Vegan Margherita Pizza with Cashew Mozzarella
Homemade Vegan Margherita Pizza Recipe. 20 Minute Pizza crust, 5 minute Pizza sauce and a creamy cashew mozzarella cheese sauce. Vegan Soy-free Recipe. Gluten-free and nut-free options.
Servings: 8 pieces
Ingredients
Pizza Dough:
- 1 tsp active yeast
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp warm water
- 1 1/4 cup flour , divided, (unbleached all purpose or half of all purpose and half whole wheat pastry flour/spelt)
- 1 tbsp semolina flour or use wheat flour
- 1/3 tsp salt
- 2 tsp olive oil
Pizza Sauce:
- 1/4 cup unsalted tomato paste
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic minced or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp each dried oregano dried basil
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme or rosemary
- 1/8 tsp onion powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- dash of black pepper
Cashew Mozzarella cream:
- 1/2 cup cashews soaked in hot water for 15 mins
- 1 cup water
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp flour , use rice flour or 2 tsp cornstarch for glutenfree
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp miso , use chickpea miso for soy-free, or use 1-2 tsp nutritional yeast
- Fresh basil extra virgim olive oil and pepper flakes for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 435 deg F (225 C). Soak the cashews in hot boiling water if you havent already.
- Pizza Base: Mix the warm water with yeast and 1 tbsp flour. Mix well and let sit for 2 mins.
- Mix the salt and semolina into the rest of the flour. Add the flour and oil to the yeast mixture and mix. Mix till just about combined. Let it sit for a minute.
- Oil your hands and bring the dough together till just about smooth. Use a tsp or so more flour(or water if you used wheat flours), if needed. Don't knead it longer than a few seconds. Cover with a towel and let it sit near the preheating oven for 15 mins.
- Cashew Mozzarella Cream: Drain the cashews. Add to a blender with the rest of the ingredient. Blend until smooth. Add to a skillet over medium heat. Cook to thicken evenly. 4 to 6 mins. Stir occasionally to avoid sticking at the bottom and lumping.
- Prep the pizza sauce: Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Taste and adjust salt and flavor. Add a pinch of sweetener if needed.
- Oil your hands and transfer Pizza dough to a parchment lined baking sheet. Using some flour shape the dough into a flat ball, then spread using your hands. Keep spreading to make a large pizza or make 2 small pizzas (see video). You want to spread the dough thin, as it will rise quite a bit during baking and make a bready crust if it was too thick to begin with.
- Spread the pizza sauce all over. Add some fresh basil and place tomato slices over the basil. Sprinkle a pinch of salt. (you can also add other thinly sliced veggies at this point). Add spoonfuls of the mozzarella cream on the pizza.
- Drizzle a tsp of extra virgin olive oil. Then Bake for 13 to 14 mins. (Broil for a minute if needed), Remove from the oven and add fresh basil and pepper flakes. Slice and serve, See Storage and Freezing instructions in notes.
Video
Notes
Store: You can make the cashew mozzarella ahead and refrigerate for upto 3 days in a closed container. Pizza sauce can also be made ahead and refrigerated for upto 4 days.
Freeze: Freeze the pizza dough with the sauce and tomatoes or veggies if using, and without the cheese. Freeze on a tray, once fully frozen, store in an airtight ziplock with least amount of air around the pizza.
To cook frozen Pizza: Preheat the oven. Add cheese and other toppings on the frozen pizza in the oven and bake for 16 to 17 mins
- Gluten-free: Use my Gluten-free pizza crust options(listed just above recipe), Use rice flour in the cashew cream for thickening.
- Nut-free: Use one of my nut-free alfredo sauce. Thicken the sauce with a few tsps flour if needed and then scoop spoonfuls on the pizza.
Nutrition
Calories: 158kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 371mg | Potassium: 162mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 125IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 2mg