I have been working on a pizza dough recipe to share with you all for weeks now. Every recipe I can find seems to call for oil in the dough, or uses white flour or cheese. I really wanted to come up with a soft, doughy crust that was not only whole wheat but also oil-free and easy to make. FINALLY, I am so happy with this pizza dough I feel ready to share it! I don’t know about you, but Friday Pizza Night is kind of a big deal at our house. It started with Trader Joes’ prepared pizza dough, which is pretty tasty but there isn’t a whole grain option. We’ve used pita bread for a super quick and easy option which isn’t too bad, but there is nothing like homemade pizza dough. My kids prefer super small chopped mushrooms, tomatoes and spinach on their pizza, while my husband and I like all sorts of veggies, sometimes tempeh sausage and a tiny sprinkle of daiya cheese. You really don’t need loads of cheese and meat to make a great pizza. I LOVE this vegan pizza, seriously. It’s just as delicious, maybe more so. Bonus: it won’t leave you feeling terrible like normal pizza! At least I always felt pretty awful after eating SAD (Standard American Diet) pizza.
This pizza dough recipe is crazy easy! Let the yeast mix with the warm water for a few minutes, add the other ingredients, mix, knead for 5 minutes, roll out into 2 pizzas, place on a rack, top with sauce, veggies, tempeh sausage, non-dairy cheese if you like and bake for 8 minutes. Voila! Homemade plant-based pizza you don’t have to feel bad about!
This pizza turns out just the way I like it. It is soft and chewy in the middle and has a bit of crisp on the bottom and edges, depending on how long you cook it. I love soft, chewy pizza so I only cooked it for 8 minutes. That was just right for me. If you’ve been scared of making your own pizza dough in the past, have no fear! The most difficult part of this dough is the kneading, which is really quite easy and simple. Here’s a video I find really helpful: How to Knead. To make this even easier, I recommend a Kitchen Aide Stand Mixer. If you make homemade pizza dough or bread often this is a lifesaver! It does all the kneading for you. Now you can feel good about Friday Pizza Night! Top with tempeh sausage crumbles (recipe to come), a little non-dairy cheese if you please, and veggies. My favorite toppings are green peppers, red onions, tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, artichokes and zucchini. Enjoy, and let me know if you make it! If you need a gluten free pizza dough recipe, I highly recommend this recipe over at Minimalist Baker. It is the best gluten free crust!
Adapted from this recipe.
