Amazing vegan pizza recipe

By: Vegan Agility Team Last updated: December 5, 2020

The most epic vegan pizza recipe loaded with protein and essential nutrients.

Pizzas are one of the most popular dishes, always tasty and filling at the same time but usually loaded with unhealthy fats and dairy. We wanted to put together a recipe that was vegan-friendly, dairy-free, and low in unhealthy fat while also being high in plant-based protein. Sounds like a tough task right, and initially, it was but with a few trial and error attempts and a few shall we say “extra crispy” outcomes, we have narrowed it down to the perfect mix of herbs spices and plant-based ingredients to make this pizza perfect for any vegan trying to stay fit and healthy.

Can you eat pizza if you are a vegan?

This question gets asked all the time and understandably so. The typical pizza uses cheese derived from cows milk, which is a no-go for any vegan. Luckily for us, there is a multitude of plant-based cheese alternatives that allow you to still enjoy the delicious flavors of your favorite pizza without the need to consume animal products. The best vegan pizza recipe will typically use a vegan cheese derived from plant milks and also uses nuts like cashews and almonds as a base.

For the cheesy flavor in this recipe, we added an extra sprinkling of nutritional yeast to enhance the cheese-like flavor. Now that plant-based food is rising in popularity, there is a vast range of vegan cheeses for you to choose from, and the majority of them are much lower in calories than the dairy alternatives allowing you to have that extra slice without feeling guilty.

Frequently asked questions about vegan pizza

Is vegan pizza healthy?

Since people love pizza so much, this question gets asked a lot, and the answer really depends on how you choose to make your pizza and how much of your pizza you choose to consume in one sitting after making it. Our perspective of a “healthy” pizza is one with minimal oil, low unsaturated fats, no processed meats, low salt content, and high in vegetables.

A typical pizza will be very high in saturated fats due to the high level of dairy from cheese. This means a higher intake of cholesterol which can increase the risk of heart disease.

A vegan pizza, on the other hand, contains no dairy-based cheese and can be made with plant-based cheese alternatives, which tend to be much lower in fat, cholesterol and calories. There is also the option of creating a vegan pizza with no cheese replacement at all, using mainly vegetables, seasonings, and a touch of nutritional yeast.

Is pizza dough vegan?

Traditional pizza dough is 100% vegan created from mainly flour, water, yeast, and salt, BUT not all modern pizza doughs are vegan. Some restaurants, cheaper pizza dough products, and frozen pizza bases are not vegan since they use eggs as a way to stretch ingredients or to save time on proper pizza dough creation.

If you are making homemade pizza dough, you do not need eggs, making it safe for vegans, but if you are purchasing pizza dough or pizza bases from a store, always double-check the nutritional labeling to make sure the ingredients are vegan friendly.

How to make the best vegan pizza

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Vegan pizza

Healthy vegan pizza recipe loaded with protein

Prep Time40 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian, vegan meal

Keyword: pizza, tofu, vegan cheese

Servings: 8

Ingredients

Vegan pizza sauce

• ▢ 1/2 cup passata
• ▢ 1/2 tsp sea salt
• ▢ 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• ▢ 1/2 tsp oregano
• ▢ 1 tbsp tomato paste
• ▢ 1/4 tsp black pepper
• ▢ 1 tsp brown sugar

Vegan pizza dough

• ▢ 2 cups strong white bread flour
• ▢ 1 tbsp olive oil
• ▢ 1 tsp dried yeast
• ▢ 1 tsp sea salt
• ▢ 1/2 tsp sugar

Seasoned tofu

• ▢ 1/2 cup firm tofu cut into cubes
• ▢ 1.5 tsp nutritional yeast
• ▢ 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• ▢ 1/2 tsp black pepper
• ▢ 1/4 tsp sea salt
• ▢ 1/2 tsp coriander

Additional toppings

• ▢ 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
• ▢ handful green olives sliced (add to your liking)
• ▢ 1/4 cup bell peppers sliced
• ▢ 1/4 cup mushrooms sliced
• ▢ 1/4 cup zucchini (courgettes) sliced
• ▢ 1 onion diced
• ▢ 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• ▢ 1/4 tsp sea salt
• ▢ 1/4 tsp black pepper
• ▢ Vegan cheese (your choice of vegan cheese) adjust to your liking. Vegan cheese is not mandatory for this pizza to be delicious 🙂 but feel free to add to your preference.

Instructions

How to make the vegan pizza sauce

• Mix the passata, sea salt, garlic powder, oregano, tomato paste, black pepper, and brown sugar together until sufficiently blended. Alternatively, you can throw the ingredients into a blender for an easy and efficient mix.

How to make the vegan pizza dough

• In a large bowl mix the dried yeast and sugar with 1 cup of water and leave for 2 mins. Put the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Throw in the flour and mix until the dough begins to take shape. Knead the dough for 1-2 minutes to soften the dough and form a ball with a soft texture.
• In a separate bowl add the olive oil and your newly formed round dough ball. Coat the dough ball in the oil.
• Cover with plastic wrap or cling film and leave the dough ball for 30-60 mins to rise.
• Once risen pound the ball into another ball making the outer layer of olive oil fold into the center and knead a few more times to get rid of any air bubbles
• Sprinkle some flour on a clean work surface and over your hands to make it easier to flatten the dough without it sticking.
• Sprinkle some flour on a clean work surface and over your hands to make it easier to form your pizza base.
• Take your risen dough ball and flatten into your desired pizza shape. If you prefer to make 2 smaller pizzas with thinner crust separate into two balls before flattening each one into your desired pizza shape.

Prepare your tofu

• Press the water out of your tofu using a paper towel and a weighted object. You can wrap the tofu in a few layers of paper towels and rest a heavy book or plate on top to gently squeeze out the tofu. (check the tips for detailed instructions on how to perfect this)
• Cut your pressed tofu into cubes
• In a separate bowl throw in your seasonings and mix together.
• Place your cubes tofu into your seasoning mix. Blend together till the cubes are coated and leave aside ready to be used on the pizza.

Putting the vegan recipe together

• Preheat the oven to 500°F or 260°C. Add some flour to your baking trays and allow to warm in the oven
• Use a sufficient sized baking sheet and dust with flour.
• Place your pizza base on the dusted baking sheet and spread 3 tbsp of your tomato pizza sauce on the base. If you enjoy the tomato flavor you can add a bit more to your liking.
• Place the tomatoes onions, peppers, mushrooms and courgettes first.
• Add the olives, tofu, dried thyme, salt, black pepper, and cheese if you are using.
• Carefully place the layered pizzas with the baking sheet onto the warm baking trays and bake for 10-20 mins or until the pizza crust begins to turn golden.
• Serve and enjoy with a delicious spinach salad.

Notes

Vegan agility tips

• Tofu contains a lot of water so it is important to remove as much of it before cooking for the best results. We recommend removing the packaging then drying the outer layer of the tofu with a paper towel.
• Then wrap the tofu with about 5 layers of paper towels, place on a flat plate, then place something heavier on top like a plate or thick book.
• This will gradually press out the water letting the paper towels soak it up and leaving water remnants in the bottom of the plate. Leave the item placed on top of the tofu for 30 mins then drain off all water into the sink. This should leave your tofu perfect for cooking.

Key nutrients

Calories: 177kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 614mg | Potassium: 309mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 355IU | Vitamin B6: 1mg | Vitamin C: 11mg | Vitamin E: 1mg | Vitamin K: 6µg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg | Magnesium: 22mg | Zinc: 1mg

The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on your ingredients and tools.

Do you want more delicious vegan recipes?

Why not try out some of our alternative vegan meals that use a blend of different plant-based foods high in essential nutrients to achieve a delicious yet healthy result. These recipes will allow you to get creative with your cooking while still focussing on essential vegan nutrients and mouth-watering flavor.

• Super easy vegan pasta salad recipe
• Delicious vegan wings recipe

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