Veggie Pizza Recipe

Bloom yeast

Combine warm water, sugar, and active dry yeast in a large bowl. Stir gently and let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.

Mix dough

Add olive oil, salt, and 2 cups of the flour to the yeast mixture. Stir until combined; then add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough comes together and is slightly sticky but manageable.

Knead

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic. (Alternatively use a stand mixer with dough hook for 5–6 minutes.)

First rise

Lightly oil a large bowl, place dough in bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 60–90 minutes.

Divide and rest

Punch dough down, divide into two equal pieces for two 12-inch pizzas (or keep whole for one large pizza). Shape into balls, cover, and let rest 10–15 minutes before stretching.

While the dough rises, make the sauce. In a small saucepan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant (do not brown). Add crushed tomatoes and tomato paste, stir to combine. Add dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and black pepper. Simmer gently 10–12 minutes to thicken slightly, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Prepare vegetables while sauce simmers and dough rests. Clean and slice mushrooms, thinly slice onion and green bell pepper, and slice or dice the tomato. If using jarred olives, drain and slice; if using whole canned olives, slice them. Pat mushrooms lightly with a paper towel if very wet to avoid soggy pizza.

Optional sauté (for less moisture): In a skillet, heat 1 tsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté mushrooms for 3–4 minutes until they release moisture and start to brown; remove and let cool. Lightly sauté onions 2–3 minutes for sweeter flavor (optional).

Preheat oven and prepare pans: Place a pizza stone in the oven if available and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes. If using a baking sheet, lightly oil it and preheat oven to 475°F (245°C).

Stretch dough: On a lightly floured surface, press and stretch one dough ball into a roughly 12-inch circle, leaving a slightly thicker edge for the crust. Transfer dough to a lightly floured pizza peel or prepared baking sheet (if using a stone, dust peel with cornmeal).

Brush crust: Lightly brush the outer edge of the dough with 1/2 tbsp olive oil to encourage browning.

Add sauce and cheese: Spread about 1/2 cup of the prepared sauce evenly over the dough, leaving the crust exposed. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella evenly over the sauce.

Add vegetables: Distribute half the sliced mushrooms, half the tomato slices, half the sliced onion, half the sliced green pepper, and half the black olives evenly over the cheese. If you sautéed mushrooms/onions, drain any residual oil or liquid before adding.

Finish with remaining cheese: Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 1 tbsp grated Parmesan over the toppings. If desired, sprinkle 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes.

Bake: Slide pizza onto the preheated stone or place the baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 8–12 minutes (stone) or 12–15 minutes (baking sheet) until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.

Rest and garnish: Remove pizza from oven and let rest 3–5 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil leaves if using, slice, and serve.