Sometimes I’m just tired and don’t feel like cooking. On those days at my house, we are very likely to make this gluten-free vegan pizza recipe. It is so easy to prepare and can be ready in minutes.
We love this veggie pizza because it’s…
- Simple to make
- Super healthy
- Wholesome & fresh
- Veggie-loaded
- Perfect for a quick dinner
- Ready in minutes
- Amazingly delicious
Can pizza be made healthy?
It shocks some people to hear that we eat pizza because they know we try to stay healthy.
I think so many feel that pizza is not healthy food, and that’s true when it is layered with pepperoni and sausage and dripping with greasy cheese.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. It is possible to make vegan pizza fast, easy, and healthy.
This is a quick lesson on how to be ready to do a pizza-face-plant on those exhausting long days. Get ready, set, GO!
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RECIPE CARD BELOW
Dairy-free & gluten-free pizza crusts
Sami’s Bakery pizza crusts are excellent! Even Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, the author of Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, recommends them. My local health food store happens to carry these millet and flax pizza crusts, and they can also be ordered online.
I receive no advertising money from them. I just like their products.
Usually, I keep two of these millet and flax crusts in my freezer at all times. That makes pizza night at my house a no-brainer. Simply pull out a premade crust and create a specialty pizza.
To make your own pizza crust, Will, with Potato Strong has a homemade Pizza Crust recipe that works great.
Healthy oil-free marinara
Believe it or not, Aldi discount grocery store has a marinara brand that is Dr. John McDougall compliant, with no oil. It’s called Simply Nature and is organic. Here in North Carolina, it sells for about $2 for 25 oz.
Make sure to read the labels, because some variations do contain oil or animal products. Some Aldi stores carry different products, so do a quick check of the ingredient list.
Tomato Basil is excellent to use with this gluten-free vegan pizza. I use half of the jar for one large pizza. That’s what I use when I’m in a hurry and want to keep it simple.
Another great oil-free marinara is the DeLallo Fat-Free Brand. It can be ordered on Amazon and delivered straight to your door. I actually love this particular brand.
If you would rather, you can make your own marinara. Check out Will, from Potato Strong’s Marina Sauce.
Veggie pizza toppings
So here’s the fun part! What toppings are you going to put on that veggie pizza? There are just SO MANY options to choose from!
- tomatoes
- artichoke hearts
- olives (green & black)
- onions
- garlic
- spinach, kale, or other greens
- broccoli
- carrots
- bell peppers (red, green, orange, yellow)
- mushrooms
- zucchini
- pineapple
- basil and other herbs & spices
- homemade vegan cheeses (see recipe links below)
- endless other options!
Add your favorite chopped veggies. My favorite veggie pizza toppings are mushrooms, onions, spinach, red bell peppers, tomatoes, and sometimes olives.
My husband has a new favorite of pineapple and homemade cashew cheese. It’s something that I tried recently, and he absolutely loved it. You can use fresh or canned pineapple, but if you buy canned, make sure it’s packed in its own juice and not syrup.
If you’re in a big hurry, you can always purchase pre-chopped veggies at your local grocery store to speed the process up even more.
Vegan cheese options for veggie pizza
Though cheese is always optional, and some folks prefer their veggie pizza with extra marinara and no cheese, we love to have a little homemade vegan cheese drizzled or shredded over our pizza.
I have a couple of different vegan cheese recipe options for pizza that I’m really excited about.
Creamy Vegan Cheese Sauce
My vegan Creamy Cheese Sauce is excellent drizzled over pizza. It’s also great on baked potatoes, nachos, lasagna, and so many more dishes.
Incredibly some of the ingredients used to make this amazing cheese sauce are…
- potatoes
- onions
- carrots
- cashews (and or white beans)
- nutritional yeast flakes
- lemon juice
- spices
Vegan Mozzarella Cashew Cheese
Cashew cheese is another terrific option! Cashew Vegan Mozzarella Cheese is deliciously stretchy and gooey on pizza, French onion soup, and so many other recipes. It’s the perfect dairy-free cheese recipe that also happens to be gluten-free.
There is an option to use raw cashews or white beans for the base.
Personally, I love the cashew version because the flavor is out of this world. However, I understand completely that some folks have nut allergies or heart disease and are staying away from nuts.
Thankfully, white beans do a good job of substituting in this cashew cheese recipe. Just keep in mind that the outcome will taste a bit different.
Can you freeze cashew cheese?
Absolutely, and I actually highly recommend freezing this cashew cheese. Once it’s frozen, it can be grated to use as shreds which are terrific on pizza and salads.
I simply pour it into a glass dish and cover it well then place in a freezer bag. When it’s frozen solid, remove from the freezer and grate into shreds.
If you like parmesan cheese, I have a terrific easy recipe for you to try out.
Making homemade vegan parmesan cheese is surprisingly easy and only requires a handful of ingredients. It keeps for months, so you’ll have it available to sprinkle on any and everything.
While the pizza is baking, I will usually make quick salads and pop in a movie.
Get ready for an evening of relaxation and family time with a delicious vegan pizza. It doesn’t get much better than that!
*Originally published March 18, 2015.
Other quick and easy healthy meal options
- Yes-You-Can Black Bean Chili
- Lentil Pasta Dinner in 10-Minutes
- 10-Simple & Healthy Plant-Based Recipes in 20 Minutes or Less
My English Muffin Mini Veggie Pizzas are a perfect option for picky eaters and kids, because everyone can choose their own personal veggie topping favorites.
Gluten-Free Vegan Pizza
My family absolutely loves pizza, and I love the fact that it can be made healthy and in minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 Sami's Bakery pizza crust, (premade, no-oil crust) Link below.
- 12 oz marinara sauce
- veggies of your choice, mushrooms, onions, spinach, peppers, olives
- non-dairy cheese, (my vegan cheese sauce) Link below.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Place pre-made pizza crust on a baking sheet, or make your own crust. Sami's Bakery pizza crusts are excellent! Even Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn recommends them. My local health food store carries them, and they can be ordered online as well. (I receive no advertising money from them. I just like their products). If you would like to make your own, there's a link in the article above.
- Top the crust with oil-free marinara sauce. Great options for this are mentioned above.
- Add your favorite chopped veggies. List of veggie topping options included above. If you're in a big hurry, you can always purchase pre-chopped veggies.
- Lastly, add non-dairy cheese. I have an awesome cheese sauce that we keep on hand for pizza, steamed broccoli, baked potatoes, or tacos. I also have a new Mozzarella Cheese.
- Bake in oven approximately 20 minutes and serve hot. Delish!
Notes
Detailed instructions, in-process photos, and my personal helpful tips can be found in the article above.
Recommended Products
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8Amount Per Serving: Calories: 228Total Fat: 2.3gCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 8gProtein: 9g
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
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