Vegan Margherita
Created in Australia, this Vegan Margherita pizza is a scrummy vegan pizza that’s easy to make.
Pizza in Australia
Did you know? Pizza is Australia’s favourite takeaway food by far. 34% of Australians say it’s their preferred choice. The next most popular takeaway is Chinese at 15%.
Take a look at some of the other pizzas from Australia here.
| Origin | Australia |
| Type | Vegan |
| Sauce | Tomato Sauce |
Vegan Margherita Pizza Recipe
Below we’ve put together a recipe for you to make your own homemade Vegan Margherita Pizza from either a woodfired oven or on a pizza stone in your oven.
| Dough | 2 hours |
| Assembly | 10 minutes |
| Baking | 12-20 minutes |
Vegan Margherita Pizza Ingredients
Ensure you have enough pizza toppings for the amount of pizzas you plan to make. The dough and sauce are designed for 3-4 medium sized pizzas, so scale up or down, based on your requirements.
Simple Pizza dough
- 250 ml (1 cup) lukewarm water
- 2 2/3 cups (400 grams) 00 fine flour
- 7 grams (2 tsps) dried yeast
- 1/4 cup (3 tbsp) olive oil
- 2 tsps salt
Vegan Margherita Pizza Toppings
Toppings used in this pizza recipe, are;
- Cashew Ricotta
- Basil
Tomato Pizza Sauce
- 1 can (15oz/420g) crushed or diced tomatoes
- 1 small can (6oz/170g) tomato paste
- Two garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp dried Italian herbs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 small brown onion
Want to try a different sauce? See our article on the different types of pizza sauces.
TIP
You can click on any of the tags at the bottom of this page, to find other pizzas besides Vegan Margherita Pizza, that use that topping.
Pizza Dough Method
You purchase a premade pizza base at your local store, or if you have time, make your own homemade dough following the simple steps below.
- Whisk the lukewarm water and yeast in a plastic or glass jug. Let the mixture stand for approx. five minutes.
- Add salt and flour in a large bowl. Create a hollow well in the middle and gently pour the liquid yeast mixture and oil.
- Using dough mixer or hands, gently mix dough until smooth. Place pizza dough on a lightly floured work surface and then knead by hand for five minutes.
- Lightly oil a bowl, and place mixture in and cover with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place to rise until the dough doubles in size.
- Pour dough mix out onto a clean, floured surface. Now hand knead gently for another five minutes.
- Sprinkle a little flour on the bench before rolling to prevent dough from sticking.
- Divide dough mixture into equal sized balls. Hand stretch or roll out the bases to the expected size.
TIP: We have other dough recipes if you would like to try your hand at sourdough, poolish or more.
Tomato Pizza Sauce Method
You can make this tasty pizza sauce following the simple steps below, or you can purchase a pizza sauce at your local supermarket.
- Blend all sauce ingredients in a large bowl.
- Ensure all ingredients are mixed together well.
- Keep mixture sitting for five minutes.
- Your sauce is now ready to add to your pizza bases.
- Sauce will last up to 3 days in fridge.
If your sauce is too thick, add a splash of olive oil or water to get the right consistency.
Preparing Vegan Margherita Pizza
Preheat your oven to roughly 500 degrees.
Roll out the dough to either slightly smaller than your pizza stone or tray.
Alternatively, if you have a pizza peel, roll out to be smaller than that.
You start by spreading the sauce around. This pizza calls for Tomato Sauce. Spread the Tomato Sauce evenly using the back of a large spoon or ladle.
Then start adding the largest ingredients, then work your way down. The last is any cheese topping, such as Mozzarella, which you should evenly cover the other toppings with, and then finally any herbs.
Toppings to put on this pizza are;
- Cashew Ricotta
- Basil
This pizza is great tasting as is, or you could try it with other pizza types?
Baking time
Put the Vegan Margherita pizza in the middle of your oven (on a stone if you have one) and set timer for 10 minutes.
After roughly 10 minutes, check on the pizza.
Pizza should be ready within 15 minutes. However, allow it to cook to personal taste.
About Basil
Native to tropical regions, Basil is mostly grown as a herb to add to dishes. The Leaves can be used either dried or fresh on salads, pasta, meats, fish and, of course, pizza.
Basil works best alongside toppings such as cheeses, Tomatoes, lemon, garlic and Olives. Weird fact: ancient Roman gardeners thought that Basil would grow larger, if you yelled and cursed at the plant.
Pizza Tools
When making Vegan Margherita Pizza, it’s always handy to have the right pizza making tools. Here’s what items I always recommend…
Rolling Pin
Yes, I know, many people swear by hand stretching, however there’s times in all our lives where we need a good wooden roller.
Pizza Peel
Sometimes called a paddle or shovel, a pizza peel is a vital tool for those who make pizza regularly.
Bench Scrapers
Good quality metal or plastic bench scrapers make it so much esier to both cut your dough, and scrape your bench. I prefer plastic to avoid scratching my bench.
Cashew Ricotta
Cashew Ricotta is a delicious, vegan-friendly alternative to traditional ricotta cheese. Not only does it have the same creamy texture and flavor of classic ricotta, but it is also dairy-free and full of healthy fats.
Cashew ricotta can be used in a variety of recipes, including pizza toppings! With its subtle nutty taste and smooth texture, this vegan cheese makes for an amazing topping that goes great with any combination of veggies or meats.
Pizza Trivia
Here are some interesting facts about pizza.
Hawaiian pizza isn’t from Hawaii
A retired cook, Sam Panopoulos, added pineapple to a pizza and served the iconic pizza variation at the Satellite Restaurant in Ontario, Canada.
Ah, a museum
There is a Pizza museum in Philadelphia called Pizza Brain. It contains one of the world’s largest collections of pizza themed memorabilia. Oh and you can buy and eat pizza there too.
Daily diet
In 2014, a gentleman from Maryland, Dan Janssen, gained a minor level of fame for having eaten pizza at least once every day for 25 years.
Pizza making FAQ
Below we’ve compiled the most common pizza making questions and provided expert answers. Are you looking for how to make awesome pizza at home? Please read on!
Should I get a pizza stone when making homemade pizza?
If you can afford it, yes. A pizza baking stone gives you the best chance to make restaurant quality pizzas at home. A pizza stone creates the hottest-possible environment in a home oven, which results in crusts that rise perfectly around the edges and brown just right on the top and bottom. The only thing better is your own wood fired pizza oven.
When making pizza dough should I spray the pan?
It is important that you ensure your dough doesn’t stick to any bowls or pans that you use. I prefer to gently wipe olive oil across the surface using a paper towel, however spray olive oil used in moderation works just as well for this purpose.
Can I substitute parmesan for mozzarella in making pizza?
Of course! Actually I like to add a little parmesan to all my mozzarella, to give it a tangier taste. It is absolutely a personal choice how much of each cheese or what cheeses to use at all. That’s the fun of homemade pizza making – not having to eat whatever the pizza shop uses.
Have you made Vegan Margherita Pizza?
Let us know what you think of Vegan Margherita Pizza! Tag us on our Pinterest, Facebook or Twitter and let us know what you thought of it! I’d love to know.
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