Cheeseless Vegan Pizza
Servings: 3
For this vegan pizza recipe, I skip the fake cheese and let the toppings shine: mushrooms, green pepper rings, cherry tomatoes, red onion and olives on a cornmeal-dusted crust. Preheating the pan is my trick for a crispy, pizzeria-style bottom in 25 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 ball pizza dough Trader Joe’s, homemade, or store-bought, at room temperature
- extra-virgin olive oil for pan
- 1 tablespoon cornmeal for pan
- ½ cup pizza sauce
- 1 cup baby bella mushrooms thinly sliced
- 1 green bell pepper cut into rings
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- ¼ red onion thinly sliced
- ¼ cup black olives sliced
Toppings
- fresh basil optional
- oregano optional
- vegan parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 450 °F. Place a baking sheet, pizza pan or cast-iron skillet inside to get very hot, which helps crisp the bottom crust.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the pizza dough into a large circle, oval or rectangle.
- Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven, brush it with olive oil and sprinkle with the cornmeal to prevent sticking.
- Transfer the dough to the pan and spread the pizza sauce evenly over it. Arrange the mushrooms, bell pepper, tomatoes, red onion and olives in an even layer.
- Bake until the crust is golden around the edges and the vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the basil, oregano and vegan parmesan, if using. Cut into 6 slices and serve immediately.
Notes
- Crispy Crust: Give the pan the full time to heat with the oven. The hot surface is what keeps the crust crisp, not soggy.
- Dough Options: Store-bought dough works well when you're short on time. Look in the refrigerated or freezer section, or ask your local bakery.
- Topping Tip: Slice the vegetables thin so they cook in the short bake time. For more flavor, toss them with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt first.
- Leftovers: Leftover slices keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a hot skillet rather than the microwave to keep the crust crisp.
Nutrition
Serving: 2slices, Calories: 387kcal, Carbohydrates: 73g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 1340mg, Potassium: 443mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 611IU, Vitamin C: 47mg, Calcium: 24mg, Iron: 5mg
