This vegan Margherita pizza has a homemade no-knead crust topped with seasoned passata, vegan cheese, and fresh basil. The dough is mixed and spread with a spatula, so there is no kneading or rolling. Allow two hours for it to rise before baking.
Why You'll Love This Vegan Margherita Pizza
- Simple dough preparation: Mix the ingredients in a bowl and leave the yeast to work while the dough rises.
- No separate cheese recipe: Grated vegan cheese keeps the topping straightforward, without another component to blend or cook.
- A golden base: The tomato-covered dough has time to bake before the cheese is added for the final few minutes.
- Easy portions: One pizza makes nine squares, giving you three servings of three squares each.
I make this pizza when I want something homemade and don't mind giving the dough time to rise. There is very little hands-on work, which is part of what I enjoy about making bread at home. My homemade ciabatta bread has that same appeal, while pan con tomate is another simple way I enjoy bread and tomatoes. With this pizza, a bowl and a spatula take care of the dough, leaving just the sauce and toppings to prepare.
The contrast between the golden crust, smooth tomato sauce, and melted vegan cheese is what makes this version satisfying. Oregano seasons both the sauce and the topping, while basil goes on after baking for a fresh finish. That tomato-and-basil pairing also appears in my cherry tomato bruschetta, which uses mozzarella; here, the topping stays dairy-free. Adding the cheese later gives this particularly wet dough time to bake without keeping the topping in the oven for the full cooking time.
Key Ingredients for Vegan Margherita Pizza
The exact measurements are in the recipe card, but these ingredients define the dough, sauce, and topping.
- 00 flour and instant yeast: The flour forms the base of the dough, while the yeast gives it its rise. Instant yeast mixes directly with the other dough ingredients without a separate activation step.
- Water and olive oil: The generous amount of water creates the wet dough that makes spatula mixing and spreading possible. Olive oil adds richness to both the dough and tomato sauce.
- Passata: Smooth strained tomatoes give the sauce an even consistency that is easy to spread across the base. White pepper and oregano season it without adding chunky toppings.
- Vegan cheese and basil: Grated vegan cheese provides the dairy-free topping. Fresh basil is added after baking to keep its flavor distinct from the dried oregano.
How to Make Vegan Margherita Pizza
The dough will feel much wetter than a pizza dough you can knead. Follow these stages, with the full measurements and oven setting in the recipe card.
1. Mix and rise the dough: Stir the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and warm water together with a spatula, then mix in the olive oil. Cover and leave until the dough is puffy and doubled in size.
2. Prepare the sauce: Preheat the convection/fan oven and stir together the passata, olive oil, salt, white pepper, and oregano.
3. Spread and bake the base: Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet and spread it evenly with a spatula. Add the sauce and bake until the crust is golden.
4. Finish the pizza: Sprinkle over the vegan cheese and oregano, then return to the oven until the cheese melts. Add the basil, rest briefly, and cut into nine squares.
Tips for Vegan Margherita Pizza
- Preheat before shaping: Have the oven fully heated when the pizza is ready to bake, so the wet base goes straight into the hot oven.
- Keep the dough even: Use the spatula to work the dough across the baking sheet rather than leaving a thick center with very thin edges. An even layer helps it bake consistently.
- Spread the sauce lightly: Distribute the sauce across the base instead of leaving wet pools in the middle.
- Watch the final bake: Once the cheese is added, check for melting within the shorter finishing time rather than leaving the pizza in for another full bake.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover pizza in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat the slices in a hot oven until warmed through; this helps the base regain some crispness. The slices are already portioned, so you can reheat only what you need.
What to Serve with Vegan Margherita Pizza
A Mediterranean chickpea salad adds avocado, crunchy vegetables, and a garlic-balsamic dressing alongside the pizza. For a lighter contrast, Japanese cucumber salad brings a cool, tangy accompaniment to the warm tomato-and-cheese topping.
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Recipe
Vegan Margherita Pizza
Ingredients
Pizza dough
- 240 g 00 flour
- 2 tablespoons instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 240 ml warm water
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Pizza sauce
- 100 g passata
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Pizza topping
- 100 g grated vegan cheese
- 8 fresh basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Combine 240 g 00 flour, 2 tablespoons instant yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 240 ml warm water in a large bowl. Mix with a spatula until evenly combined. Add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and continue mixing until the wet dough looks smooth and uniform.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for about 2 hours, or until soft, puffy, and doubled in size.
- Preheat the convection/fan oven to 230 °C. Mix 100 g passata, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon white pepper, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for the sauce in a small bowl.
- Transfer the risen dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use a spatula to spread it into an even pizza base, avoiding a thick mound in the center.
- Spread the prepared tomato sauce evenly over the dough. Bake the sauced pizza base for 15 minutes, until the crust is golden.
- Remove the pizza from the oven. Sprinkle with 100 g grated vegan cheese and 1 teaspoon dried oregano, then bake for another 3-5 minutes, until the cheese melts.
- Scatter 8 fresh basil leaves over the vegan Margherita pizza. Let it rest for 1 minute, then cut it into 9 squares and serve, allowing 3 squares per person.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Rihanna says
I made this vegan Margherita pizza last night and it turned out so good. The crust baked up beautifully and the combination of tomato, fresh basil, and vegan cheese gave it that classic Margherita flavor without feeling heavy.