The good things about this simple vegan pizza are 1. it’s very easy to make 2. you only need basic ingredients 3. it comes out super delicious! It has tomatoey, cheesy toppings on a crispy base with a thick pillowed crust around the edge that are so satisfying. It’s definitely much tastier, cheaper and healthier than buying ready made pizzas from shops! 
This recipe is for two 12.5 inch pizzas that would serve 4-6 people with a size dish such as salad, chips and garlic bread. You can half the ingredients if you only need one pizza.
If you’ve never made pizza, you might think that it could be too much hassle to make one from scratch but trust me, it’s not difficult at all! Just make sure your yeast is new and unopened. The most fun part is that planning what to put for the toppings, you can put almost anything☺ I used mushrooms, red onion, cherry tomatoes, black olives, vegan mozzarella and cheddar style cheese for one of them and for the second one I added vegan sausages and spinach. You could try other toppings such as aubergine, courgette, sweetcorn, pineapple and vegan bacon. Spreading some vegan white sauce (bechamel sauce) would add an extra cheesiness☺ You can add garlic or herbs to add more flavours to the pizza dough if you wish!
I don’t use a shop bough tomato sauce as I don’t like seeing an opened jar sitting in the fridge until I make pizzas again. It’s so easy and inexpensive to make your own sauce but if you prefer a shop bought one of course it’s OK as well.
This simple vegan pizza is perfect for a weekend meal or party food with your family and guests. I’m sure it would be satisfying for everyone!
Need side dishes? Take a look at these to get some ideas☺
Simple Vegan Pizza
Ingredients
For the pizza dough
- 540 g plain flour
- 4 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 8 g instant dry yeast
- 4 tbsp oil I used sunflower oil
- 330 ml warm water not hot
- some more oil for brushing a bowl and the dough
For the tomato sauce
- 175 g tomato puree
- 2 tbsp oil I used sunflower oil
- 1 tsp garlic puree
- some basil leaves chopped into small pieces
- a tiny pinch of dry herbs
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 120 ml water
For the toppings
- 8 button mushrooms thinly sliced
- 1 red onion thinly sliced into rings
- 10 cherry tomatoes chopped into half
- some black olives sliced
- vegan cheese I used some vegan mozzarella and cheder style cheese
- some basil leaves chopped
Instructions
- Put all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and mix well. Add in the oil and warm water and mix with a spoon until it starts coming together. Use your hands to continue combining.
- Once your dough comes together more and forms a sticky ball, take out the ball to a floured surface on a table. Knead with your hands for at least 5 minutes. I kneaded for 10 minutes.
- Now you have a soft, non-sticky ball of dough. Put the dough in a oiled bowl and brush some oil all around the dough to prevent it from getting dry.
- Cover the bowl with a piece of clean cloth fully and leave somewhere warm for *1 and half to 2 hours until the it doubles in size.
- While the dough is resting, prepare the tomato sauce. Put all of the ingredients except the water and stir well. Add in 1/2 of the water and mix. If the consistency is good, don't add any more water. If it's still dry, add the remaining water but little by little. We don't want to make it too runny! Keep it in the fridge until needed.
- Now prepare the toppings for the pizza. You can follow my topping ingredients or add any toppings you like. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (gas mark 7). Prepare a baking tray lined with baking paper.
- When the dough is rested and doubled in size, gently punch it to let some air out. Take out to a floured surface on a table and divide into two to make 2 pizzas, roll them into a ball.
- Roll out one of the dough with a rolling pin to a 12.5 inch (about 32cm) circle. Carefully transfer to the prepared baking tray.
- Pinch all around the edge to create a pillowed crust. Shape the crust nicely with your hands if necessary.
- Brush some oil over the base and prick a few holes with a folk to prevent air bubbles. Spread some tomato sauce, sprinkle some cheese, place the mushroom slices, onion slices, black olives, tomatoes, chopped basil and sprinkle more cheese on top.
- Pop in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes. Repeat the steps for the second one.
Notes