Easy Vegan Broccoli Pesto Pizza

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This vegan broccoli pesto pizza is a fantastic Italian meal: cheesy and garlicky – all the goodness of a pizzeria but made at home. Learn how to make homemade pizza with store-bought dough or your own, plus vegan pesto sauce and mozzarella cheese. You can top this with broccoli or one of many veggie topping ideas listed. And don’t let making fresh yeast-raised dough scare you….use 30-minute yeast for quick results. This makes 4 individual pizzas or 2 larger pizzas.

Ingredient Notes

Pizza dough – I use the same dough as this recipe: How to Make Cheesy Pizza Dough with 00 Flour. It calls for half whole wheat flour and half 00 flour. I have been using white whole wheat flour lately, and either 00 or all-purpose flour. What I notice from the 00 flour is that the dough is easier to work with. I can get it spread out thinner, and it doesn’t snap back.

With 30-minute fast-acting yeast, just let it rise for 30 minutes. With regular yeast, wait a couple of hours until it doubles in size.

If your kitchen isn’t warm, what you can do is turn on the oven just for a minute, then turn it off. Open the door to let out some warm air, and then place your bowl with the dough inside to rise (closing door) with the goal of about 80 – 85 degrees F.

Dough can also rise in an Instant Pot on the yogurt setting. Spray the inside lined with non-stick spray first.

You can also use pre-made pizza dough. I have found some frozen whole wheat ones at grocery stores, too. Just check the package directions for when to begin defrosting them.

Vegan pesto sauce – You can buy a pre-made vegan pesto sauce, or make your own with fresh basil leaves, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and toasted walnuts. I just made some with this lemon basil that’s growing in my indoor hydroponic garden.

Arugula is a great substitute, or you could also use spinach or kale. Or try using sun-dried tomatoes instead! And if you prefer, you could definitely use a pizza sauce, marinara sauce, or crushed tomatoes with spices instead of pesto – or use a little of both.

Vegan mozzarella – I used a brand made with coconut oil. I have also tried pizza with a cashew-based vegan cheese. Both of them taste good and melt well. Now let’s be real – neither one is a health food. They are highly processed, and at least in the case of the coconut oil brand, as I just looked at the label, it actually has more saturated fat than dairy mozzarella cheese. So, to make this pizza healthier, you can experiment with using less cheese -some people enjoy vegan pizzas without any cheese too.

How to Make Vegan Broccoli Pesto Pizza

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. If you’re using a pizza stone, place it in the oven first.

Spray any pans with non-stick spray. Work on parchment paper if using the pizza stone.

Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces for individual pies, or in half for 2 larger pies. A dough scraper works best for this.

Spread each piece of dough out until it is about 1/4″ thin. You can stretch it, push it on the pan, or even use a rolling pin. Spread 2 tablespoons of vegan pesto onto each pizza, getting close to the edge.

Sprinkle ½ cup of vegan mozzarella cheese evenly over each pizza.

Place 1/3 of a cup of broccoli florets around the pizza. Sprinkle each with a little oregano.

Bake the pizzas for about 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Other Toppings

There are lots of great options to change up this vegan broccoli pesto pizza. You may also want to try:

• Quartered artichokes
• Sliced onions
• Sliced bell peppers or roasted red peppers
• Mushrooms (best to saute these first)
• Chopped garlic
• Chopped tomatoes
• Sliced jalapenos
• Chopped pineapple
• Sliced olives
• Fresh spinach, kale, or argula
• Sliced scallions, leeks, or shallots
• Fresh basil leaves (best to add after cooking)

Storage

Cover and store the pizza in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or wrap in foil and freeze for a few months. Then reheat in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 – 15 minutes until it’s hot and melty.

Related Recipes You May Enjoy

• How to Make Cheesy Vegan Pizza
• Butternut Squash Walnut Flatbread
• One Pan Pasta with Chickpeas and Tomatoes

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