Vegan’s Pepperoni Recipe
Tomato Sauce + Vegan Pepperoni + Blended Cashew Topping + Oregano + Olive Oil
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Ingredients
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Base & Sauce
Vegan Pepperoni
Blended Cashew Topping (Creamy Vegan Cheese)
Assembly & Finish
Method
Base & Sauce
- 1
Make tomato sauce
Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5–6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in tomato passata, dried oregano, dried basil, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered 10–12 minutes to thicken slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm until assembly.
Vegan Pepperoni
- 2
Make the dough-like pepperoni mixture
In a medium bowl whisk together vital wheat gluten, chickpea flour, smoked paprika, ground fennel, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. In a separate small bowl combine hot water, tamari, tomato paste, and maple syrup; whisk until smooth. Pour the wet into the dry and stir with a spoon until it comes together into a firm, slightly sticky dough (about 1–2 minutes). Knead in the bowl or on a clean surface for 1–2 minutes to develop texture.
- 3
Form and cook pepperoni rounds
Divide the mixture into 12 equal pieces (about 1 tablespoon each). Roll each piece between your palms or on a surface into a flat coin about 2–2.5 inches wide and 1/8–1/4 inch thick to resemble pepperoni slices. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and brush lightly with 1 tsp olive oil. Cook the slices in batches 2–3 minutes per side until browned and slightly firm. Remove to a plate and set aside. (Alternatively, for a chewier texture, bake slices on a parchment-lined sheet at 375°F/190°C for 10–12 minutes, flipping once.)
Blended Cashew Topping (Creamy Vegan Cheese)
- 4
Blend cashew topping
If cashews were not pre-soaked, boil them for 10 minutes and drain. Add soaked cashews, 1/2 cup water, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp olive oil to a high-speed blender. Blend on high until very smooth and creamy, scraping down sides as needed; this may take 1–2 minutes. The texture should be thick but spreadable—add up to 1–2 tbs more water if necessary to reach a spreadable consistency.
Assembly & Finish
- 5
Prepare and top the pizza
Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) with a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet inside. Stretch or roll the dough to a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to a piece of parchment or a pizza peel lightly dusted with semolina or flour. Spread an even layer (about 3/4 cup) of the warm tomato sauce over the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Dollop or thinly spread 1/2–3/4 cup of the cashew topping over the sauce in small spoonfuls, leaving some red sauce visible (this mimics cheese distribution). Arrange the cooked vegan pepperoni slices across the pizza, overlapping slightly if desired.
- 6
Bake
Slide the pizza (on parchment) onto the preheated stone or baking sheet. Bake for 8–12 minutes, rotating halfway, until the crust is golden and edges are blistered. Baking time depends on oven temperature and stone; watch closely after 8 minutes.
- 7
Finish and serve
Remove pizza from oven and drizzle 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil over the top. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp dried oregano and a pinch (about 1/8 tsp) coarse salt if desired. Let rest 2–3 minutes, slice into 6–8 pieces, and serve hot.