Our favorite vegan pizza dough is lightly seasoned with dried herbs and garlic and bakes up to crispy, chewy perfection! Ready in just over an hour, this flavorful pizza crust is guaranteed to take your homemade pizzas to the next level!
Why You'll Love It
A version of this herb seasoned pizza dough recipe has lived on the blog for a few years now, originally as part of this vegan stuffed crust pizza.
Recently after making the vegan sausage pizza you see above, I was reminded how amazing this pizza crust really is and decided it deserves its own post!
My husband and I don't dine out (or order in) very often, but earlier this year we dabbled with Door Dash a few times, including ordering from a higher-end pizza chain.
And while the convenience was nice on really busy or tired days, the pizza crust was seriously disappointing - think limp, soggy, and bland.
So after a few occasions of spending WAY too much money on disappointing pizza, I finally learned my lesson and have vowed to never order pizza again!
Sure, homemade pizza dough takes a little more planning, but it's not like it's difficult. It's made with pantry staple ingredients and ready in just over an hour, and most of that is hands off!
And the result is SO much better. Because when you want pizza, you want PIZZA! - not disappointment. Know what I mean?
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Ingredients and Substitutions
All you need are 3 primary ingredients plus a few dried herbs...
- yeast – I like to keep packets of active dry yeast on hand so I'm ready anytime a pizza craving strikes. If you bake pizza very often it's more economical to buy a jar of yeast instead of packets. Store it in the fridge or freezer to extend freshness. You can also use instant yeast for pizza dough. In that case you'll mix it directly into the dry ingredients and skip the first step of activating the yeast.
- water – use lukewarm water to activate the yeast. It should be around 100 degrees F. Honestly, I never use a thermometer to test the temperature. I just dunk my finger in the water. If it feels a bit warmer than body temperature but NOT hot, you're good to go.
- sugar - often added to pizza dough and other breads for texture, flavor, and as food for the yeast. I've always added just a teaspoon to help activate the yeast. If you'd prefer to leave it out, that's okay, too.
- flour – I prefer '00' flour for pizza dough, but it's not always easy to find. Double zero refers to the finer texture of the flour. All-purpose flour also works in this recipe. I haven't tested it with gluten-free flour and would recommend finding a dedicated gluten-free pizza dough recipe for the best results.
- salt – important for the overall flavor of the crust.
- garlic powder - just a touch adds to the overall savory flavor of the crust.
- dried herbs - I like to use a combination of dried oregano, parsley, and basil. You could also experiment with an Italian herb blend.
See the recipe card below for quantities and full instructions.
How to Make Seasoned Vegan Pizza Dough
Here's a quick visual overview of the steps of making pizza dough.
- Combine the yeast, sugar and water in a small bowl and stir. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes. It should look foamy. If not, it's probably time to buy new yeast!
- In a mixing bowl whisk together the flour, salt, garlic, and dried herbs. Make a well in the center, and pour in the yeast mixture.
- Slowly stir until a rough dough forms.
- Move the dough to a floured work surface and knead for about 3 minutes. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook. Kneading by hand is more work, but it means I don't have to drag out the heavy stand mixer. Choose the method that's easiest for you.
Once the dough is smooth and stretchy, form into a ball. Coat the inside of a large clean bowl with olive oil. Place the ball of dough in the bowl. I like to toss the dough a few times so the outside picks up a light coating of oil.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
Tip! I recommend warming up the oven while kneading the dough. Set it to 200 degrees F or the lowest possible temperature. Let it run for a few minutes then turn the oven off. This creates a perfect environment for proofing pizza dough. - After an hour, move the dough to a lightly floured surface. Leave it whole to make one large stuffed crust pizza or thick crust, or divide it in half to make two 12-inch thin crust pizzas. Using the pads of your fingers, gradually move around the perimeter of the dough, pressing outward, increasing the dough in size. You can also pick up the dough and use your fists to gently stretch it into a larger circle.
Baking Instructions
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. A pizza stone dramatically improves the quality of the pizza crust, and I highly recommend using one. Be sure to place the stone in the oven prior to preheating.
I find pizzas tend to bake more quickly on a metal pizza pan than on a stone, and burn more easily, too. So keep a close eye on the crust during the last few minutes.
- thin crust - about 14 minutes on a pizza stone or 13 to 14 minutes on a pizza pan.
- thick crust - about 18 minutes on a stone or 17 minutes on a pan.
Vegan Pizza Toppings
Over the years we've tried all kinds of unique vegan pizza toppings, like creamed corn sauce with chorizo, ricotta and fennel, and Korean BBQ sauce with tofu and mushrooms.
But the pizza pictured here was honestly one of the BEST vegan pizzas we've ever had! Here's what's on it:
- sauce - I always use store-bought marinara for homemade pizza. There are so many delicious options that it just feels like the right place to take a shortcut, especially when you're already making your own crust. Many are vegan, but you still want to check the label for hidden animal products, especially dairy.
- cheese - I used a newly revised version of this vegan mozzarella (recipe update coming ASAP to reflect the new pourable vegan mozz).
- veggies - using what we had on hand, we included onion, orange bell pepper, a few grape tomatoes, and black olives.
- the kicker was the Beyond Meat breakfast sausage! When Mark suggested we add it to the pizza I scoffed, "But it's breakfast sausage." Boy, was he right. It's amazing on pizza! We simply thawed the patties in the microwave, then roughly chopped them.
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Serve this pizza to your meat-loving friend, dad, roommate, or whoever. They won't even know they're eating vegan pizza!
More pizza topping ideas:
- white sauce instead of marinara
- onion or shallot
- caramelized onion
- sauteed mushrooms
- bell pepper
- chopped broccoli or broccoli rice
- artichoke hearts
- balsamic vinegar glaze - to make it, simmer any good quality balsamic on the stovetop for a few minutes until reduced by half.
- fresh pesto - add after baking.
- vegan pepperoni - no joke, this smells SO GOOD while baking on pizza. I haven't found a vegan pepperoni in stores that comes anywhere close to homemade. So if you really miss pepperoni pizza, this is 100% worth the effort. And it's really not difficult, just an extra step. Tip: make a big batch and store it in the freezer!
- seitan chorizo
Best Vegan Cheese for Pizza
I'm pretty picky when it comes to vegan cheese. My go-to is this homemade cashew mozzarella. I like that it's ridiculously quick and easy to make, healthier than store-bought options, and seriously cheesy, gooey, and delicious!
Store-bought vegan cheese shreds like Violife and Daiya are also great. Even better, go with Miyoko's new liquid Vegan Pizza Mozzarella.
Vegan cheeses vary in flavor and melting characteristics. So it doesn't hurt to try a few to find your favorite.
Can I prep pizza dough in advance?
Absolutely. Prepare the dough through step 4 (kneading), but instead of placing in a warm environment, place the dough in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours (make sure the bowl is tightly covered with plastic wrap. An overnight proofing actually gives pizza dough even better flavor.
Let the dough sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes before shaping.
Freezing Instructions
Prepare the dough through step 5, allowing it to rise, then divide in half (or leave whole). Place the ball(s) of dough in freezer bags, squeeze out the air, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw pizza dough in the refrigerator overnight, and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour before shaping.
Equipment Needed
Kitchen scales are inexpensive, easy to use, and the best way to make sure you use the correct amount of flour in any recipe.
A pizza stone will transform your homemade pizza from good to great! One that is around 14 inches in diameter is easy to handle and can accommodate most pizzas.
A pizza peel makes it easy to slide the pizza onto and off of the hot stone.
FAQs
Though most classic pizza dough recipes are vegan, some include dairy in the form of cheese or yogurt. When dining out or shopping for pre-made pizza crusts, keep in mind that gluten-free pizza crusts are rarely vegan since eggs are often included for binding.
Double zero flour, or 00 flour, is an extra fine flour from Italy and considered the best flour for pizza dough. The numbers refer to the grind, with 00 being finest and 2 the most coarse. The higher protein content of 00 flour is more similar to bread flour than all-purpose. It creates a chewy inside and crispy outside, especially when cooked in high temperatures.
Top Tip
Accidentally using too much or too little flour is sure to mess up almost any baking recipe! Using an inexpensive kitchen scale is simple and helps ensure consistent results every time.
In the recipe below, tap on "Metric" to see the flour weight in grams (370 grams as original recipe is written).
If not using a scale, it's important to properly measure the flour. To do this, first whisk the flour to fluff it up. Then lightly scoop with a measuring cup, and level off the top.
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I hope you enjoy this flavorful vegan pizza crust as much as we do! If you try the recipe be sure to comment below and let us know.
Recipe
Seasoned Vegan Pizza Dough
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 packet active dry yeast (7 grams) - or 2 ¼ teaspoons
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup lukewarm water (100 to 110 degrees F)
- 3 cups double zero "00" flour or all-purpose flour (*see Notes) - with all-purpose you'll need a bit more water, which you can add by wetting your hands during kneading
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons olive oil - for oiling the proofing bowl
For seasoned pizza crust:
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Combine the yeast, sugar and warm water in a bowl and stir. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
- Tip: omit the herbs for pizzas that don't pair with Italian flavors (i.e. barbecue pizza). In a large bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and dried herbs, if using. Make a well in the center, and pour in the yeast mixture. Slowly stir until a rough dough forms.
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F, or as low as it will go. After a few minutes turn it off. Raising the temp slightly creates a nice warm and draft-free place for the dough to rise.
- Move the dough to a floured work surface and knead for about 3 minutes. Form into a ball.
- Add the olive oil to a large bowl and swirl it around. Place the dough ball in the bowl and flip around a few times, using your hands to spread olive oil over the entire surface of the dough. Lightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and make sure the oven is off. Place the bowl in the oven until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
- Move the dough to a lightly floured surface, and divide in half. This will create two 12 to 13-inch pizzas. Alternatively, use the entire batch of dough to create a larger thick crust pizza or a stuffed crust pizza (you'll need the extra dough for folding the edges over the cheese).
- Using the pads of your fingers, gradually move around the perimeter of the dough, pressing outward, increasing the dough in size. You can also pick up the dough and use your fists to gently stretch it into a larger circle.
- Add your favorite sauce and toppings. See suggestions above.
- Bake in a preheated 500 degree oven. Thin crust takes about 14 minutes on a preheated pizza stone or 13-14 minutes on a pizza pan. Thick crust takes about 18 minutes on a stone or 17 minutes on a pan.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
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