Vegan Deep Dish Pizza Recipe | Pasta-based Vegan Recipes (2024)

Make this recipe for Vegan Deep Dish Pizza for dinner tonight! Baked in a cast iron skillet this pizza has a THICK crust and is topped with melty vegan mozzarella, garlicky red sauce, and homemade vegan sausage crumbles. It’s easy to make and extremely delicious… and addicting! If you like thick crust pizza, you will LOVE this.

Vegan Deep Dish Pizza Recipe | Pasta-based Vegan Recipes (1)

Also, if the pizza doesn’t have you drooling – LOOK at the 12 inch FINEX Cast Iron Skillet from Made Trade. That octagon shape is so cool and the handle too!! We have been obsessed with using it for so many recipes from baked pasta to THIS vegan deep dish pizza!

We did a little A/B test with our other cast iron pan and the FINEX skillet is way more heavy duty so the pizza came out more even and better when using it.

This Vegan Cast Iron Pizza is one of our favorite pizza recipes to date. We used Miyokos brand mozzarella cheese. Miyokos really does amazing stuff, their cheese is one of the best commercial vegan brands out there right now. We used the fresh mozzarella but I know they will be coming out with shredded versions soon. I can’t wait for that!

Vegan Deep Dish Pizza Recipe | Pasta-based Vegan Recipes (2)

We also used our Italian Sausage Crumbles recipe but modified a little bit. Instead of baking the crumbles in the oven first, like in the original recipe, you’ll want to put them straight on the pizza when they’re moist instead.

This just ensures the crumbles don’t get too dried out when you’re cooking the pizza. This recipe is super quick to make and tastes close to the real deal. It’s the perfect pizza topping!

This recipe for vegan deep dish pizza is easy to put together. Most of the time making it is spent letting the dough rest.

This cast iron skillet from Made Trade is 12 inches so if you only have a 10 inch pan, you may want to leave some of the dough out. Or if you want to make an EXTRA thick pizza, I’m on board with that decision too 😉! Just remember to put your pan on the bottom rack so the dough is close to the heat and can cook throughout.

If you make this recipe, tag us on Instagram @pastabased and leave a comment! We love hearing what you think 💖

Vegan Deep-Dish Pizza

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Resting time

1 hr 15 mins

Total Time

1 hr 55 mins

Deep-dish pizza with melted vegan mozzarella and vegan Italian sausage crumbles. Saucy, melty, gooey, garlicky, easy to make, delicious!

Course:Dinner, Pizza

Cuisine:American, Italian, Vegan

Keyword:dairy-free, pizza dough, pizza sauce, vegan, Vegan Sausage

Servings: 8 slices

Calories per Serving: 265 kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4cupsall-purpose flour
  • 2teaspoonssea salt
  • 2teaspoonssugar
  • 2teaspoonsactive dry yeast
  • 1cupwarm water
  • 1tablespoonolive oil

Vegan Italian Sausage Crumbles

  • 1cupwater
  • 1/2teaspoonliquid smoke
  • 2tablespoonstamari
  • 1tablespoonmaple syrup
  • 1cuptextured vegetable protein(TVP)
  • 1/4cupnutritional yeast
  • 2teaspoonsgarlic powder
  • 2teaspoonsonion powder
  • 1teaspoondried sage
  • 1teaspoonfennel seeds
  • 1teaspoondried thyme
  • 1/2teaspoonblack pepper

Pizza Toppings

  • 1/2cuppizza sauce
  • 4ouncesvegan mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4cupgreen bell pepperssliced thin

Instructions

  1. In a mixing bowl (the one for your stand-mixer, if using) whisk together flour, sea salt, sugar, and active dry yeast.

  2. Add warm water and mix with a spoon until just combined and the mixture forms a shaggy dough. Let rest for 15 minutes.

  3. After resting, knead the dough in your stand-mixer or by hand for 10 minutes.

  4. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Flour your hands and knead for an additional 1-2 minutes, adjusting the texture with extra flour if necessary to create a smooth, soft dough.

  5. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover and rest for an hour, or until the dough has doubled in size. Rest the dough in a warm room in your house for better results.

  6. When the dough has doubled in size, pre-heat your oven to 500°F and brush olive oil on the bottom and sides of a 12-inch cast iron skillet.

  7. Stretch the dough over the bottom of the skillet to the edges. Use your thumbs to push the crust up the edges to make a thick crust. Let the dough rest another 10 minutes in the skillet before adding your toppings.

To make the Vegan Italian Sausage Crumbles

  1. In a medium pot, stir together wet ingredients: water, liquid smoke, soy sauce and maple syrup. Heat on medium until the mixture comes to a light boil.

  2. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl mix dry ingredients: TVP, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, sage, fennel, thyme and black pepper. Stir into pot and lower the heat.

  3. Cover the pot and heat on low for 5 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed.

To bake the pizza

  1. Spread pizza sauce onto your pizza dough. Add cheese, sausage crumbles, and any other toppings you like. Then, bake on the bottom rack of your oven for 15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Vegan Deep Dish Pizza Recipe | Pasta-based Vegan Recipes (4)

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Vegan Deep Dish Pizza Recipe | Pasta-based Vegan Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is vegan pizza base made of? ›

All Purpose Flour: Just regular all purpose flour works great for this pizza dough. Active Dry Yeast: I don't recommend instant yeast for this recipe. Organic Cane Sugar: Mixed with the yeast and warm water to activate the yeast. Olive Oil: Extra virgin if possible.

What is not vegan in pizza dough? ›

A: Typically yes, most pizza dough is vegan since it's made from water, flour, yeast, and salt. However, some variations may include dairy products like butter or milk, so always check the ingredients.

What makes a pizza vegan? ›

Often times, pizza dough is naturally vegan. The basic pizza dough formula is just water, flour, yeast, and salt. The only times that eggs or dairy are used for a bread recipe is typically just for enriched doughs (like brioche or cinnamon rolls– which we have the vegan options for on the blog!).

What kind of pizza can vegans eat? ›

As A Vegan, The Average Pizza Will Be Better

A vegan, on the other hand, has two options: excellent cheese-less pizza made by a craftsman, or poor pizza made with vegan cheese or no cheese at all.

Is Domino's vegan pizza actually vegan? ›

Here in the US, there are no vegan-by-default pizza options at Domino's. You can, however, build your own vegan pizza, from the crust to the toppings—just no dairy-free cheese. There is a sliver of hope, though. In 2020, Domino's CEO divulged that an internal team was testing out plant-based sausage crumbles.

What is a vegan alternative to cheese on pizza? ›

Plant-based and dairy-free mozzarella alternatives consist of either one of the ingredients or a combination of these:
  • almonds.
  • cashews.
  • soy.
  • Tofu / Silken Tofu.
  • soy yoghurt.
  • tapioca starch.
  • rice / rice starch.
  • potato starch.

Can vegans eat yeast? ›

Since eating yeast does not cause it to suffer and involves no animal exploitation or cruelty, yeast is typically considered a vegan food. Although, a very small minority of vegans may still avoid it, as it is a living organism.

Is Papa John's dough vegan? ›

Start with Our Original Dough

Our original hand-tossed dough is tasty, plant-based and contains no animal products. Nope, not even honey. Note: Our other crust options contain milk and/or egg products.

Do vegans eat rice? ›

Yes, absolutely! Rice is a common grain in all cooking and has a significant place in the plant-based world too. Some rice dishes may not be suitable for vegans though, so if you're eating out or following a recipe make sure there are no meat, fish or other animal products being used before you tuck in!

Can a vegan drink almond milk? ›

As almond milk is made from seeds (yep, technically they are seeds, not nuts), they are in theory completely vegan, and as they are not generally not sweetened or altered with animal byproducts like honey, it is understood as vegan.

Can vegan drink alcohol? ›

Yes, they absolutely can. To be clear, alcohol itself is 100% vegan-friendly. It's what gets added to it that can cause issues for those on a plant-based diet. And, unfortunately, these additional animal-derived ingredients always escape the labels, making it difficult to know what you're actually consuming.

What can I put on pizza instead of cheese? ›

Vegan White Pizza With Artichoke Tofu Ricotta and Roasted Garlic, right, and Vegan Pizza With Miso-Caramelized Onions and Shiitake Bacon are both great – without cheese. Season dough with dried herbs and paprika for a brighter, better flavor. Artichoke Tofu Ricotta is great on pizza or as a spread or dip.

How to add protein to vegan pizza? ›

See our suggestions below.
  1. CHEESE. If following a vegetarian diet, cheese can be a great way to boost the protein content of your pizza. ...
  2. FIRM TOFU. Tofu is an extremely versatile ingredient and a delicious addition to just about any dish. ...
  3. LENTILS. ...
  4. NUTS. ...
  5. VEGGIES.

What is vegan pizza cheese made of? ›

Vegan cheese is usually made from soy, nuts, vegetable oils, and various other natural ingredients like peas or arrowroot. Vegan cheese is seen as a healthier alternative to cheese by some, and may reduce your risk of heart disease due to its lower content of fat.

Is vegan pizza healthy? ›

Abundance of Nutrients: Vegan pizza allows you to enjoy the abundance of nutrients found in plant-based ingredients. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds used in vegan pizza are packed with essential vitamins (such as vitamin C, vitamin A, and folate) and minerals (such as potassium, magnesium, and iron).

What's the difference between vegan pizza and regular pizza? ›

In most cases, vegan pizza is healthier. If you think about it, this really isn't surprising — it's made of plants, after all. A plant-based pizza is totally free of animal products like meat and dairy, both of which tend to have a lot of saturated fat and “bad” cholesterol, according to Healthline.

What is vegan pepperoni made of? ›

Rather than using animal derivatives, vegan pepperoni is made from plant-based products such as soy proteins, wheat glutens, tofu, legumes and vegetables. Different manufacturers use different bases to substitute the 'meat element' of real pepperoni, however, the result is usually the same: small, firm slices.

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