, combine the beans, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, dill, and sea salt together. Then top on your pizza. You can watch me do it in this video here!
  5. Bake the pizzas: place the pizzas onto a pizza tray, and bake the pizzas for 10-12 minutes, or until the vegan cheese melts and the edges of the dough are lightly golden. Remove from the oven.
  6. Slice the pizza and serve!Garnish with fresh basil, and enjoy!

Grilled Vegan Pizza:

  1. Heat your grill and arrange your toppings (sauce, mozzarella) near the grill.
  2. Lightly brush your prepared dough with a little olive oil and place the dough onto the grill once the grill reaches 500F.
  3. Cover the grill and allow the dough to cook for 2-3 minutes. Then flip the dough and allow it to cook for another minute.
  4. Remove the dough from the grill and onto the baking sheet and add on your toppings.
  5. Place the dough back onto the grill and cook for another 3 minutes until the cheese melts. If the cheese isn’t melting fast enough but your crust is cooked, place the pizza into the oven at 475F for about 5 minutes.
  6. Remove from oven and top with basil and extra olive oil if desired, then serve!

Notes

Recommended store bought vegan cheeses: the cheese you choose will be a big determinant as to whether your pizzas turn out great! I recommend Violife shredded mozzarella, as shown, or Miyoko’s Mozzarella Balls. Violife is nut free and soy free, and Miyoko’s contains cashews.

Gluten free:See my vegan gluten free pizza dough recipe here!

Freezing the dough:See the blog post!

For other vegan topping ideas:See the blog post!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 191
  • Sugar: 1.2 g
  • Sodium: 513.9 mg
  • Fat: 5.9 g
  • Saturated Fat: 3.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 24 g
  • Fiber: 1.4 g
  • Protein: 9.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 11.7 mg
Homemade Easy Vegan Pizza (Vegan Pizza Dough Recipe + Toppings!) (2024)

FAQs

What is vegan pizza dough made of? ›

Often times, pizza dough is naturally vegan. The basic pizza dough formula is just water, flour, yeast, and salt. The only times that eggs or dairy are used for a bread recipe is typically just for enriched doughs (like brioche or cinnamon rolls– which we have the vegan options for on the blog!).

How to layer toppings on homemade pizza? ›

Cheese always goes belowthe toppings

You've got your dough as the foundation. Then your sauce. The cheese is the next solid layer. Then your toppings (after all, they're called top-pings and not bottom-ings), and then finally your garnishes like basil, pepper, fresh mozzarella, etc, after the pizza is cooked.

What can you put on pizza instead of cheese? ›

Vegan White Pizza With Artichoke Tofu Ricotta and Roasted Garlic, right, and Vegan Pizza With Miso-Caramelized Onions and Shiitake Bacon are both great – without cheese. Season dough with dried herbs and paprika for a brighter, better flavor. Artichoke Tofu Ricotta is great on pizza or as a spread or dip.

What are the 5 most popular pizza toppings? ›

Most Popular Pizza Toppings
  1. Pepperoni. This may not come as a surprise, but pepperoni is by far the most popular pizza topping in the United States. ...
  2. Extra Cheese. Also a classic, many Americans order extra cheese on their pies. ...
  3. Mushrooms. ...
  4. Onions. ...
  5. Sausage. ...
  6. Black Olives. ...
  7. Green Peppers. ...
  8. Pineapple.
Nov 10, 2021

What are 3 unusual pizza toppings? ›

Exploring Unconventional Pizza Toppings
  • Beetroot pesto with goat cheese. ...
  • Caramelised onions, apples and goat cheese. ...
  • Breakfast pizza. ...
  • ‍Bacon, sausage, jalapeno and sriracha sauce. ...
  • Rhubarb, basil and apple honey BBQ sauce. ...
  • Grilled honey chicken with sriracha sauce. ...
  • Calamari. ...
  • Red peanut curry.
Aug 8, 2023

What is not vegan in pizza dough? ›

Most pizza dough is vegan as basic dough usually requires only flour, salt, yeast and water. However, some doughs call for butter, milk and/or eggs so be sure to read the ingredients label or ask your server.

What is not vegan in pizza? ›

This includes the obvious stuff – like meat – but also includes a variety of more subtle ingredients, like cheese, gelatin, and coloring agents made from animals. Seeing as one of the main ingredients to pizza is cheese, it can be hard to find a vegan pizza!

Is vegan pizza healthy? ›

Abundance of Nutrients: Vegan pizza allows you to enjoy the abundance of nutrients found in plant-based ingredients. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds used in vegan pizza are packed with essential vitamins (such as vitamin C, vitamin A, and folate) and minerals (such as potassium, magnesium, and iron).

Should I pre cook my pizza dough before adding toppings? ›

If you're baking the pizza in the oven, whether on a pizza stone or not, I always pre-bake the dough for 4-5 minutes before adding toppings, to make sure the pizza dough cooks crisp on the outside and soft and airy in the middle. Once you add the Pizza Sauce and toppings, return it to the oven to finish baking.

Do you cook pizza dough before adding topping? ›

Pre-bake the base before you add the toppings, and then give it all a final bake. If you don't pre-bake, the bottom of your cooked pizza could still be a little wet and doughy instead of crispy. To skip pre-baking, you can always buy a pre-baked pizza base. Roll the dough out a bit more thinly.

Should pizza toppings be cooked or raw? ›

Not pre-cooking your toppings

Because pizza cooks at such high temperatures, it's tempting to just allow your toppings to cook directly on the crust. This is fine for most veggies, but never take the chance with meat. Make sure to cook all meats and even tougher veggies like broccoli ahead of time.

What are good pizza topping combinations? ›

8 Pizza Topping Combinations You Should Try
  • Margherita. ...
  • Pepperoni and Olive. ...
  • Chicken and BBQ. ...
  • Prosciutto and Arugula. ...
  • Sausage and Cheese. ...
  • Onions and Mushrooms. ...
  • Pineapple and Bacon. ...
  • Pesto and Chicken.
Feb 1, 2024

What are the top 10 pizza toppings? ›

10 Pizza Toppings That Always Hit the Spot in America
  1. Pepperoni. Pepperoni is, without a doubt, the king of pizza toppings in the United States. ...
  2. Sausage. Whether crumbled ground sausage or sliced links, this topping adds a hearty, savory taste to your pizza. ...
  3. Mushrooms. ...
  4. Onion. ...
  5. Green Peppers. ...
  6. Bacon. ...
  7. Olives. ...
  8. Pineapple.

What are the best cheese toppings for homemade pizza? ›

Best cheese for pizza
  • Mozzarella. Perhaps the most well-known and popular pizza topping of all-time, Mozzarella is cherished for its near perfect consistency and straightforward flavour. ...
  • Cheddar/Matured Cheddar. ...
  • Aged Havarti. ...
  • Gorgonzola. ...
  • Provolone. ...
  • Goat cheese. ...
  • Pecorino-Romano. ...
  • The ultimate cheese pizza.

How to make homemade pizza better? ›

12 Best Tips for Homemade Pizza
  1. 1 - Cook your pizza on a preheated surface. ...
  2. 2 - Cook your pizza at a very high temperature. ...
  3. 3 - Cook your pizza on parchment paper. ...
  4. 4 - Think outside the box with your sauces. ...
  5. 5 - Don't overcook your protein. ...
  6. 6 - Get creative with your toppings.
Feb 18, 2019

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