To some, the idea of pizza without cheese is nearly blasphemous. But trust us for a minute! We think you could serve a slice of this plant-based pizza to the most avid cheese-lover ever and they might just agree that the with the right combination of vegetables and seasonings, you really don’t need dairy after all.
There are plenty of vegan cheeses out there, but for this pizza, we forgo cheese of all varieties in favor of richly flavored roasted vegetables, spicy arugula, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Sautéing the vegetables before baking allows you to infuse them with an extra burst of flavor from the oregano, smoked paprika, and pepper. It also ensures that the vegetables won’t end up undercooked.
To make this pizza, you will need:
- 1 premade pizza crust of choice (We find that a cornmeal crust adds a nice, hearty crunch)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup red bell pepper
- ½ cup Vidalia onion
- ½ cup mushrooms of choice
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Pizza sauce of choice
- 2-3 handfuls of arugula
How to Make the Best Ever Roasted Vegetable Pizza
- Begin by preheating your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, and placing a large skillet over a burner turned to medium-high.
- Thinly slice the onion. Once you can feel heat radiating off the bottom of the pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil and toss the onion slices in the oil.
- While the onions cook, roughly chop the red pepper and thinly slice the mushrooms.
- Once the onions are slightly browned, add the red peppers, oregano, and smoked paprika to the pan and cook for approximately 8 minutes. If the peppers and onions char slightly, all the better!
- Mix in the mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes more.
- Place your crust on a cutting board topped with parchment paper. You’ll be sliding the parchment paper onto an oven rack and baking the pizza directly on that, so the cutting board doesn’t need to be ovenproof.
- Spread a thin, even layer of sauce onto the crust. Be cautious of the urge to over-sauce, this will lead to a soggy pizza!
- Next, add the sautéed vegetables, again you want to cover the crust, but not overload it.
- Baking time will vary depending on the crust you chose. For a cornmeal crust, it should take between 10-15 minutes to get crisp and golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and top with a few handfuls of arugula.
You can stop here and have a truly delicious, entirely vegan pizza. What really puts it over the top, though, is adding a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
How to Make Balsamic Glaze
Balsamic glaze is one of those components that can turn any dish from ordinary to extraordinary, and it’s so simple to make! Its perfectly balanced intensity adds just the right note of sweetness and acidity. The deep, glistening color instantly elevates the appearance of anything you drizzle it on top of. Warning: you may become addicted!
To make balsamic glaze, you will need:
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
That’s right, just two ingredients!
- Place the vinegar and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Turn the heat down and let simmer until the mixture has reduced by half. This will take approximately 20 minutes.
- Stir intermittently to make sure the mixture doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
- You’ll know it’s done when it coats the back of the spoon. The consistency should be thick and sticky.
We love to spoon this onto the pizza once we’ve added the arugula, and finish it off with a sprinkling of red pepper flakes.
