Simple vegetarian pizza dough is one of those recipes every home cook should own — just warm water, active dry yeast, a touch of brown sugar, olive oil, and unbleached flour. It needs about 50 minutes, most of it rising, and makes two doughs, so you can bake one tonight and freeze the second. Once you've felt real dough stretch under your hands, store-bought loses its appeal.
Ready to elevate your pizza night? Forget takeout! There’s nothing quite like the aroma and taste of a freshly baked pizza, and it all starts with the perfect crust. This simple, reliable recipe will give you a wonderfully crisp and chewy base, ready for all your favorite vegetarian toppings. Whether you’re craving a classic Pesto Pizza, a zesty Tapenade Pizza, or a loaded Veggie Pepperoni, this is the only dough recipe you’ll ever need. Let’s get baking!
Ingredients
• Makes 2 thin 12-inch / 30 cm crusts
• 2 tablespoons / 30 mL (1 fl oz) soy milk or hemp seed milk (optional)
• 1 tablespoon / 15 mL (0.5 fl oz) olive oil
• 1 teaspoon / 5 mL (0.2 fl oz) brown sugar or other sweetener
• 1 cup / 250 mL warm water, about 100°F / 38°C
• 1 package / 1 tablespoon / 15 mL (0.5 fl oz) dry active yeast
• 2 3/4 cups / 685 mL unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon / 5 mL (0.2 fl oz) salt
• Additional flour, for kneading
• Additional olive oil, for the bowl
Instructions
1. First, activate the yeast. Warm a large glass or ceramic bowl by running it under hot water for a minute. Add the optional soy milk, olive oil, sugar, and warm water to the bowl and stir. Sprinkle the yeast over the top.
2. Let the yeast bloom. Place the bowl in a sink filled with about an inch of warm water (around 100°F / 38°C). Let it sit for 10 minutes, or until the yeast mixture is foamy and has expanded.
3. Form the dough. Slowly stir 1 cup / 250 mL of the flour into the yeast mixture until it has a porridge-like consistency. Stir in the salt. Gradually add the remaining flour, mixing until a shaggy ball of dough forms.
4. Knead the dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic.
5. Let the dough rise. Form the dough into a ball. Lightly oil the bottom of your bowl and the surface of the dough ball. Return the dough to the bowl and cover it with a clean cloth. Place the bowl back in the sink of fresh warm water and let it rise for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
6. Your dough is now ready! Proceed with your favorite pizza recipe.
Nutritional Information
• Per 1/6 recipe
• Calories: 247
• Protein: 7 g
• Fat: 3 g
• Carbohydrate: 47 g
• Dietary Fibre: 2 g (0.07 oz)
• Sodium: 396 mg
• Iron: 3 mg
• Percentage of calories: 11% from protein, 11% from fat, 78% from carbohydrate
Pro Tips
• for Perfect Pizza Dough
• Use a glass or ceramic bowl. These materials retain heat better than metal, creating a cozy environment for the yeast to thrive.
• If you don’t have a thermometer, test the water on your wrist. It should feel just slightly warm, not hot. Water that is too hot will kill the yeast.
• Adding a small amount of plant-based milk and sugar isn’t just for flavor; it provides food for the yeast, resulting in a faster, more vigorous rise.
• When kneading, use as little extra flour as possible. Adding too much flour can result in a tough, dry crust.
FAQ
Q: Is this pizza dough recipe vegan
A: Yes, this recipe is 100% vegan as written. It uses plant-based milk like soy or hemp seed milk and contains no animal products, making it a perfect base for your favorite plant-based pizza toppings.
Q: Do I need to use the plant-based milk and sugar
A: While the soy milk and sugar are listed as optional, they are recommended. They provide food for the yeast, which helps it activate more vigorously and results in a faster rise for a better crust.
Q: What vegetarian toppings work best with this crust
A: This simple, reliable crust is designed to be a wonderfully crisp and chewy base for all your favorite vegetarian toppings. The recipe suggests trying a classic Pesto Pizza, a zesty Tapenade Pizza, or a loaded pizza with Veggie Pepperoni.
Q: Can I make this pizza dough with whole wheat flour
A: This recipe is optimized for unbleached all-purpose flour to create its signature crisp and chewy texture. Using other flours like whole wheat would alter the dough’s consistency and may require adjusting the amount of water. For the intended result, all-purpose flour is recommended.
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Simple Vegetarian Pizza Dough
Ingredients
Method
- First, activate the yeast.
- Warm a large glass or ceramic bowl by running it under hot water for a minute.
- Add the optional soy milk, olive oil, sugar, and warm water to the bowl and stir.
- Sprinkle the yeast over the top.
- Let the yeast bloom.
- Place the bowl in a sink filled with about an inch of warm water (around 100°F / 38°C).
- Let it sit for 10 minutes, or until the yeast mixture is foamy and has expanded.
- Form the dough. Slowly stir 1 cup / 250 mL of the flour into the yeast mixture until it has a porridge-like consistency.
- Stir in the salt. Gradually add the remaining flour, mixing until a shaggy ball of dough forms.
- Knead the dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- Let the dough rise.
- Form the dough into a ball. Lightly oil the bottom of your bowl and the surface of the dough ball. Return the dough to the bowl and cover it with a clean cloth.
- Place the bowl back in the sink of fresh warm water and let it rise for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- Your dough is now ready! Proceed with your favorite pizza recipe.
- Adding a small amount of plant-based milk and sugar isn't just for flavor; it provides food for the yeast, resulting in a faster, more vigorous rise.
- When kneading, use as little extra flour as possible.
- Adding too much flour can result in a tough, dry crust.
