5 from 114 votes
Vegan Margherita Pizza with Cashew Mozzarella
This Vegan Margherita Pizza features a hand-made dough topped with tomato sauce and a creamy cashew-based mozzarella substitute. The dough combines active yeast, flour, semolina, and olive oil to form a tender crust, while the sauce blends tomato paste with garlic, herbs, and spices. The cashew mozzarella cream is thickened on the stove to mimic the texture of traditional cheese, creating a rich, plant-based pizza.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings:
8
pieces
Calories:
158 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Italian
Ingredients
Pizza Dough:
- 1 tsp active yeast
- 1/2 cup water warm, 1 tbsp
- 1 1/4 cup flour , divided, (unbleached all purpose or half of all purpose and half whole wheat pastry flour/spelt)
- 1 tbsp semolina flour or use wheat flour
- 1/3 tsp salt
- 2 tsp olive oil
Pizza Sauce:
- 1/4 cup tomato paste unsalted
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp oregano dried basil, dried
- 1/4 tsp thyme or rosemary
- 1/8 tsp onion powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- black pepper dash
Cashew Mozzarella cream:
- 1/2 cup cashews soaked in hot water for 15 mins
- 1 cup water
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp flour , use rice flour or 2 tsp cornstarch for glutenfree
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp miso paste use chickpea miso for soy-free, or use 1-2 tsp nutritional yeast
- basil extra virgim olive oil and pepper flakes for garnish, fresh
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 435 deg F (225 C). Soak the cashews in hot boiling water if you havent already.
- Pizza Base: Mix the warm water with yeast and 1 tbsp flour. Mix well and let sit for 2 mins.
- Mix the salt and semolina into the rest of the flour. Add the flour and oil to the yeast mixture and mix. Mix till just about combined. Let it sit for a minute.
- Oil your hands and bring the dough together till just about smooth. Use a tsp or so more flour(or water if you used wheat flours), if needed. Don't knead it longer than a few seconds. Cover with a towel and let it sit near the preheating oven for 15 mins.
- Cashew Mozzarella Cream: Drain the cashews. Add to a blender with the rest of the ingredient. Blend until smooth. Add to a skillet over medium heat. Cook to thicken evenly. 4 to 6 mins. Stir occasionally to avoid sticking at the bottom and lumping.
- Prep the pizza sauce: Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Taste and adjust salt and flavor. Add a pinch of sweetener if needed.
- Oil your hands and transfer Pizza dough to a parchment lined baking sheet. Using some flour shape the dough into a flat ball, then spread using your hands. Keep spreading to make a large pizza or make 2 small pizzas (see video). You want to spread the dough thin, as it will rise quite a bit during baking and make a bready crust if it was too thick to begin with.
- Spread the pizza sauce all over. Add some fresh basil and place tomato slices over the basil. Sprinkle a pinch of salt. (you can also add other thinly sliced veggies at this point). Add spoonfuls of the mozzarella cream on the pizza.
- Drizzle a tsp of extra virgin olive oil. Then Bake for 13 to 14 mins. (Broil for a minute if needed), Remove from the oven and add fresh basil and pepper flakes. Slice and serve, See Storage and Freezing instructions in notes.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Cashew mozzarella cream can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days in a sealed container.
- Pizza sauce also keeps well refrigerated for up to 4 days.
- Dough and sauce can be frozen together without the cheese, stored airtight after freezing on a tray.
- To bake frozen pizza, preheat oven and add cheese and toppings before baking for 16-17 minutes.
- For gluten-free pizza, use gluten-free flour options for the dough and rice flour in the cashew cream.
- For nut-free versions, substitute the cashew cream with suitable nut-free alfredo sauce thickened as recommended.
Nutrition Information
Calories
158kcal
(8%)
Carbohydrates
20g
(7%)
Protein
4g
(8%)
Fat
7g
(11%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Sodium
371mg
(15%)
Potassium
162mg
(3%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
2g
(4%)
Vitamin A
125IU
(3%)
Vitamin C
2mg
(2%)
Calcium
9mg
(1%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8 pieces
Amount Per Serving
Calories 158
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 158kcal | 8% |
| Carbohydrates | 20g | 7% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 7g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 371mg | 15% |
| Potassium | 162mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 125IU | 3% |
| Vitamin C | 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 9mg | 1% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.