Easy Vegan Pizza
Ingredients
Homemade Pizza Dough
- 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour plus 1/2 to 1 cup more
- 1 1/2 cups filtered water
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
Sauce and Toppings
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1 cup Homemade Vegan Mozzarella or store-bought
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
Preparation
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and yeast. Gradually add 1.5 cups of water while stirring with a wooden spoon. Stir until well incorporated. Knead the dough gently with hands to form a ball. Add more flour if needed until it's no longer sticky. It should be plush and dough-like. (I used about 1/2 cup more flour).
Transfer the dough to a large clean bowl. Cover with reusable wrap and let it rise at room temperature, in a draft-free area, until the surface is covered with tiny bubbles and the dough has doubled in size, approximately 6-10 hours. (I like to do this overnight). If not using right away, dust the dough ball with flour and cover it in reusable wrap. Store it in the fridge and bring it back to room temperature before use.
Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and shape it into a rough rectangle. Divide it into two equal portions and mold each into a ball.
Preheat the oven to 450F/230C. Place the dough balls on separate baking sheets and flatten them with hands until they cover most of the sheets. If the dough springs back, let it rest for a few minutes, then try again.
In a smaller mixing bowl, combine tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic, and sea salt. Slather the tomato sauce onto the pizza dough and top each with vegan mozzarella. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pizza crust is golden and bubbly, and the bottom is cooked through (golden and crispy - check by lifting up with a spatula). Sprinkle the pizza with fresh basil and slice it into 8 pieces.
