Making pizza from scratch is actually so much fun. While making your own dough may seem intimidating it is so easy. You guys are also going to love my super easy vegan mozzarella recipe. While it is a bit time consuming, once you bite into this pizza you will realize how worth it, it is.
Homemade Pizza Dough
Homemade pizza dough only requires a few ingredients: flour, yeast, salt, olive oil and water. However, different ratios of each ingredient will give you different crusts. Different flours will also result in different crusts. I used regular all purpose flour for this. If you change the flour you may need to change the amount of liquid needed. If you are gluten free you can use gluten free all purpose flour.
How to Make Vegan Mozzarella
The vegan mozzarella is probably one of my proudest creations. It is made from cauliflower, it is gooey, stretchy, salty, creamy and really everything you want a vegan cheese to be! This recipe can be made with any non-dairy milk to fit any allergy needs. You can also try using water; however it may not work as well and won’t be as creamy. Tapioca starch/flour is crucial to this recipe. Without it the recipe will not work, it helps to give the cheese it’s stretchy, gooey texture.
The Sauce
The final component is tomato sauce. My favorite tomato sauce in a jar is from Vincent’s. If you are in the US Rao’s is another great sauce. You can then easily transform your sauce into pizza sauce with a few seasonings. A higher quality tomato sauce is best just to ensure your pizza is full of flavor.
More Homemade Vegan Cheese Recipes
Easiest Pourable Vegan Cheese
Vegan Cheddar
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Sharing direct links to recipes and pictures is highly encouraged, please do not copy and paste my recipes or share my pictures without permission. I work very hard on my blog and don’t want to see my recipes popping up anywhere. Thank you so much.
Homemade Vegan Pizza with Vegan Mozzarella
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 3 cups flour 360g
- 1 packet of yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons/7g)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup warm water
- ½ teaspoon salt
Vegan Cheese
- ½ head of cauliflower (10.5 ounces/300g)
- 3.5 tablespoons tapioca flour
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt add to taste
- ½ cup non-dairy milk unsweetened and no flavor
Pizza Sauce
- ¾ cup tomato sauce
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon parsley
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- Pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
Prep dough
- Warm the water up to 110-115F (43-46C). I usually put it in the microwave for about 30 seconds and that is good. You can use a thermometer to check or I test it with my finger for the temperature of a very hot bath.
- Pour the sugar and yeast packet int the water and set it aside for 10 minutes. The yeast will get foamy and start to smell.
- Sift in ½ the flour and salt into a big bowl. I like to add the flour in halves so I do not add too much. Some days you may need more or less flour.
- Add the olive oil and activated yeast in. Begin to gently mix. Continuously adding in the rest of the flour and mixing. The dough should look somewhat sticky.
- With clean hands and a clean, floured surface begin to knead the dough. You will only knead it for about a minute. If you find the dough is too sticky add a little extra flour. If it seems too dry add a little extra water. Dough should be smooth and soft.
- Form the dough into a ball. Place into an oiled bowl. Cover with a dish towel and set it aside for at least an hour or until it has doubled in size.
Prep Vegan Mozzarella
- While the dough rises, cut the cauliflower into small chunks. Boil on the stove for about 30 minutes or until fork tender.
- Drain the cooked cauliflower and the rest of the cheese ingredients to a high speed blender. Start with ½ cup of non-dairy milk and add more as needed. The less non-dairy milk you can use the better.
- Blend until the mixture is extremely smooth. It should be thin but not complete liquid.
- Heat the mixture on the stove for 5-7 minutes on a medium heat. Continuously mixing while it warms up. This is going to activate the tapioca starch. It takes a few minutes so don’t worry if it doesn’t happen right away.
Prep Sauce
- Season the tomato sauce with the spices.
Bake Pizza
- Preheat your oven to 450F (232C).
- The dough should now be done rising and doubled in size. Punch the air out with your hands.
- You can spread the dough out with your hands or roll it with a rolling pin.
- If using a pizza pan or baking pan add a small amount of olive oil to the bottom.
- Spread the dough into a circle or square. You can make it thick or thin. This was a 12 inch thicker crust pizza in the pictures.
- Sprinkle garlic powder and salt over the crust if you like for extra flavor.
- Bake for 7 minutes to help get the pizza crust cooking. If you use a pizza stone you can skip this.
- Then top with the tomato sauce and cheese. Bake for another 10-15 minutes depending on how crispy you like your pizza. Rotate the pizza halfway through baking so it doesn’t get overcooked. Allow it to cool and cut into pieces.
Video
Notes
- Vegan mozzarella can be frozen or left in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days in a container.
- Vegan mozzarella is best enjoyed fresh.
- Pizza dough will make enough for 1 thick (12-inch) pizza crust or 2 thinner (12-inch) pizza crusts.
SAVE TO PINTEREST
This looks awesome! Do you have to bake or cook the cheese once it’s done thickening, or can you just eat it straight away?
Hi Alex thank you! Once it’s thickened on the stove it’s good to eat. You don’t have to bake it but just helps to make the pizza more cohesive and so there’s not like cheese sauce just sitting on top and not part of it. Either way it’ll be delicious though!
Wonderful, thanks so much, I’m planning to give it a go this week.
yay! let me know how it goes <3
Hi! Really want to make this now but I don’t have tapioca flour 🙁 Will it turn out good if I leave it out?
hi sorry for geting back to you a few days late! tapioca starch is what helps to make it gooey and cheese like. if you leave it out it will be too thin and more like a sauce
How many grams in “packet of yeast” xo
7 grams 🙂
Allergic to nooch, nutritional yeast, will the cheese still be worth it if I omit it?
I think so. It will still be creamy and salty!
Sounds great can’t wait to try !
I want to make this in advance can I? And does it freeze well?
hi Danielle! Sorry for getting back to you a little late I have never tried making it in advance and freezing it. It really is best fresh but let me know how it goes if you try!
Hi, can a gluten free flour be used? Or almond meal? Thank you
gluten free all purpose would be your best bet! 🙂
I did a bad job of following the instructions, it was almost a disaster, and it still tasted DELICIOUS. I lost count of how much flour I added and likely added way too much because my dough was pretty stiff. I couldn’t give up and throw it away, so I figured I’d wait a half hour and see if it rises. I could only find tapioca granules at the store, and my husband tried to help me grind it into more of flour consistency with a pestle & mortar. It took wayyy too long, so we gave up on that and I just used the granules. The pizza crust didn’t brown like your photos, and the cheese thickened a little but not like I thought it would. And you know, it was a delicious pizza. I watched your video and next time I’ll follow along better!
Hi Aurora, haha well I am glad even though it was a bit of process it did still come out delicious! Thank you for trying it xo
do you think it would be possible to freeze the cheese sauce and then shred it?
I have honestly never tried that. If you do let me know if it works! I don’t really see why not though!
Cauliflower are not consistent in size. I currently have frozen cooked cauliflower in my freezer that I would like to use for this and have no idea is its too much, too little or just enough…. Can you provide how much cauliflower in cups?
well I did indicate the grams because that is a more accurate amount than cups but it would be around 4 cups of cauliflower 🙂
Wow! That was fast! Thank you so much! I did notice after I sent the comment that the weight was there but you were so fast at responding (2 minutes) I didn’t get a chance to get back to you. Again thank you so much. I am going to try this recipe very soon. Looking forward to it.
no problem! hope you enjoy it 🙂
What brand of Nutritional Yeast did you use?
either Braggs or Trader Joe’s
Hi, I am allergic to cauliflower. Any suggesetions for substiutes?
you can use cashews 🙂
Hello, im so excited to bake my very first pizza! I was wondering if I can use Spelt flour for the dough? and do you think this vegan cheese would work well with baked pasta?
Hi Leen. The vegan cheese is great for a baked pasta! it works anywhere grilled cheeses, quesadillas, baked pasta, enchiladas. I have never made it with spelt flour but it should work. I do think spelt flour is substituted as half the amount for all purpose flour so you may have to play around with it a bit
Would arrowroot work, in place of tapioca flour?
Hi Sarah unfortunately it will not. Tapioca starch is what really gives it the gooey, cheese like nature
Do you have the Nutrional Info for this recipe?
I don’t sorry but there are plenty of websites you can punch the ingredients into online!
i substituted the tapioca flour for corn starch, and i cut the recipes amount in half. corn starch still has a strong thickening capacity just as tapioca. it was still just as good! so using corn starch is possible for everyone who doesnt have tapioca flour in their pantry!
Hi Ang glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the feedback about the cornstarch it is definitely something that can work. However, the tapioca flour does just have a completely different consistency and is what makes it gooey and stretchy! But glad you still enjoyed it with the cornstarch 🙂
what kind of non-dairy milk did you use? I have coconut milk but it’s much creamier than almond milk, so wondering if it makes a difference.
I prefer almond or cashew for this. If you use coconut just bear in mind it may have a slight coconut taste but you can definitely use it
Going to give this a go today. Would cornstarch work in place of tapioca starch?
Hi Jessica, unfortunately no the tapioca starch is the most essential part of this recipe as it is what is going to give the “cheese” its gooey and stretchiness. If you use cornstarch it will just be some sort of a thick sauce not resulting in the same end goal!
Hey there ☺️ Great recipe! 👌 I love the taste of the cheese and when it cools it thickens and you can even cut it. But it didn’t melt when I put it in the pizza. Did I put too much starch? It looks so creamy on your picture, where did I go wrong? Greetings, Claudia
I am glad you liked it Claudia! hmm yes it sounds like you may have put in too much starch because i have never really been able to cut it.. it should be a thicker sauce and almost resemble like the inside of a mozzarella stick if that makes sense. If you watch the video (I don’t know if you did or not) you can see the consistency of it and what it should be like when pouring and spreading it over the pizza.
I’m trying this today! Super stoked! Will report back.
hope you enjoyed it! 🙂
About how long does this recipe take you from the very start to on the table? Just wondering what time I should start.
Hi Kat sorry just getting to this comment now but it takes about 2-3 hours from start to finish since you have to let the dough rise
Can I freeze the dough and make the pizza a different day? I made 2 doughs thinking one wouldn’t be enough but it definitely is and I don’t want to waste the other dough. I have already let it rise. 😕
again sorry just seeing this now but yes you can freeze it just make sure it is sealed or wrapped tightly 🙂
What a good recipe, I really like pizza and I have to try to make this.
Thanks for sharing.
Greetings.
thank you so much!
can frozen cauliflower be used?
I haven’t tried with it so I can’t say for certain but should be alright
Have made this cauliflower cheese multiple times and LOVED IT. Would love to see other recipes with it… have you ever made quesadillas or even to top of lasagna rolls/stuffed shells with it? Please create more recipes with it 🙂
Hi Maria! I am so glad you enjoyed it!! I use it in a lot of recipes in my cookbook Plantiful! https://amzn.to/4cQ0yCd *affiliate link. In lasagna, mozzarella in carrozza, and more!