How to make vegetable pizza | best veggie pizza recipe

This is a tried and tested vegetarian pizza recipe and if everything is followed correctly, you will be able to make great pizzas with a choice of your toppings for your family and friends. the vegetarian pizza beat all the pizzas i had in indian metros like the dominos pizza, smokin joes and even pizza hut.
there was a time when i used to make pizzas at home with ready made pizza breads. but after making breads at home and finding out they are far far better than the outside ones, i make even the pizza base at home now.

this recipe of homemade vegetable pizza is a pizza recipe made from scratch. except the cheese, no ready made sauces or pizza bread bases are used. this is a basic veg pizza. i have used onion and capsicum as the only veggies. you can use your own assorted veggies for the pizza.
for the flavorings of the sauce i have used dried oregano and basil. however you can use fresh oregano and basil too. i have made many pizza sauces right from my teen years. but this was the best sauce i have made. it has become a personal favorite.
the pizza bread is made from maida (all purpose flour). wheat flour can be used too. but wheat flour will make the pizza bread base a little dense.

vegetable pizza recipe below:

veg pizza recipe
Prep Time
2 hr 20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
2 hr 40 mins

Cuisine: Italian
Servings: medium sized pizzas or 2 large pizzas
Author: dassana amit
Ingredients (1 cup = 250 ml)
for the pizza bread base:
• 3 cups all purpose flour (maida)
• 1 cup warm water or add as required
• 2 teaspoons dry active yeast
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt or add as required
• some olive oil for brushing
• all purpose flour (maida) or cornmeal (makki ka atta) or semolina for sprinkling
for the tomato sauce:
• 4 to 5 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2 to 3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine, optional
• 2 teaspoon dried basil or 2 tablespoons fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tablespoon fresh oregano
• freshly crushed or ground black pepper, as required
• salt as required
toppings for 2 medium sized pizzas:
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 capsicum (bell pepper), sliced
• 1 tomato, chopped or sliced, optional
• 8-9 pitted green olives, sliced, optional
• 8-9 pitted black olives, sliced, optional
• grated mozarella cheese or pizza cheese, as required
• fresh or dried herbs, as required
How to make recipe
making the pizza bread:

sprinkle sugar in warm water.
add yeast. stir and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 10-15 mins till it becomes frothy,
in a bowl add one cup flour, salt, olive oil and the frothy yeast mixture.
stir. add another cup of flour.
stir again. the mixture become sticky.
add the last cup of flour and continue to stir.
knead the dough into a smooth, springy ball.
apply some olive oil all over the dough.
cover loosely and keep in a large bowl at room temperature for 1.5 to 2 hours.
the dough will double up and nicely leaven.
making the tomato basil pizza sauce:
blanch the tomatoes and the chop them.
heat oil. fry the chopped garlic,
add the tomatoes and wine.
let them cook uncovered for 4-5 minutes.
add the herbs, salt and pepper.
mix well. cook further for 3-4 minutes.
assembling the veg pizza
flatten the dough to a disk.
on a floured surface roll the dough.
place the dough onto a greased and dusted pan.
brush some olive oil on the pizza base.
spread the tomato sauce on the pizza.
top with the veggies.
spread the grated cheese.
bake the veg pizza in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes at 200 degrees C.
serve veg pizza hot.
Recipe Notes
few tips for veg pizza recipe:
the pizza dough can also be made in a food processor or electric mixer.
if the dough becomes sticky add some flour and vice versa. if the dough is not soft and a bit dry, then add some warm water.
i even made a thin crust pizza with this dough and it was excellent.
you can saute the veggies lightly in olive oil if you want.
the leftover pizza sauce can be refrigerated.
leftover pizza dough can be refrigerated or freezed. if freezed, it stays well for a month.

this is a step by step vegetable pizza recipe
i have divided the format into 3 parts viz:
1: making the pizza bread,
2: making the pizza sauce and
3: assembling the pizza.

homemade italian vegetable pizza recipe from scratch.
making the vegetarian pizza base:
1: dissolve the sugar in warm water and add dry active yeast to it.

3: when the yeast is getting doubled up, take a cup of flour with salt in a bowl. mix well. add olive oil.

4: after 10-15 minutes the yeast will bubble and you will see a good frothy layer on top.

5: now add the frothy yeast mixture to the flour. with a whisk or wooden spoon stir the mixture.

6: add another cup of flour and keep on stirring.

7: the mixture will become sticky.

8: add the last cup of flour and continue to stir.

9: the dough will leave the sides of the bowl but still will be a bit sticky.

10: its time now to knead the dough with the hand. knead the dough to a smooth dough. dust with flour to prevent sticking. the dough will be soft and elastic. apply some olive oil to the dough all around.

11: keep the dough in deep large bowl and cover loosely with a kitchen napkin or towel for 1.5 to 2 hours.

12: after 2 hours the dough has beautifully risen and doubled up to what you see below.

13: i had planned to make the pizza the next day, so i wrapped the dough tightly in a cling film and kept in the fridge. if you plan to make the pizza right away then flatten the dough to a disk. then start rolling the dough.

14: the next morning i removed the pizza dough from the fridge and if you compare the two pics, the dough was getting leavened even in the fridge.

15: i defrosted pizza dough at room temperature for about 45 minutes before i started assembling and rolling pizza.

making the tomato pizza sauce:
1: chop the tomatoes directly or blanch them and then chop the tomatoes. i chose the second method of blanching, as then less cooking is involved when making the sauce. instead of chopping you can also puree the tomatoes.

2: in a pan heat olive oil and add chopped garlic to it. fry the garlic for a minute.

3: now add the chopped blanched tomatoes. stir and let the tomatoes cook for 5 minutes more.

4: when the tomatoes are getting simmered, slice the onion, capsicum and olives.

5: instead of sauteing the veggies lightly i marinated them for 15 minutes with olive oil, basil and oregano.

6: the tomatoes are softened now. add the herbs, salt, crushed black pepper.

7: mix well and cook for a few more minutes.

the pizza sauce is ready.

assembling the vegetarian pizza:

1: preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. grease the baking pan with olive oil & then dust it with maize flour (corn meal), semolina or flour.

2: take a large ball from the dough. i made three medium sized pizzas from this dough. you can use the whole dough to make an extra large pizza or even make two large pizzas.

3: flatten the dough into a disk. now on a floured surface with a rolling pin roll the dough ball into a large round or oval shape of about 1/4 inch thickness. roll the dough from the center towards the outer edges. you may have to dust the surface with flour. the dough is extremely elastic. so be careful while rolling the dough.

4: place the pizza base in the baking pan. be careful as the dough has so much elasticity, it just stretches more when you place it. do this work of placing very gently. brush the surface with olive oil.