The Best Vegan Pizza

What to expect?

The best pizza, in our opinion, is the one that originated in Naples, called pizza Margherita.

The “cornicione”, Italian for the rim of the pizza, is high, airy, and fluffy from the inside but crispy on the outside. If you knock on it with your nails, it echoes, but if you squeeze the rim among your fingers, it will feel soft and spongy.

In contrast, the pizza in the middle is actually soft and thin. If you grab a slice, it bends easily down. Just perfect. So this vegan pizza recipe is exactly like that.

Ingredients

• Pizza dough – You can use store-bought dough, but nothing beats homemade. Try our easy vegan pizza dough recipe or our best-ever gluten-free pizza crust.
• Pizza sauce – You can use either store-bought, but our no-cook tomato pizza sauce takes just five minutes!
• Vegan mozzarella – You can use any cheese that melts as an alternative.
• Semolina flour – You will use this to dust the dough. You don’t need to buy a special brand. A simple one would do.

🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Instructions

Making vegan pizza

1. If you use our homemade pizza dough recipe, make the dough and proof it according to the instructions there. Then continue from here.
2. Place the dough on a flat, lightly floured surface and lightly dust it with semolina or cornmeal. Sprinkle the top with flour, if needed (or turn the dough upside-down).
3. Use your fingertips to gently depress the dough ball while stretching and pulling to create a 10-inch circle (approximate). If you prefer a bubbly outer crust, do not depress the edges.

3. Preheat the oven to 390 Fahrenheit (ca. 200 °C).
4. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and transfer the pizza crust dough to the tray by hand. Gently arrange it back to a circle shape.
5. Spread the pizza sauce evenly. Top it with sliced vegan mozzarella and a couple of basil leaves.

6. Place it on the oven rack and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the outer crust turns golden brown. Can you see the airy, fluffy crust?

Cooking tips

• Use a pizza stone! – We recommend using a pizza stone in the highest position of the oven since you will have the best pizza if you can manage to bake it on the highest heat possible. The pizza stone is already hot when you place the pizza dough on top resulting in a perfect crispy bottom crust. Read our pizza dough recipe for more details on how to bake a pizza with a pizza stone.
• If you don’t like a bubbly outer crust, use a fork to create small holes in the crust before placing it in the oven.
• After baking, transfer it to a wire rack or wooden board to cool, ensuring the crust stays crispy.

Variations

We have plenty to say about that. Try your vegan pizza with one of these many delicious vegan pizza toppings and variations:

• Pesto pizza – Swap out the tomato-based pizza sauce with pesto or add it as extra. You can make them at home in 5 minutes! Try our vegan sun-dried tomato pesto or vegan spinach pesto.
• Hummus pizza – Skip the base sauce again and spread our creamy oil-free hummus instead on top. Add veggies like olives, tomatoes, onion, and a bit of vegan feta for a Mediterranean vibe.
• Meat-lovers pizza – Add vegan sausage, vegan meatballs, or vegan shredded chicken to the top for protein and additional flavor. Or try our vegan pepperoni pizza.
• Veggie pizza – Load it with fresh and flavorful veggies such as green peppers, black olives, corn kernels, red onions, mushrooms, roasted eggplant, zucchini, broccoli, butternut squash, spinach leaves, or artichoke hearts. Check out our cheeseless pizza for inspiration.
• Small toppings – Think of chopped walnuts or almonds for a nutty flavor. Fresh basil leaves, oregano, roasted garlic, or arugula for something fresh and crunchy. Or add some heat with red pepper flakes, or sliced jalapenos.

Serving ideas

• Just before serving, enhance the pizza by generously drizzling it with extra virgin olive oil or balsamic vinegar.
• While the pizza crust is still hot, give it a luscious touch by brushing it with melted garlic butter.
• For a delightful meal, pair the pizza with a fresh, leafy green side salad, and breadsticks, or opt for a light creamy vegan soup.

Equipment

• Iron pizza stone – A pizza stone will give your pizza a crispy, crunchy bottom.
• Pizza oven – If you do not have a pizza oven, you can use a regular oven like we do in this recipe. While Ooni pizza ovens are quite popular, we have a cheaper brand. And it gives us delicious pizzas effortlessly.
• Baker’s peel – Using a pizza peel makes transporting the pizza to the pizza stone easier.

Storing tips

Thie vegan pizza is at its prime when served fresh and piping hot from the oven. However, if you happen to have leftovers, storing them for later is simple. To ensure food safety, refrain from leaving any pizza at room temperature for more than two hours.

Wrap the leftover pizza in tin foil, place it in an airtight container, and keep it refrigerated for up to three days.

It’s not recommended to freeze already-baked pizza. The crust may turn soggy due to moisture from the dough or toppings.

For reheating cold pizza, it’s best to use a regular oven or toaster oven to retain the crispy crust and maintain the pizza’s quality. Avoid reheating it in the microwave, as this can lead to a soggy crust.

FAQs

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