Vegan Deep Dish Pizza Recipe (2024)

4.67 from 3 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 1 hour hour

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Author: Marly McMillen

Pizza Crust:

• ▢ 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ ½ cup cornmeal
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 1 packet (or instant yeast)
• ▢ 1 ¼ cups warm water
• ▢ ¼ cup vegan butter melted
• ▢ ¼ cup vegan butter softened
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil (for coating bowl and pans)

Pizza Tomato Sauce

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 cup onion chopped
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic
• ▢ 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• ▢ ½ teaspoon sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt

Toppings:

• ▢ ¼ cup vegan Parmesan Cheese plus additional for topping
• ▢ 3 cups vegan mozzarella shreds I used Follow Your Heart’s new mozzarella, shredded
• ▢ 24 slices vegan pepperoni (see note)
• ▢ Additional Toppings: vegan sausage, sliced bell peppers, sliced mushrooms, and black olives.

Pizza Dough

• Combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix on low speed until combined.

• Pour the water in a pyrex measuring bowl and heat in the microwave for about 15 seconds. You should be able to dip your finger in the bowl and not feel it's either too hot or too cold. Pour this along with the melted vegan butter in with the flour. Mix on low for 1 to 2 minutes, until it's combined.

• Knead the dough for 5 minutes by increasing the speed to medium until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. Add a tablespoon more flour if it's too sticky.

• Add the dough ball to a large bowl covered with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a dampened kitchen towel and place in a warm, dry place until doubled in size, about one hour. See post tips for ideas on where to raise the dough.

Laminate The Dough

• Once the dough has raised, roll it out into a rectangle, roughly 15 x 12 inches in size. Spread the softened vegan butter across the top of the dough. Beginning at the short end, roll the dough, creating a cylinder.

• Place the seem-side down and form an 18 x 4-inch rectangle. Cut it in half. Fold the dough into thirds and pinch the seems and form into a bowl. Repeat with the other half. Return both dough balls to the oiled bowl, cover, and set aside to rise for 45 minutes to an hour, until doubled in size.

Tomato Sauce

• Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

• Stir in the tomatoes, sugar, oregano, and salt. Simmer for 20 minutes, until the contents is reduced until reduced to 2 ½ cups.

Assemble and Bake the Pizza

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Oil two 9-inch cake pans with vegetable oil.

• Place one of the dough balls on a lightly floured surface and roll it out until it's roughly a 12 to 13-inch circle. Place it in the prepared pan, pressing the dough into the pan and up the sides. Repeat with the other dough ball.

• Top each with 2 cups of vegan. mozzarella shreds, and a little more than 1 cup of the sauce. Distribute additional toppings here, like vegan pepperoni. Then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of vegan parmesan.

• Place the pizzas on a baking sheet (to prevent spills) and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. The edges of the crust should be golden brown.

• Place any leftover pizza slices in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Slices can be frozen in freezer-safe containers. To serve, allow to come to room temperature, then reheat in a toaster oven or in the oven heated to 300°F for 10 to 15 minutes.

Inspired by: Uno’s Chicago Grill Pizza

Buy store-bought vegan pepperoni or make your own homemade vegan pepperoni.