Plant based pizza can be a great way to get a few more delicious greens into your diet. Luckily, we’ve got all the tips you’ll need.
Undoubtedly the greatest gift pizza has given us is the freedom to make it our own. Want to put fruit on yours? Go to town with the pineapple. Want to douse it in every meat available? We’ve named an entire pizza after that. Want to indulge in a completely plant based pizza creation? We’ve got the top tips to achieving the crispiest, most flavour-packed, cheesy plant based pizza possible.
Bases
Let’s start from the bottom with the perfect base to build upon. Veggie bases have made a big impact on the pizza scene in recent years. While they might sound obscure, we’ve tried and tested each to ensure they pass the ultimate flavour check.
Cauliflower base
Cauliflower’s PR team has been out there doing god’s work to launch this vegetable onto the foodie scene in just about every format – chips, rice, mash and of course, pizza bases. There’s a reason this veggie is blowing up. It’s high in fibre and antioxidants while being a grain free alternative to other pizza bases. These bases not only pack crunch and flavour but are surprisingly simple to make.
Zucchini base
Wanting to branch out a little with your kitchen creations? Try a green whole food plant based pizza. A zucchini base works in the same vein as cauliflower bases to provide an enriching, grain-free base to build your pizza upon. These green goodies are also rich in Vitamin A, C and K.
Mushroom base
Ditch the mould for the standard pizza base altogether and grab yourself a portobello mushroom to work with. Is it any coincidence that these broad, plump mushroom heads happen to be the perfect size and shape for a pizza base? I think not.
All you need to do is scrape out the inside ribbing and grill the mushroom head. Once that’s done, let your imagination run wild. Spread your go-to sauce inside and top with your favourite plant based pizza toppings. Once you’re satisfied with your concoction, return the mushroom to the grill until it’s melted to perfection.
Toppings
Protein Substitutes
Plant based doesn’t mean we have to compromise on those filling protein elements. Beef up your pizza game with a mexi-style bean topping, some guac and salsa to complete the flavour fiesta.
After some crunch in your plant based pizza toppings? Toss some chickpeas through paprika and cayenne pepper before popping them in the oven until they’re golden and crisp. Sprinkle them over your pizza for a protein-packed crunch, with a hint of spice.
If beans aren’t your style then thank goodness for the ever-versatile vegan staple – tofu. Fry it up and add it to your base of choice along with some veggies, or sauté in your favourite sauce for an added flavour fusion.
Veggies
Forgive us for stating the obvious here – but a quality vegetable selection is crucial for creating a bomb plant based pizza. They key to having veggies that are oozing with flavour is to roast them before adding them to your base. Zucchini, pumpkin, and eggplant are the golden trio of flavoursome pizza toppings. Pre-roasting them allows their flavours to be practically dancing off the plate by the time you come to slicing up your pizza.
As we mentioned earlier – pizzas are nothing if not versatile. This presents the perfect opportunity to get experimental with your veggie selection. Never tried artichokes? Pair it with spinach and a zucchini base and your insides will be singing. Mix up your base and topping combos until you find the perfect flavour blend that sets your soul on fire.
Cheese
If there is one thing you take away from this, it’s that cheese matters! Specifically, the kind of vegan cheese you opt for. While a good quality vegan cheese may cost you a little more, can you really put a price on nailing that gooey, stretchy, salty goodness?
Fortunately for plant based pizza lovers there are quite a few vegan cheeses on the market. Consider which kind you’re after – a stretchy stringy cheese or a flavour-packed crumbling kind. It may take trial an error but when you find that perfect cheese, you’ll realise the tribulations were all worth it.
Dips
Here’s a golden tip to level up your whole food plant based pizza – recruit your favourite vegan dips to use as sauce or dollops of flavour. Our favourites are vegan pesto or spicy capsicum, but don’t let us stand in the way of covering your entire pizza in beetroot hummus.
If you’ve made it this far and decided that cooking is in the too hard basket today – we’ve got you covered. We offer a great range of gourmet vegetarian and vegan pizzas (with gluten free bases – will contain small amounts of gluten and dairy-free vegan cheese available). These are perfect for vegans, vegetarians or those who are looking to include more plants in their diets – so you just know it’ll be a winner. Order yours now.
