A whole wheat, oil free, vegan pizza dough recipe that will have you eating delicious homemade pizza in just 30 minutes.
I have been working on a pizza dough recipe to share with you all for weeks now. Every recipe I can find seems to call for oil in the dough, or uses white flour or cheese. I really wanted to come up with a soft, doughy crust that was not only whole wheat but also oil-free and easy to make. FINALLY, I am so happy with this pizza dough I feel ready to share it!
I don’t know about you, but Friday Pizza Night is kind of a big deal at our house. It started with Trader Joes’ prepared pizza dough, which is pretty tasty but there isn’t a whole grain option. We’ve used pita bread for a super quick and easy option which isn’t too bad, but there is nothing like homemade pizza dough.
My kids prefer super small chopped mushrooms, tomatoes and spinach on their pizza, while my husband and I like all sorts of veggies, sometimes tempeh sausage and a tiny sprinkle of daiya cheese. You really don’t need loads of cheese and meat to make a great pizza. I LOVE this vegan pizza, seriously. It’s just as delicious, maybe more so. Bonus: it won’t leave you feeling terrible like normal pizza! At least I always felt pretty awful after eating SAD (Standard American Diet) pizza.
This pizza dough recipe is crazy easy! Let the yeast mix with the warm water for a few minutes, add the other ingredients, mix, knead for 5 minutes, roll out into 2 pizzas, place on a rack, top with sauce, veggies, tempeh sausage, non-dairy cheese if you like and bake for 8 minutes. Voila! Homemade plant-based pizza you don’t have to feel bad about!
This pizza turns out just the way I like it. It is soft and chewy in the middle and has a bit of crisp on the bottom and edges, depending on how long you cook it. I love soft, chewy pizza so I only cooked it for 8 minutes. That was just right for me.
If you’ve been scared of making your own pizza dough in the past, have no fear! The most difficult part of this dough is the kneading, which is really quite easy and simple. Here’s a video I find really helpful: How to Knead. To make this even easier, I recommend a Kitchen Aide Stand Mixer. If you make homemade pizza dough or bread often this is a lifesaver! It does all the kneading for you.
Now you can feel good about Friday Pizza Night! Top with tempeh sausage crumbles (recipe to come), a little non-dairy cheese if you please, and veggies. My favorite toppings are green peppers, red onions, tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, artichokes and zucchini. Enjoy, and let me know if you make it!
If you need a gluten free pizza dough recipe, I highly recommend this recipe over at Minimalist Baker. It is the best gluten free crust!
Adapted from this recipe.
Easiest Whole Wheat Oil Free Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water, almost too hot for comfort (110 degrees)
- 1 envelope rapid rise or instant yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- pizza sauce, or tomato sauce
- non-dairy cheese, optional *I prefer daiya brand
- vegetables of choice- green peppers, red onion, tomatoes, etc.
- tempeh sausage, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Quick whisk the warm water, yeast and sugar in a large bowl, or your standing mixer bowl if using. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes, it should puff up a bit.
- Add the flour, nutritional yeast and salt to the bowl. If using a standing mixer, use the dough hook on setting 2 for 5 minutes. If kneading by hand, mix everything together with a wooden spoon until combined, then knead on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes until you have a smooth ball of dough.
- Halve the dough. On a lightly floured surface (I just use my countertop), roll out the dough pretty thin, about 11 inches in diameter or to fit your pizza pans. You should get two good sized pizzas.
- If you don't have good non-stick pans, you may need to lightly spray them with oil to prevent sticking. Use as little as possible if needed. Transfer the dough to the baking pans.
- Now you can add your pizza sauce, veggies and other optional toppings. Bake for 8 minutes for a soft, chewy crust or 10 minutes for a crispier crust.
Notes
- Calorie calculation is for the entire crust, and does not include toppings.
May I use pure maple syrup in place of the sugar?
Sure!
This is exactly what I needed! Thank you!
You are welcome! Thank you for sharing your positive review!
Would a gluten free all purpose flour work instead? Thanks!
It probably would work though I haven’t tried it myself. Thanks!
My daughter loves this crust. TY!!
Awesome! You are welcome! Thanks for sharing!
Can I cook the dough and then freeze it?
Yes, you can freeze the crust after baking.
HI there, do I have to use the Nutritional Yeast in the dough? I have everything except for the NY. Thanks 🙂
You can leave out the nutritional yeast, no problem. Enjoy!
Does it have to have any sugar in it? Sugar has a tendency to make me loose any food I may have eaten, so need a pizza dough recipe that is not only oil free, but also sugar free.
You could use honey or maple syrup, or just leave sugar out completely.
I’ve been WFPB for 9 months and I’ve made a pizza every one of those months, with a different pizza crust. I hadn’t found a crust I wanted to make a second time, until I tried those one.
This crust is AWESOME! It’s like eating regular pizza. This will now be my go-to crust. The fact that it’s so easy to make is the icing on the cake.
Thank you!
I’m so thrilled you love this crust and it will be your go to pizza crust! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review, and happy cooking!
Sheesh people! Obviously if you choose to use processed oil ladden “cheese-like” toppings, it will no longer be oil free. Doesn’t change the fact that the CRUST is still oil free. Some people need to work on their logic skills!
Great recipe though! Love the crust. I personally make my own marinara, load it with veggie toppings (shitake mushrooms, shallots, green bell peppers, peppadew peppers, Calabrian chilis, and thinly sliced brussel sprouts) and a drizzle of potato based vegan “cheese” sauce. Delicious!!!
I had to add a little water to kneed it, otherwise fast and easy, even for a first timer, and it was delicious . I may never buy another pre-made crust again! Thanks.
Hi Denise. I’m glad the crust worked well for you! Thank you!
Hi, I’m having trouble finding white whole wheat flour in British Columbia. I’ve tried both grocery and health food stores as well as online! Can you suggest another type of flour? Thanks for your help!
Just plain old white flour works fine here, too! Or whole wheat. Hope that helps!
Thank you!
Great pizza dough thank you!
You’re welcome!
I love how easy and quick this recipe is. It’s become a favorite for us. We load it up with lots of veggies and don’t even have to bother with a cheese alternative to have a yummy and filling dinner!
So glad to hear that!
Can I use brown rice flour instead? Or half brown rice and half regular ? What would the ratio be ?
Thanks!
I’m not sure if this would work or not, I have never attempted using brown rice flour for pizza dough. It’s possible if you use half and half, but I really don’t know, sorry!
I used half of the dough recipe and mixed and kneaded in my food processor. Was perfect!! Thank you:)
You’re welcome!
Is Daiya oil free?
No, if you want the whole pizza to be oil free, you can leave off the cheese, or use my Stretchy Vegan Mozzarella.
Is the dough freezable?
Yes, it can be frozen and then thawed when ready to use.
Thanks for this Nora. Doesn’t sound like it’s oil free though with the vegan cheese. Any other oil free toppings that go well with this?
If you make my Stretchy Vegan Mozzarella then it will be totally oil free, and that cheese is SO GOOD. Of course if you want to do a cheeseless pizza that’s fine too, or sprinkle a little Vegan Parmesan on top after it cooks with vegetables.
Why add yeast if you do not allow the dough to rise after kneading?
It still helps the crust as it cooks. 🙂
Can you use anything other than sugar? Like honey or maple syrup or other sweetener? Also, can you use whole wheat flour instead of white whole wheat?
Yes, you could use honey or maple syrup, or just leave it out completely. Yes you can use whole wheat flour, white whole wheat just makes it a little bit less dense but it should be just fine with whole wheat as well.
Could you make this in a bread machine
Sorry I’m really not sure, I’ve never owned a bread machine!
So this isn’t actually oil free because daiya and presumably other commercial vegan “cheeses” do contain oil. Have ou found one that doesn’t or have another suggestion?
Yes, it wouldn’t be oil free if you added daiya or other oil containing vegan cheese. I have recently started using this recipe and really enjoy it: Melty Stretchy Vegan Mozzarella.
I finally made pizza dough!! I have tried so many pizza dough recipes and haven’t had success with any until now! This paired with her vegan mozz is amazing for a healthy homemade dinner!
Hi Liz. Thank you!
Just a suggestion to prevent sticking you can lightly dust with corn meal or flour on the pan instead of oil.
Thanks Sarah!
Do you have to add sugar?
No, you could leave it out if you need to.
This looks so good! We need to have this next time I come to your house!
Yeah absolutely!