Best Homemade Vegan Pizza Recipe

Ingredients Needed

Here’s what goes into this vegan pizza recipe, along with a few notes on why each ingredient matters:

• Pizza dough: I use my Best Homemade Pizza Dough for a classic flavor, but you can also use my Easy Thin Crust Pizza Dough (which is easier and lighter). Store-bought pizza dough is a great substitute to save time.
• Homemade pizza sauce: Fire-roasted tomatoes add a subtle sweetness and smokiness: try my 5-Minute Pizza Sauce Recipe.
• Veggies: Sauteed mushrooms add a meaty flavor and canned artichoke hearts bring tangy flavor (don’t omit!). Spinach, red onion, and jarred peppers add color and nutrition. Sauté everything with garlic and olive oil. Add chickpeas for more protein if desired.
• Fresh basil: Added after baking, chiffonade-cut basil leaves bring a fragrant brightness that finishes the pizza beautifully.

How to Make This Vegan Pizza Recipe

Here’s a summary of how to make my favorite vegan pizza:

1. Preheat the oven with a pizza stone. Place your pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500°F. A pizza stone is one of the best ways to make the most delicious, authentic crust texture: it essentially mimics a brick oven. See my guide on How to Use a Pizza Stone for more.

2. Sauté the veggies. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté the vegetables for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and the spinach is fully wilted. This step is very important: raw vegetables release too much moisture on the pizza and make the crust soggy.

3. Stretch the pizza dough. Dust a pizza peel with cornmeal or semolina flour to prevent sticking. Stretch your pizza dough by hand into a circle: check out my guide on How to Stretch Pizza Dough.

4. Assemble the pizza quickly. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce (or marinara sauce), then the sautéed vegetables, roasted red pepper strips and artichoke hearts.

5. Bake until golden brown. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone and bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the pizza crust is golden brown. Cool slightly, then scatter the basil leaves on top.

Topping Ideas

Of course, you can put any toppings you’d like on a dairy-free pizza! The veggie toppings below all work well: you can mix and match based on what’s in your fridge:

• Sautéed spinach and mushrooms
• Jarred roasted red peppers
• Black olives or kalamata olives
• Canned artichoke hearts
• Bell peppers: make them roasted or sautéed
• Arugula: Add fresh after baking for a peppery bite (see FAQ below for timing)
• Shaved Brussels sprouts: thin-shaved and sautéed
• Roasted sweet potatoes or squash: For a heartier, sweeter pizza — try my air fryer sweet potatoes for a quick fix
• Red pepper flakes: Sprinkle on after baking for heat
• Jalapeños: Thinly sliced, for a spicy kick

Quick Serving Tip

The one caveat is that vegan pizza doesn’t stick together quite as easily as with the glue of cheese-ladden pizza, so watch for sliding toppings when you grab a slice. But it’s a small price to pay.

Though it’s a no cheese pizza, our best vegan pizza recipe has been a hit with my friends and family! Vegan comfort food, at its finest. What do you think of pizza without cheese — would you try it? Let me know in the comments below.