Fluffy Homemade Vegan Pizza Dough
This is the BEST homemade vegan pizza dough recipe. It makes two pizzas worth of dairy free and egg free dough, so you can make one now and freeze another for later. As with all yeasted dough recipes, it takes a little time to make, but it uses simple ingredients and the directions are easy to follow. The results are the best fluffy pizza crust with the perfect amount of chew. This dough, made with all purpose flour, is perfect for making incredible plant based pizzas, breadsticks, and calzones!
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You know those happy little discoveries that sometimes happen in the kitchen while you’re making something else? This fantastically perfect vegan pizza dough recipe came about one day while I was making our egg free onion bagels.
I loved the texture the vital wheat gluten gave to the bagels, and I happened to have some tomato sauce and vegan mozzarella in the fridge and nothing planned for dinner. So, I thought “I wonder what would happen if I saved half the bagel dough and tried it as a pizza crust.”
It was amazing! Strong and firm but still soft and fluffy in texture and with just enough chew.
See, I love a slightly thicker crust (It also works really well as a thinner crust too) with a bit of density to it, and this instantly reminded me of the best parts of all the best pizza crusts I’d ever tasted.
B was super impressed by it too. I think we may have also tripled our monthly pizza intake with this recipe, but boy, is it worth it!
I’m so excited to share this simple homemade recipe with you, and I hope you love it as much as we do!
Homemade Vegan Pizza Dough Ingredients
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We’ll list the ingredients with some notes here, but please note you’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below!
You’ll need 7 basic ingredients to make this easy vegan pizza dough recipe:
- Warm water – If your water is too hot, it will kill the yeast and the pizza dough won’t rise properly; too cold and it won’t activate the yeast at all.
- Light brown sugar – This is what activates the yeast! If you don’t have light brown sugar, you can use raw sugar, turbinado sugar, or coconut sugar.
- Active Dry Yeast
- Unbleached all-purpose flour – Make sure you have a little extra all purpose flour for rolling and kneading the dough.
- Vital wheat gluten – This ingredient is the key to that perfect texture.
- Salt
- Olive oil – This is used for the proving bowl and not in the actual dough.
How to Make Fluffy Dairy Free Pizza Dough
As with all yeasted dough recipes, a great homemade vegan pizza dough does take time for the dough to prove, but the methods are very simple:
Step 1: Activate the yeast.
First, you’ll activate the yeast by putting the light brown sugar and yeast in a small bowl or measuring cup and stirring in the 1.5 cup very lukewarm water.
You want to use hot water that’s not TOO hot (think bath water). Somewhere between 105-115F/40-45C.
Let this sit for about 7-10 minutes as yeast “blooms.” You’ll know it’s ready when there’s a thick foamy layer on top.
Step 2: Make + knead the pizza dough.
Next, measure and mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl or stand mixer.
Add the yeast/water mix to the dry ingredients and mix together well with a gloved hand or a wooden spoon until the side of the bowl is relatively clean of flour.
You may need to add another tablespoon of water during this process.
Then, transfer this dough ball to a lightly floured surface, and sprinkle a little flour on top and knead the dough well for 3-4 minutes incorporating all ingredients and activating gluten.
While you’re kneading, keep a small bowl of flour nearby and give the dough a light sprinkle as needed if it’s still sticking to your hands / the counter.
Step 3: Prove and shape the pizza dough.
Now, it’s time to prove the vegan pizza dough! Add the olive oil to the sides of the bowl so it runs down. This will help the dough from sticking to the bowl as it proves and rises.
Place the dough ball in the oiled bowl, cover, and set in a warm dry place to prove 60-90 minutes. Let the dough rise in the mixing bowl until almost doubled in size.
Finally, it’s time to shape the dough. Turn your dough out onto a lightly floured counter. “Punch down” dough mixture to release the extra air.
Split your dough into TWO equal portions (Usually around 460 grams/16.2 oz each when I make it).
Take half of the dough in the palm of one hand, and with the other hand, tuck/push the back of the dough gently inward with your fingers so a rough ball is formed.
Form a “C” with one hand so you can cup the dough between your palms.
Roll the dough on the counter between your hands in a circular motion to smooth it out and form a better, smoother ball. You should hear little squeaks as the gas bubbles break/escape.
How to Use Homemade Pizza Dough
If you are using the pizza dough now: sprinkle a thin bit of flour on your counter and place your rolled dough ball on the flour and cover with a tea-towel or a large bowl (so the dough is not exposed to the air).
Let the dough go through a second prove for 30-40 minutes before using.
If you’re using the dough within 24 hours, you can do a slower second rise in the refrigerator.
Place in the refrigerator covered in the oiled bowl for up to 24 hours, and when you’re ready to use it, let it rest (in the bowl) on the counter for at least 20 minutes so the dough isn’t so cold and tight.
How to Make Pizza from Homemade Dough
To make a pizza with this dough, press the dough onto a pizza stone, cast iron pan, pizza pan, or baking sheet. You can also use a rolling pin to flatten the dough if you’re more of a thin crust fan!
Top with pizza sauce, vegan cheese, and your favorite pizza toppings and bake at 450F for 16-18 minutes.
You can also brush the vegan pizza crust with vegan butter or a little olive oil and a little sprinkle of garlic powder before baking for some extra flavor!
Here are a few vegan recipes we love to use this pizza dough in:
These are some of our favorite vegan pizza options:
- Vegan Baked Ziti Pizza – This might just be my favorite vegan pizza recipe!
- 5-Minute Vegan Pizza Mozzarella
- Vegan Pesto Pizza – With walnut “sausage” and fresh basil pesto!
- Vegan Chicken Parm Pizza
- Dairy Free White Pizza with Marinated Veggies
- Vegan Parmesan Garlic Breadsticks
Can you freeze homemade pizza dough with yeast?
Absolutely you can! This recipe is very freezer friendly, and because it makes 2, you can use one now and freeze another for later.
Here’s how to freeze the pizza dough: After rolling your dough balls, oil them lightly and immediately wrap in plastic wrap to be placed in the freezer. Dough will be good for 3-4 months.
How do you make frozen pizza dough? Defrost in a covered bowl 6-8 hours on the counter or 24 hours in the refrigerator.
More Vegan Baking Recipes:
- Homemade Vegan Onion Bagels
- Vegan Pesto Potato Biscuits
- Whole Wheat Vegan Biscuits
- Vegan Soft Pretzel Bites
When you make this homemade vegan pizza dough, let us know about it!
We LOVE when you rate the recipe and leave a comment below (That helps more people find it!)
Fluffy Homemade Vegan Pizza Dough
This is the BEST homemade vegan pizza dough recipe. It makes two pizzas worth of dairy free and egg free dough, so you can make one now and freeze another for later. It takes a little time to make, but the methods are simple and the directions are easy to follow. The results are the best fluffy pizza crust with the perfect amount of chew.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup warm water 355ml
- 1 Tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 packet active dry yeast 7g / 2 1/4 tsp
- 3 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 500g – Plus a little extra for rolling
- 1/4 cup vital wheat gluten 30g
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp olive oil for proving bowl
Instructions
- ACTIVATE THE YEAST: Activate the yeast by putting the brown sugar and yeast in a small bowl or measuring cup and stirring in the 1.5 cup very warm water. (* Water should be very warm/not-too-hot, between 105-115F/40-45C.) Let sit for approx. 7-10 minutes as yeast “blooms.”
- MAKE THE DOUGH: Measure and mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add yeast/water mix to the dry ingredients and mix together well with a gloved hand or a wooden spoon until the side of the bowl is relatively clean of flour. You may need to add another tablespoon of water during this process.
- KNEAD THE DOUGH: Transfer to a lightly floured counter and knead the dough well for 3-4 minutes incorporating all ingredients and activating gluten.
- PROVE THE DOUGH: Add oil to the sides of the bowl so it runs down. This will help the dough from sticking to the bowl as it proves and rises. Place the dough ball in the oiled bowl, cover, and set in a warm dry place to prove 60-90 minutes. Mixture should almost double in size.
- SHAPE THE DOUGH: Turn your dough out onto a lightly floured counter. “Punch down” dough mixture to release the extra air. Split your dough into TWO equal portions (Usually around 460 grams/16.2 oz each when I make it). Take a piece in the palm of one hand, and with the other hand, tuck/push the back of the dough gently inward with your fingers so a rough ball is formed. Form a “C” with one hand so you can cup the dough between your palms. Roll the dough on the counter between your hands in a circular motion to smooth it out and form a better, smoother ball. You should hear little squeaks as the gas bubbles break/escape.
- TO USE THE DOUGH NOW: sprinkle a thin bit of flour on your counter and place your rolled dough ball on the flour and cover with a tea-towel or a large bowl (so the dough is not exposed to the air). let the dough go through a second prove for 30-40 minutes before using.
- TO USE THE DOUGH WITHIN 24 HOURS: Alternatively, you can do a slower second rise in the refrigerator: place the dough ball in a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Place in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, and when you’re ready to use it, let it rest (in the bowl) on the counter for at least 20 minutes so the dough isn’t so cold and tight. Bake your pizza at 450F for 16-18 minutes
- TO FREEZE THE PIZZA DOUGH: After rolling your dough balls, oil them lightly and immediately wrap in plastic wrap to be placed in the freezer. Dough will be good for 3-4 months. Defrost in a covered bowl 6-8 hours on the counter or 24 hours in the refrigerator.
Video
Notes
- Use weight measurements when available. They’ll be more consistent than cup measurements.
- If your water is too hot, it will kill the yeast and the dough won’t rise properly; too cold and it won’t activate the yeast at all.
- Although baking is scientific, it’s never exact. Weather, altitude, etc will all play a part on the recipe EVERY time you make it.
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