Homemade Pizza Dough, better than Store-Bought

So easy to make with a few simple ingredients, this homemade pizza dough makes the perfect base for your plant-based pizzas and flatbreads. You’ll never want to buy pre-made pizza crust again!

My struggles with finding a plant-based pizza crust

I have really struggled with finding pre-made pizza dough that is totally vegan. My local grocery store used to carry one but then recently I noticed that dairy was a newly added ingredient. Finding a dairy-free pizza crust can be a challenge.

Then I was so excited to find a new dairy-free flatbread crust until I noticed that “enzymes” was listed as an ingredient. Enzymes might be plant-based BUT they also might be sourced from the animal pancreas – which was kinda a blech for me.

I do love using puff pastry dough for my pizza crust and have had no problem finding a vegan brand, but holy cow the fat and calories! There is a reason puff pastry is so flaky and tender. (Ten grams of fat for a tiny little serving anyone? And who eats just one tiny serving when eating a pizza? Not this gal!)

So I had to make my own!

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Why you’ll love this pizza crust

• easier to make than I thought
• totally plant-based – no worries about dairy or enzymes
• low in added fat
• makes a nice base for almost any type of topping

Ingredients needed to make homemade pizza crust

• warm water
• sugar
• active dry yeast
•  all-purpose flour (I’ve also used King Arthur’s pizza flour and like it best. But it’s not a common item you’ll find at the store and all-purpose flour is fine.)
•  salt
• olive oil 

How to make yummy plant-based pizza dough at home

Step 1: Proof the yeast

Otherwise known, as getting it started. Use warm (not hot) water. Gently stir in the yeast and sugar. It will be slightly frothy. Set it aside for 5-10 minutes. The yeast should start to form a nice foamy top.

Step 2: Measure the dry ingredients and pour in the yeast solution

While the yeast is proofing, you should measure the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl you’ll be using. I like to use a mixer with a dough hook like my stand mixer.

Add the olive oil to the wet yeast mixture.

Next, I pour in the foamy fully-proofed yeast solution.

Step 3: Mix it up

You’ll have a much easier time with a dough hook and a stand mixer. If you don’t have one, it will still work. You can use a regular mixer. Just be patient and understand that you might need to mix by hand to fully incorporate the liquid.

Mix everything well until all of the dry mixture has been absorbed and a sticky dough forms. You might need to take a pause to scrape some of the mixture from the side of your bowl.

Step 4: You need to knead!

Turn the mixed dough onto a lightly floured surface and with both hands knead until smooth and velvety. You should be able to gently poke your dough ball and have it begin to bounce back.

If you are a novice at kneading, you might want to watch this video about kneading bread dough by All Recipes for a nicely done step-by-step.

Step 5: Cover and rise

Cover the kneaded dough ball and let rise for about 20 minutes. The room it rises in should be warmish – so if your house is cold, try to find a warm spot.

Your dough ball will be larger and quite smooth. Don’t let it rise too long though or the texture of the finished crust will be a little gummy and not nice and chewy.

Step 6: Shape and bake

Roll the crust into the shape you’d like. I like to roll mine onto parchment paper. This recipe makes a fairly large medium-thick crust. If you want to roll it thinner, you can get two (smaller) crusts.

I poke holes in the crust and brush on a little olive oil (optional) before baking the first time.

Bake at 450° for eight minutes. It will be a nice light tan color.

The last step: Adding toppings and the final bake

Add whatever sauce or toppings you’d like. I also like to brush the edges with a little more olive and sprinkle on some garlic salt (optional).

A warning about vegan cheese

I have not yet found a vegan cheese I’m perfectly happy with. They are improving but not quite there yet. In my opinion, too much vegan cheese on a pizza is…nasty. It doesn’t melt right and can have a “funky” taste. I sprinkle my vegan cheese lightly and find that’s all I need.

Put it back in the oven and continue to bake for another 5-7 minutes. Enjoy that yummy pizza and feel good about the homemade pizza crust you just made all by yourself!

What to make with your homemade pizza dough

You can use just about any plant-based ingredients you’d like to make a vegan pizza. I like to top it with my Sausage Tofu Crumbles and Pepperoni Pizza Tofu Crumbles (coming soon). I’ve also topped my pizza with my Italian Marinated Chickpeas and have thinly sliced these Maple Glazed Brussels Sprouts along with my Tofu Bacon bits, thinly sliced shallots, and pineapple tidbits (no hate please lol!).

You can also top it with any veggies you have on hand as I did with my pizza today. This pizza is topped with canned artichoke hearts, bell peppers, red onions, tomatoes, and a little shredded vegan cheese.

Or if you need some plant-based pizza inspiration, you could try one of these tasty vegan pizzas found around the web and made by some fabulous vegan bloggers:

• Vegan Veggie Pizza by Plant-Based Cooking
• Crispy Kale White Vegan Pizza with Mushrooms by Very Vegan Val
• Mediterranean Hummus Pizza by My Pure Plants
• Vegan Pepperoni White Bean Pizza by Strength and Sunshine

The printable recipe card for Homemade Pizza Dough