This veggie-packed vegan pizza is so satisfying and delicious, you won’t miss the cheese and meat! Kale, caramelized onion, and mushrooms top a grain-free crust, with a swirl of pesto-infused cashew cream for the perfect finishing touch.

grain-free vegan pizza crust with lots of toppings

Although I do love vegan meatballs and baked vegan mac and cheese, I have to say, when it comes to vegan food, I am more about embracing the veggies rather than replacing the meat and dairy with faux substitutes. This easy vegan pizza recipe is the perfect example.

When you load up a delicious crust with zesty sauce and tons of veggies, do you really need cheese?! I don’t think so! But if you do want some creamy-cheesy-goodness, go ahead and make that optional pesto cashew cream. It is amaaaazing.

Overhead view of vegan pizza with bite taken out

Why You’ll Love This Vegan Pizza Recipe

No pricy vegan subs. Even if you love vegan cheeses and meats, they are expensive to buy for every meal! This vegan pizza is ALL about the veggies.
Easy homemade pizza sauce. Although it does add a bit of time to the equation, I love to make my own pizza sauce. It’s thicker and tastier, and because it’s less watery, it won’t make your crust soggy.
Those caramelized onions, though. Caramelized onions are that little something-something that makes everything taste better. And in the case of this vegan pizza, it adds a jammy element that helps replace some of the gooeyness you get from melted cheese.

Sliced mushrooms on top of vegan pizza before baking

What You’ll Need

Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

Pizza Sauce:

Canned crushed tomatoes – These have more texture than tomato sauce, but they’re less chunky than diced tomatoes. Basically, they’re the perfect pizza sauce base!
Seasonings – I use Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes for a kick (these are optional), and the always essential salt and pepper.

Toppings:

Red onion – Another type of onion is fine too.
Olive oil
Kale – Chop this finely so it’s easy to take a bite out of your vegan pizza without pulling off a big kale leaf.
Sliced mushrooms – Cremini or white mushrooms both work here.

Optional Cream Sauce:

Raw cashews – These blend into a smooth, creamy consistency.
Nutritional yeast – For cheesy flavor.
Lemon juice – This gives the sauce a bit of tanginess.
Miso paste – Or salt, if you prefer.
Fresh basil – You can also make a parsley pesto if you happen to have parsley on hand!
Water

Crust:

To keep things simple, I used a store-bought pizza crust mix for this vegan pizza recipe. If you’re feeling more ambitious, try one of these:

Quinoa Flour Pizza Crust – A naturally gluten-free and vegan option.
Quinoa Pizza Crust – Instead of quinoa flour, this crust is made with whole quinoa grains.
Almond Flour Pizza Crust – For a crispy vegan crust that doesn’t require soaking quinoa.
Gluten-Free Pizza Crust – Love your crust soft, chewy, and crispy on the edges? This is the one for you!
Sweet Potato Pizza Crust – Use flax eggs instead of regular eggs and this gluten-free crust is also vegan.

grain-free pizza dough mix from Simple Mills

How to Make Vegan Pizza

Make the crust. Follow the package or recipe instructions.
Make the sauce. Stir together the ingredients in a pot. Bring the mixture to a low boil and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
Caramelize the onions. Heat the oil in a skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until softened and caramelized, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Assemble. Spread 1/2 cup of sauce over the crust. Top with the kale, caramelized onions, and mushrooms. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the mushrooms are cooked.
Make the optional cream sauce. Add all of the ingredients to a high-powered blender. Start with 1/2 cup of water and add more as needed. Blend on high until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Season to taste.
Serve. Drizzle the sauce over the vegan pizza, then slice and serve.

Hand pulling away piece of vegan pizza topped with kale, onions, and mushrooms

Tips for Success

Meal prep it. You can make the sauces and onions ahead of time so they’re ready when you want to assemble your pizza. You can even slice the mushrooms and cut the kale in advance too—store them in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Follow the instructions for the crust you're using. Pizza crusts can vary with cooking times and temperatures! Follow the instructions for whatever crust you’ve selected.
Add other veggies too. Sliced bell peppers, artichoke hearts, or zucchini would all be great on this pizza as well! Feel free to customize it to your liking.

More Naturally Vegan Pizza Ideas

No cheese? No problem! Here are some more ideas for topping your pizza sans cheese:

Barbecue chickpea pizza. Spread vegan barbecue sauce over the crust, then top with chickpeas and caramelized onions. If you’re Team Pineapple-on-Pizza, pineapple is delicious here too.
Pesto pizza. Add vegan pesto to the pizza crust and top with your favorite vegetables. Dollops of vegan ricotta add an irresistible creamy element to this one.
Vegan Margherita pizza. Brush the crust with olive oil. Add slices of Roma tomatoes (or tomato sauce, if you prefer), salt, and vegan ricotta. Garnish with fresh basil.

Vegan pizza recipe with grain-free crust and vegetables

How to Store Leftovers

Leftover vegan pizza will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 400ºF until warmed through, or use the microwave.

Can I Freeze This Recipe?

Whether or not you can freeze this recipe depends on the crust you use. Generally speaking, most versions of vegan pizza are freezer-friendly and can be wrapped and frozen for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 400ºF until warmed through.

Hand holding vegan pizza with bite taken out

Watch us make this Grain-Free Vegan Pizza recipe!

More Delicious Pizza Recipes To Try

Prep: 10

Cook: 20

Total: 30

Ingredients

for the crust

1 box Simple Mills Pizza Dough Mix
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
6 tablespoons water

for the sauce

1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional

for the toppings

1 red onion thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped kale
1 cup sliced mushrooms

for the (optional) cream sauce

1/2 cup raw cashews
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon miso paste or salt
1 cup fresh basil
1/2 – 3/4 cup water

Instructions

Make the crust: preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Add the contents of the mix into a large bowl, followed with the oil, vinegar and water. Stir until a thick dough batter forms. Transfer the batter onto the baking sheet and spread it out evenly with wet hands. I like to spread mine to about 1/4″ as the crust does puff up as it bakes. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
Make the sauce: add all the sauce ingredients into a pot and stir to combine. Bring to a low boil and cook for 10 – 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Store in a glass jar in the fridge or freezer.
Make the onions: heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft and caramelized, about 5 – 10 minutes.
Assemble the pizza: after 10 minutes, remove the crust from the oven. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in a thin layer across the crust. Top with kale, caramelized onions and mushrooms. Bake for another 10 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked.
Make the cream sauce: while the pizza is finishing, add all the sauce ingredients into a high powered blender. Start with 1/2 cup of water and add more as needed. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.
Eat the pizza! Slice it up when it's done cooking, drizzle on the cream sauce and give it an extra sprinkling of nutritional yeast and pepper flakes!

Nutrition

cuisine: American

course: Entree

Vegan Pizza

Why You’ll Love This Vegan Pizza Recipe