Vegan Margherita Pizza with Homemade Mozzarella
Vegan Margherita Pizza with Homemade Mozzarella
Ingredients
For the Vegan Mozzarella Cheese
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
- 4 cups water, for boiling cashews
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon for boiling
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon mustard seed
- 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon pectin
- 1/4 cup tapioca starch
- 1/4 cup water, for tapioca slurry
- 1 teaspoon olive oil, for greasing container
For the Brooklyn-Style Pizza Dough
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1 1/4 cups warm water, (105-115°F)
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Pizza Assembly
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce, store-bought or homemade
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, for drizzling
- 2 tablespoons semolina flour, for dusting pizza peel
Instructions
- 1
To make the vegan mozzarella: In a medium saucepan, combine the raw cashews, 4 cups of water, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 20 minutes, or until the cashews are very tender.
⏱️ 25 min
- 2
Strain the cashews, reserving 2 cups of the cooking water. Set aside the cashews and reserved water.
⏱️ 2 min
- 3
In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of salt, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard seed, fennel seed, and nutritional yeast. If desired, grind the mustard and fennel seeds in a mortar and pestle for finer texture.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
In a high-speed blender, combine the boiled cashews, 2 cups of reserved cashew water, lemon juice, and the spice mixture. Blend until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Pour the blended cashew mixture into a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add the pectin and continue to stir until it is fully incorporated and the mixture begins to thicken slightly.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
In a small bowl, whisk together the tapioca starch and 1/4 cup of water to create a slurry. Gradually add the tapioca slurry to the cashew mixture in the saucepan, stirring vigorously. Continue to cook and stir for 3-5 minutes, or until the mixture becomes very thick, glossy, and stretchy, resembling melted cheese.
⏱️ 7 min
- 7
Lightly grease a small glass container (such as a loaf pan or small rectangular dish) with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Pour the hot vegan mozzarella mixture into the prepared container, smoothing the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours) to allow it to firm up completely.
⏱️ 3 min
- 8
To make the pizza dough: In a large bowl, combine the warm water, active dry yeast, and granulated sugar. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, until foamy.
⏱️ 10 min
- 9
Add the bread flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the yeast mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until a shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
⏱️ 10 min
- 10
Lightly oil a clean bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (at least 12 hours) for a slow proof and enhanced flavor.
⏱️ 5 min
- 11
On pizza day: Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) with a pizza stone or baking steel inside, if using, for at least 30 minutes.
⏱️ 30 min•🌡️ 500
- 12
Remove the solidified vegan mozzarella from the refrigerator. Carefully remove it from the glass container and slice or tear it into small pieces for the pizza.
⏱️ 2 min
- 13
Remove the pizza dough from the refrigerator. Gently punch down the dough and divide it into two equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, gently press and stretch one portion of dough into a 10-12 inch round. Dust a pizza peel with semolina flour and carefully transfer the dough to the peel.
⏱️ 5 min
- 14
Spread half of the marinara sauce evenly over the pizza dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Distribute half of the torn vegan mozzarella pieces over the sauce. Arrange half of the fresh basil leaves on top and drizzle with half of the olive oil.
⏱️ 3 min
- 15
Carefully slide the pizza from the peel onto the preheated pizza stone or baking steel in the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the vegan mozzarella is melted and bubbly. Repeat with the second pizza.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 500
- 16
Remove the pizza from the oven, slice, and serve immediately. Enjoy the cheesy pull!
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Vegan Margherita Pizza with Homemade Mozzarella
Ingredients
For the Vegan Mozzarella Cheese
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
- 4 cups water, for boiling cashews
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon for boiling
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon mustard seed
- 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon pectin
- 1/4 cup tapioca starch
- 1/4 cup water, for tapioca slurry
- 1 teaspoon olive oil, for greasing container
For the Brooklyn-Style Pizza Dough
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1 1/4 cups warm water, (105-115°F)
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Pizza Assembly
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce, store-bought or homemade
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, for drizzling
- 2 tablespoons semolina flour, for dusting pizza peel
Instructions
- 1
To make the vegan mozzarella: In a medium saucepan, combine the raw cashews, 4 cups of water, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 20 minutes, or until the cashews are very tender.
⏱️ 25 min - 2
Strain the cashews, reserving 2 cups of the cooking water. Set aside the cashews and reserved water.
⏱️ 2 min - 3
In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of salt, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard seed, fennel seed, and nutritional yeast. If desired, grind the mustard and fennel seeds in a mortar and pestle for finer texture.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
In a high-speed blender, combine the boiled cashews, 2 cups of reserved cashew water, lemon juice, and the spice mixture. Blend until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Pour the blended cashew mixture into a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add the pectin and continue to stir until it is fully incorporated and the mixture begins to thicken slightly.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
In a small bowl, whisk together the tapioca starch and 1/4 cup of water to create a slurry. Gradually add the tapioca slurry to the cashew mixture in the saucepan, stirring vigorously. Continue to cook and stir for 3-5 minutes, or until the mixture becomes very thick, glossy, and stretchy, resembling melted cheese.
⏱️ 7 min - 7
Lightly grease a small glass container (such as a loaf pan or small rectangular dish) with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Pour the hot vegan mozzarella mixture into the prepared container, smoothing the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours) to allow it to firm up completely.
⏱️ 3 min - 8
To make the pizza dough: In a large bowl, combine the warm water, active dry yeast, and granulated sugar. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, until foamy.
⏱️ 10 min - 9
Add the bread flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the yeast mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until a shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
⏱️ 10 min - 10
Lightly oil a clean bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (at least 12 hours) for a slow proof and enhanced flavor.
⏱️ 5 min - 11
On pizza day: Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) with a pizza stone or baking steel inside, if using, for at least 30 minutes.
⏱️ 30 min•🌡️ 500 - 12
Remove the solidified vegan mozzarella from the refrigerator. Carefully remove it from the glass container and slice or tear it into small pieces for the pizza.
⏱️ 2 min - 13
Remove the pizza dough from the refrigerator. Gently punch down the dough and divide it into two equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, gently press and stretch one portion of dough into a 10-12 inch round. Dust a pizza peel with semolina flour and carefully transfer the dough to the peel.
⏱️ 5 min - 14
Spread half of the marinara sauce evenly over the pizza dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Distribute half of the torn vegan mozzarella pieces over the sauce. Arrange half of the fresh basil leaves on top and drizzle with half of the olive oil.
⏱️ 3 min - 15
Carefully slide the pizza from the peel onto the preheated pizza stone or baking steel in the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the vegan mozzarella is melted and bubbly. Repeat with the second pizza.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 500 - 16
Remove the pizza from the oven, slice, and serve immediately. Enjoy the cheesy pull!
⏱️ 1 min