How to Make Vegan Pizza at Home: Dough, Sauce, Cheese & Toppings

Pizza is one of the easiest foods to make vegan – and one of the most satisfying. Whether you've just gone plant-based or you're simply trying to eat more plants, homemade vegan pizza delivers everything you love: a crisp, chewy crust, a rich tomato sauce, melty "cheese" and as many toppings as you can fit.

This guide covers how to make vegan pizza at home, step by step: the dough, the sauce, dairy-free cheese options, the best toppings and a few tricks for getting a pizzeria-style result from a regular home oven.

Is pizza dough vegan?

Good news first: a classic pizza dough is usually vegan already. Traditional dough is made from just a few ingredients:

• Flour (strong bread flour or Italian "00" flour)
• Water
• Yeast
• Salt
• Olive oil (optional)

Some shop-bought doughs and bases add milk, butter, eggs or honey, so always check the ingredients list. Making your own avoids the guesswork – and it's easier than most people think.

How to make vegan pizza dough

A simple homemade dough needs very little hands-on time. The general method looks like this:

1. Mix flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl.
2. Add lukewarm water and a splash of olive oil, then stir until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Knead for around 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth and springy.
4. Rest it, covered, in a warm spot until roughly doubled in size.
5. Divide and shape into balls, then stretch gently by hand rather than rolling, to keep air in the crust.

Tip: give your dough more time

If you can plan ahead, let the dough rise slowly in the fridge for 24 hours or more. A slow, cold rise develops more flavour and a lighter, more open crust. Bring it back to room temperature before shaping.

The sauce: keep it simple

The best pizza sauces are often the simplest. Crush good-quality canned tomatoes by hand or blend them briefly, then season with salt, a little olive oil, garlic and dried oregano or fresh basil. There's no need to cook it – the sauce cooks on the pizza in the oven.

Want to switch it up? Try:

• Vegan pesto – basil, pine nuts or walnuts, garlic, olive oil and lemon (skip the parmesan).
• Garlic and olive oil – a "white" pizza base that lets toppings shine.
• Barbecue sauce – check the label, as some contain honey or anchovies.

Dairy-free cheese options

This is the part most people worry about. You have more choices than ever:

Store-bought vegan cheese

Many supermarkets now stock plant-based mozzarella-style cheeses designed to melt. Quality varies between brands, so it's worth trying a few to find your favourite.

Homemade cashew mozzarella

Soaked cashews blended with water, lemon juice, salt and a starch such as tapioca, then gently heated until stretchy. It's creamy, mild and great for a margherita.

Other ideas

• Nutritional yeast sprinkled on top for a savoury, cheesy flavour.
• Dollops of vegan ricotta made from blended tofu or almonds, lemon and herbs.
• No cheese at all – a classic marinara (tomato, garlic, oregano, olive oil) is naturally vegan and delicious.

The best vegan pizza toppings

Here's where you can really get creative. Some combinations to try:

• Classic margherita: tomato sauce, vegan mozzarella, fresh basil, olive oil.
• Mushroom and garlic: sliced mushrooms, garlic, thyme and a white base.
• Mediterranean: roasted peppers, olives, red onion, artichokes and capers.
• Spicy: chilli, sliced jalapeños, sweetcorn and smoky crumbled tempeh.
• Autumn: roasted squash, caramelised onion, sage and toasted seeds.
• Fresh finish: rocket, cherry tomatoes and a drizzle of balsamic added after baking.

Add some plant protein

To make pizza night more filling, add protein-rich toppings such as crumbled seasoned tofu, tempeh, chickpeas or white beans. For a whole book of protein-packed plant-based recipes, take a look at Protein Punk – 90 Ways to Save a Cow.

How to bake pizza in a home oven

Pizzerias use ovens far hotter than a domestic one, but you can get surprisingly close:

• Preheat properly. Set your oven as hot as it goes and preheat for at least 30 minutes.
• Use a hot surface. A pizza stone or steel is ideal; an upturned heavy baking tray, preheated, works well too.
• Go light on toppings. Overloading leads to a soggy middle.
• Watch closely. At high heat, pizza can be ready in under 10 minutes.
• Finish with the broiler/grill for a minute or two if you want more colour on top.

Common vegan pizza mistakes (and how to fix them)

• Cheese doesn't melt: grate it finely, add it later in the bake, or cover briefly.
• Soggy base: use less sauce, pre-roast watery vegetables, and get your oven hotter.
• Dense crust: let the dough rise longer and stretch it by hand.
• Bland flavour: season the sauce well and finish with olive oil, salt and fresh herbs.

Turn it into a vegan fast-food night

Pizza night is just the start. Burgers, shakes and fries are just as easy to make plant-based at home. Burgers, Shakes and Fries – Without Death, Destruction, and Petrol is our guide to plant-based versions of classic fast food, from veggie burgers on the grill to creamy shakes and crispy, well-seasoned fries.

Get the full vegan pizza cookbook

If this guide has you craving more, Vegan Pizzas! That's Right. Don't Hold Back is dedicated entirely to plant-based pizza – from a classic Margherita to creative combinations with unique toppings, with homemade dough and plant-based cheese alternatives throughout.

Prefer to have everything in one place? The Ultimate Vegan Experience brings all 20 of our recipe books together into one comprehensive guide. You can also browse every title in our Vegan Cookbooks collection.

Now preheat that oven – pizza night is calling.