Are you craving the flavors of pizza but not sure how to make it vegan? This vegan deep dish pizza makes the best pizza option that's both vegan and filling! Using a homemade pizza sauce and crust, the results are a delicious deep dish pizza you will love!
½mediumonion grated, Grating the onion instead of chopping it helps to make sure there aren't any chunky pieces in the sauce.
2clovesminced garlic
2tablespoontomato paste
1cancrushed tomatoes500 g / 17.6 oz
½teaspoonoregano
½teaspoonbasil
½teaspoonsalt
¼teaspoonsugar
Toppings
vegan cheese slices
grated vegan cheese
spinach
vegan parmesan
Instructions
Mix the Dough
Add all of the dry ingredients to a stand mixer or a large bowl and whisk them together.
Add the warm water and melted butter to the dry ingredients and mix until everything is combined. It's very important that the water and butter are not too warm, so they don't kill the yeast. They should be 120*F-130*F.
Once it has formed a soft dough, knead it just enough to form it into a ball.
Add olive oil to a glass bowl (so that the dough doesn't stick to the bowl) and transfer the dough to it.
Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and place it in a warm place for 1.5 hours.
Make the Sauce
To make the filling, drizzle a generous amount of olive oil into a pan over medium heat.
Add the grated onion and minced garlic to the pan and cook them for several minutes, until they start to release their flavors.
Once the onion and garlic have started to release their flavors, add the tomato paste, spices, and can of tomato sauce.
Cook the sauce on low heat for about 30 minutes, until it has thickened.
Assemble the Pizza
Once the dough has doubled in size, grease the bottom of the springform pan with vegan butter. Place the dough in the springform pan and shape it.
Flatten the bottom to create an even layer, then use your fingers to shape the dough up to the edges of the pan. The edges of the dough should reach almost the top of the pan.
Start layering the toppings. Start with the cheese slices and cover the bottom of the pizza with a layer of cheese slices.
Next, add a generous layer of grated cheese. Then add the spinach. The spinach is optional, but super delicious and a great way to add some greens to the meal.
Finally, top with the sauce and use a spatula to ensure an even layer.
Grate a layer of vegan parmesan on top.
Bake the pizza at 425*F/ 225*C for 25 minutes. Place the pizza on a baking sheet in case anything spills over.
Bake the pizza uncovered for the first 15 minutes, then cover the top of the pizza with a layer of foil so the crust doesn't burn. Cook this way for another 10 minutes.
Once the pizza has baked, let it chill for at least 15 before removing it from the pan.
Top the pizza more parm, and fresh basil, slice, and enjoy!
Notes
Be sure to check the full post for more ingredient tips, variations, storage tips, and more.
Add some fresh basil. Either to your layers or at the end. It's the finishing touch that really adds a splash of flavor.
Don't overstuff your pizza. While I am all for lots of pizza toppings it's not such a great idea when making deep dish pizza. Keep it light so your pizza can cook in plenty of time.
Cook the tomato sauce until it's thick. If it's too watery your crust will not be able to cook well. If you skip the homemade sauce make sure you use a thick pizza sauce for best results.
Use the right cornmeal. Cornmeal is ground-up yellow corn. It's not the same as cornstarch and different from cornflour (what cornstarch is called in the UK).
Bake your pizza on a pan. Just in case things cook over or drip it will make cleanup much easier.