Best Vegan Pizza Dough Recipe (2024)

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The absolute best vegan pizza dough recipe + Video you’ll ever need. Thin crust Neapolitan style, easy to make by hand using the cold water method, organic all-purpose flour and instant active yeast. From scratch. No oil. Simple. Authentic Italian. Bonus recipe for vegan mozzarella cheese included!

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Vegan Pizza Dough

Heat up that Pizza Stone, dust off your kitchen aid mixer or roll up your sleeves to put in a quick workout kneading this arisen pizza dough to perfection by hand. Brought to you straight from Italy, if you are after thin crust, authentic and freaking good pizza pies like they make in Napoli, then this is your lucky day!

I first shared this recipe over on CiaoFlorentina and to this day it gets rave reviews from people all over the world. So I just really had to share it here with all our new friends at Veggie Society! This one is for the books and not to be missed! Mangia bene!

Is Pizza Dough Vegan?

Yes it is, as long as you don’t add any animal products into the mix and keep all your toppings plant based, including the cheese, you are good to go!

About the Toppings

A thin layer of homemade marinara sauce, some vegan mozzarella (from scratch or store-bought), plant based provolone or gouda, sliced heirloom tomatoes and fresh basil or arugula is more than enough when it comes to toppings. If I’m feeling extra hungry I will quickly sautee or grill a mix of colorful bell peppers mushrooms, scallions and asparagus then pile them all up. Crispy roasted broccoliand any leftover vegan steak is always a winner in my book – perfection, If I say so myself!

How Do I Make Perfect Dough?

After mixing the simple ingredients and while your dough is still rising, make sure to pre-heat a pizza stone with your oven as high as it will go for at least 45 minutes to one hour. Any serious pizza maker will have a dedicated pizza oven or a pizza stone! True story! I love this one from Emile Henry, I’ve had it for more than a decade now and it’s also used to bake my crusty bread on it while acting like a bread oven floor.

The hotter the stone, the crispier the pizza crust!

You can also divide and wrap the dough into individual servings before proofing, refrigerate overnight or to use within a few days. Or just make a double batch to freeze individual dough balls for a rant day.

Why We Love It:

  • It’s Homemade from Scratch
  • Super Easy – No Fail
  • Perfect for Freezing
  • Great for Grilling
  • Flavorful & Delicious
  • No Sugar, No Oil
  • Crispy + Chewy Crust
  • Eggless, Dairy & Fat Free
  • Perfect for Veggie Calzone
  • Great Make Ahead Recipe
  • Authentic Italian Thin Crust!

What is the best flour for making homemade pizza dough?

Believe it or not, no fancy flour is required. An organic unbleached all-purpose flour is the best choice here and the one I also use to make my crusty bread. If all you happen to have sitting in your pantry is bread flour by all means use it, but definitely do not go out of your way for it.

The Vegan Mozzarella

Included below is an easy recipe for delicious cashew mozzarella from scratch. However if you forgot to plan for that or just need to save some time in the kitchen, feel free to use your favorite store-bought plant based cheese, so many good options out there now.

More Favorite Recipes

  • Grilled White Pizza
  • Potato Flatbread
  • Italian Dinner Rolls
  • Potato Pizza
  • Focaccia Bread
  • Fresh Dairy Free Mozzarella
  • Best Vegan Lasagna
  • Heirloom Tomato Tart
  • Stuffed Shells.

how to make the best vegan pizza dough

Best Vegan Pizza Dough Recipe (6)

5 from 8 votes

Best Vegan Pizza Dough Recipe

The absolute best thin crust vegan pizza dough recipe you’ll ever need - easy to make using the cold water method and simple ingredients: organic all purpose flour and instant yeast.Freaking good pizza!

Print Recipe

Prep Time:15 minutes mins

Cook Time:20 minutes mins

Total Time:35 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 5 cups organic all-purpose flour (or bread flour) + more as needed
  • 2.25 cups cold water (ice cold is best)
  • 1.5 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1.5 tsp sea salt

Vegan Mozzarella Cheese

Instructions

Pizza Dough Mixer Method:

  • Add the flour, yeast and salt to the large bowl of a mixer and combine well.

  • Start adding in the cold water and keep mixing using the paddle attachment until everything is combined well.

  • Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium - low speed for 10 minutes until a smooth dough has formed. It should stick a little to the bottom of the bowl but not the sides. Sprinkle a bit more flour if it seems too sticky. (Sometimes you will need more flour sometimes less, just learn to feel it as you go).

  • Sprinkle some flour on a kitchen counter or cutting board and dump the dough on top.Use a sharp knife and cut it into 6 or 8 pieces.

  • Lightly oil your hands with a drop of olive oil and shape each piece into round balls. Place them on a lightly oiled cookie sheet at least 4 inches apart from each other. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 2 hours at room temperature. (Alternatively you can individually wrap each one and refrigerate or freeze for later.)

  • Meanwhile preheat a pizza stone with your oven for at least one hour at 500”F or as high as your oven will go.

  • Sprinkle some flour on a board or the kitchen counter and place a piece of dough on top. Sprinkle some more flour on top and using the palm of your hand press down on it until a thin round forms, about 1/2 inch thick. Stretch it out as thin as possible without tearing it and transfer it to a floured pizza peel or a piece of cardboard.

  • Spoon a couple of tablespoons of sauce in the middle and spread it evenly with the back of the spoon leaving about 1/2 inch border. Add your favorite vegan cheese on top and transfer the pie carefully to the preheated stone in the oven. ( Remember to also sprinkle some flour or cornmeal on top of the pizza stone before transferring your pizza).

  • Bake for 5 to 8 minutes to your liking.

Pizza Dough By Hand:

  • Mix the flour, salt and yeast in a large mixing bowl then add the water. Use a wooden spoon and stir until a dough forms. Add more flour If the dough still sticks to the sides, remember you want it to be a bit sticky on the bottom.

  • Dump it onto a floured work surface and use the palm of your hand to knead it for a good 15 minutes or so until smooth and just a little sticky.

  • Follow the above steps to bake accordingly.

Vegan Cashew Mozzarella:

  • To the bowl of a powerful blender add the cashew milk, tofu, coconut oil, tapioca, agar powder, nutritional yeast, garlic powder and sea salt. Process until smooth and creamy.

  • Transfer the cheese mixture to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for a few minutes while whisking continuously until nicely thickened.

  • Pour the cheese into lightly oiled ramekins and cover with plastic wrap. Alternatively you can use large and round silicone ice cube trays or a small glass container with a lid. Refrigerate for a couple of hours or until completely chilled and set. Use on your pizza!

Video

Notes

  • You can use the included homemade vegan mozzarella cheese recipe on this pizza or a store bought one. My favorites are the cultured mozzarella from Miyoko's, provolone and smoked gouda from Follow Your Heart or Violife.
  • If you don't have a pizza stone i strongly recommend that you use a cast iron skillet to bake your pizza on. Follow the same instructions and preheat it with the oven for the crispiest crust.

Nutrition

Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 588mg | Potassium: 121mg | Fiber: 3g | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 4.8mg

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: pizza, plant based, vegan pizza

Servings: 6

Calories: 382kcal

Author: Florentina

Best Vegan Pizza Dough Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to good pizza dough? ›

There are many tricks to achieving a tasty, homemade pizza dough that rises into a beautiful pizza crust, such as making sure your ingredients are at right temperature, using half bread flour for a stronger dough and half all-purpose flour for a nice rise, substituting honey for sugar to help caramelize the crust and ...

What is vegan pizza dough made of? ›

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.

What ingredient makes pizza dough stretchy? ›

When mixing your pizza dough, the flour and water create a chemical reaction that results in a build-up of gluten. Gluten is what helps create a stretchy texture, allowing the dough to stretch without breaking. Though it's important to knead your dough thoroughly, it's not necessary to knead your dough for long.

What makes pizza dough more fluffy? ›

Once you've dressed the pizza, let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. This will give the dough one last chance to rise slightly so that the pizza will be thick and fluffy.

What not to do to pizza dough? ›

The Most Common Mistakes When Making Pizza
  1. Not Letting the Dough Rest. ...
  2. Not Kneading the Dough for Long Enough. ...
  3. Using a Rolling Pin to Form the Dough. ...
  4. Overloading Pizza Toppings. ...
  5. Not Letting the Pizza Cook for Long Enough.

What makes pizza dough taste better? ›

If you're keen to intensify its flavor even more, enhance the dough further – either with infused oil brushed over top, cheese woven into its edges or a combination of herbs and spices kneaded into it or sprinkled on it.

Do you need eggs in pizza dough? ›

Whole eggs can be added to the dough to provide better browning characteristics to the dough. To some extent, they also provide a richer flavor. Egg whites have been added to improve the crispiness of the baked crust. In this regard, both perform well.

Can I use nutritional yeast for pizza dough? ›

In a large bowl, combine 00 flour, all-purpose flour, salt, nutritional yeast, and hemp seeds. Add the liquid mixture to the bowl. Mix the dough using a Danish dough whisk for 2~3 minutes until a ball is formed. You can use your hands instead, but it can be messy as the dough is very sticky at this point.

What makes pizza dough crispier? ›

You might assume that less water will result in a crispier crust. But you'd be wrong. To achieve a more crispy crust, you'll need to add more water to the dough formula.

Should you let pizza dough rise twice? ›

With pizza fermentation, you can create a pizza dough with the ideal texture and flavor with minimal effort. By double fermenting pizza dough, you are allowing it to rest twice. This process helps the yeast react better with the other ingredients in the dough and helps it rise correctly.

What is the secret to good pizza dough? ›

The secret to great dough isn't kneading or throwing . . .

It's good old-fashioned H20. “Water, water, water,” says Falco. “Pizza dough made at home should be 50 percent water. Pizza needs to cook longer in a home oven, which means the dough needs to be more hydrated.”

How to get pizza dough more airy? ›

I would increase the amount of yeast used in the recipe. The more yeast the more rise, thus airy. Once the dough and all its ingredients are mixed, let the dough rest for at least several hours or overnight. You might need to let it proof again before rolling it.

Should you roll or stretch pizza dough? ›

The best approach to achieve a light, airy crust is to stretch the dough. Yeast produces gas bubbles, which increase volume and fluffiness. Those air pockets in the dough won't disappear no matter how much you knead it. It will shuffle them about, merging smaller air pockets into larger ones.

How do you make pizza dough rise better? ›

Pizza dough loves warmth, so if you can find a way to add some extra heat, your dough will rise faster. One way to do this is to preheat your oven to the lowest setting (usually around 200 degrees Fahrenheit) and then turn it off. Place your pizza dough in the warm oven for 10-15 minutes until it begins to rise.

What is the secret to good pizza? ›

The top chefs all agree that the best pizzas are all about the crust, so salt in the dough should never be sacrificed at the altar of salty toppings. “Building a pizza is like building anything else – you have to make compromises and consider the whole when choosing the parts.

What makes pizza dough more crispy? ›

The secret to a more crispy pizza crust is probably not what you think. You might assume that less water will result in a crispier crust. But you'd be wrong. To achieve a more crispy crust, you'll need to add more water to the dough formula.

What can you add to pizza dough to make it better? ›

Salt: Salt adds necessary flavor. Sugar: 1 Tablespoon of sugar increases the yeast's activity and tenderizes the dough, especially when paired with a little olive oil. Cornmeal: Cornmeal isn't in the dough, but it's used to dust the pizza pan. Cornmeal gives the pizza crust a little extra flavor and crisp.

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