We eat pizza in our home at least once per week. If something terrible happens in the middle of the week (like we run out of Netflix shows), Wednesday is also pizza night. We love pizza, and because life is short, we will eat it.
Since going dairy-free, I have struggled to give up my favorite veggie pie.
It’s not that I am a big cheese fan, but pizza wouldn’t be pizza without a layer of mozzarella on top and some parmesan. You know?
It was not worth the discomfort I would feel. We re-evaluated our weekly pizza routine and decided to make it all at home. One without cheese for John and one with.
There is a homemade, 1-minute alternative to parmesan. Vegan parmesan! Have you tried it yet?
You must if you don’t. It’s so good that you don’t even have to be vegan. You can bet I’m downing a shaker full every two weeks. This stuff is like gold in our house!
A recent discovery made this pizza 10x better.
Sauteed veggies!
Lisa, who had shared with me the brilliant 5-minute microwave hummus recipe idea, used this method to make a pizza recently. It was so good that it blew my mind.
Before, I used raw vegetables that were never fully cooked when the crust was baking. Sautéing the veggies adds another layer of flavor, as I sprinkle on some pizza seasoning and garlic powder, along with sea salt. They are so soft, flavorful, and tasty.
John and I ate a lot of pizza during our four years of marriage. I’ve eaten at least 208, if not more. I want to consider myself an expert. In my opinion, this is the most delicious pizza I have ever eaten. Here are some big claims, but I’m a real expert.
Ingredients
PIZZA
- Half of a Trader Joe’s garlic-herb crust (or the homemade recipe, or the gluten-free recipe).
- Red, green, and orange bell peppers, each 1/2 cup (loosely chopped).
- Red onion, 1/3 cup (chopped).
- 1 cup chopped button mushrooms
- Half a teaspoon each of dried or fresh Oregano and basil powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
SAUCE
- One 15-ounce tomato sauce* (organic if possible).
- Half a teaspoon each of dried or fresh Oregano or basil, garlic powder, and granulated granulated.
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt (to your taste)
Topplings
- 1/2 cup vegan parmesan cheese
- Red pepper flake + dried Oregano
InstructionsPreheatt oven to 425°F (218°C) and place a rack at the center of the oven.
- Heat a large skillet on medium. Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil, peppers, and onion to the pan (amount is as written in the original recipe // adjust for changes in batch size. Add salt and herbs, then stir. Cook until softened and lightly charred, about 10-15 minutes. Add the mushrooms at the end. Set aside.
- Add tomato sauce and seasonings to a bowl. Salt and pepper to taste. Seasonings can be adjusted as necessary. Set aside. Note: Add water to tomato paste to achieve desired consistency.
- If you haven’t done so already, prepare vegan parmesan by blitzing raw nuts, sea salt,t, and nutritional yeast in a processor until they are finely ground. Refrigerate the jar to keep it fresh.
- Roll out the dough on a floured surface, then transfer it to a round baking sheet lined with parchment paper. To crisp up the crust properly, you’ll add the pizza directly into the oven WITHOUT the parchment. Any round object can be used as long as it is not going in the oven.
- Add the desired amount of tomato paste (you will have leftovers that you can store in a jar for future use), sprinkle with parmesan, and sauteed vegetables.
- Slide the pizza gently (WITH parchment underneath) onto the oven rack using the baking sheet. The parchment will prevent the pizza from falling through.
- Bake for 17-20 mins or until golden brown.
- Serve with the remaining parmesan, dried Oregano, and red pepper flake. No need to reheat leftovers! Cold pizza is delicious.