By Tracy Morin
Whether you call your specialty pizzas plant-based, vegan, cruelty-free or flexitarian-friendly, adding a range of pies without animal products to your menu is a great way to accommodate customers—including, yes, the hardcore carnivores. The trick? Make your vegan pizzas so flavorful that no one misses the meat. These recipes—all of which are easily customizable with the addition of vegan proteins—will give you some inspiration.
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Miyoko’s Phenomenally Vegan Pizza Recipe
Provided by Miyoko’s Creamery
- 4 c. bread flour
- 2 tsp. sea salt
- 1 tsp. active dry yeast
- 2 c. cold water
- Pizza sauce, as needed
- 1 bottle Miyoko’s Liquid Vegan Pizza Mozzarella
Mix the flour, salt, yeast and water in a large bowl to make a sticky dough. Cover with plastic wrap or put into a plastic bag and keep in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 days. To prepare the pizza, preheat the oven to 500°F. (Preheat a pizza stone for 1 hour, or use a cast-iron pan.) Right before baking, divide the dough in two and roll one half out on a lightly floured pizza peel, or hand-toss. Evenly spread pizza sauce on the dough. Shake the Liquid Vegan Pizza Mozzarella bottle well before pouring on; it should be similar to a pancake-batter consistency. Pour the cheese lightly and evenly over the sauced pizza crust (don’t apply too thickly; see note below). You can carefully spread out the cheese with the bottom of a spoon, but be careful not to mix the cheese with the sauce too much. Bake at 500°F for 3 to 10 minutes (time can vary based on the oven). Bake until the cheese bubbles up and browns. Remove from the oven and serve. Makes 1 pizza.
Note: It is critical that the Liquid Vegan Pizza Mozzarella heats to at least 165°F. At 150°F and below, it will be a thin liquid or similar in texture to béchamel. Also, less is more—applying a thinner layer of cheese makes the best pizza. Miyoko’s recommends ¼ c. cheese per 10” pizza.
Half-and-Half Vegan Pizza
Provided by Mama’s Cafe Baci, Hackettstown, NJ
- ½ lb. pizza dough
- 4 oz. tomato sauce
- 2 oz. fresh eggplant
- 2 oz. roasted peppers
- 2 oz. broccoli
- 2 oz. sun-dried tomatoes
- 5 oz. shredded dairy-free mozzarella cheese
- 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Roll out the pizza dough. Spread tomato sauce on the base of the pizza dough. On one half, add eggplant and roasted peppers. On the other half, add broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes. Cover the entire pizza with dairy-free cheese. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven, slice and serve. Makes 1 10” personal pizza.
Buffalo Cauliflower Pizza With Vegan Bleu Cheese
Provided by Follow Your Heart
Buffalo Cauliflower:
- 1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 c. buffalo sauce
- 2 tbsp. melted vegan margarine
Pizza:
- 1 portion vegan-friendly pizza dough
- ¼ c. Follow Your Heart Bleu Cheese Dressing
- ¾ c. Follow Your Heart Dairy-Free Finely Shredded Mozzarella
- ½ c. Follow Your Heart Dairy-Free Bleu Cheese Crumbles
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- Green onion, sliced, for garnish (optional)
Preheat the oven to 450°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted vegan margarine, hot sauce and garlic powder. Toss the cauliflower into the bowl to coat thoroughly. Transfer the cauliflower to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Increase the oven temperature to 500°F. Using a large spoon, spread Vegan Bleu Cheese Dressing on the crust, starting from the center and moving out toward the edges. Place cauliflower wings on top of the Bleu Cheese Dressing and top with Finely Shredded Mozzarella. Add more if desired. Add thinly sliced red onion on top of the cheese. Bake the pizza at 500° until the cheese is fully melted and the crust is golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove and top the pizza with Bleu Cheese Crumbles and green onion. Slice and enjoy!
Pesto Flatbread Pizza With Marinated Mozza, Roasted Tomatoes, Garlic and Arugula
Provided by Vevan Foods
- 1 c. cherry or grape tomatoes
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- 2 prepared flatbreads (gluten-free if preferred)
- ¼ c. vegan pesto
- 8.5-oz. container Vevan Marinated Mozza-Bites
- 1 c. arugula
- Optional Toppings:
- Red pepper flakes
- Olive oil and balsamic drizzle
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Combine the tomatoes, garlic and olive oil, tossing to coat. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes until the tomatoes and garlic start to brown. Remove from the oven and set aside. Heat the flatbread according to package directions. To assemble the flatbreads: Smash or finely chop the garlic cloves and spread on top of each warmed flatbread. Spread with pesto. Top with arugula, roasted tomatoes and Marinated Mozza-Bites. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes 2 servings.
Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor and the editor of PizzaVegan.com.