Vegan Tofu Pizza Recipe

Last Updated on February 28, 2023

Does tofu work as a pizza topping? Absolutely! And what is more, you don’t need to be vegan to enjoy this delicious vegan tofu pizza recipe!

Pizzas are the type of foods that are just screaming out for imagination and experimentation. You can turn anything into a pizza topping, whether sweet or savory.

Of course, for many people, pizza night revolves around a piping hot pie that’s smothered in cheese. Now, you may assume that vegans or anyone eliminating dairy from their diets will be missing out on the joys of pizza night since their pizzas are cheese-less, but think again.

There are so many toppings that can be added to a vegan pizza that more than make up for the lack of dairy cheese, such as good ol’ tofu.

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Why is Tofu such a Great Pizza Topping?

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Honestly, tofu is one of the most versatile ingredients out there and everybody, not just vegans, needs to get with the program and start incorporating it into more dishes.

You may not think to look at it, but it’s packed full of good stuff like amino acids, iron, calcium, and magnesium, all while being low in both fat and calorie content (appx. 4g and 70 cal per serving, respectively). That makes it one of the healthiest ingredients you can pop on top of a pizza.

Due to the fact that both block and silken tofu are just solidified soybean milk, it’s a really pure ingredient that soaks up flavor like a charm. For example, in this easy recipe, I’ve decided on a basic Italian seasoning marinade, but you can marinate your tofu in whatever flavors spark your imagination.

It’s also super-easy to prepare and cook too. With silken tofu, you can pretty much add it to dishes like soups or smoothies immediately. Otherwise, block tofu just needs to be pressed to remove any excess moisture before you start cooking with it – believe me, excess moisture on a pizza is a death knell!

Pressing tofu used to be quite time consuming and a bit messy to do, but manufacturers like Tofubud have come up with nifty inventions like the tofu press to save us all time and effort.

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Other Vegan Pizza Toppings

Sticking with the healthful route, the classic vegan tofu pizza also features plenty of juicy vegetables as a topping.

Rather than adding raw veggies on top of a pizza base and hoping for the best, this recipe calls for sauteeing them first beforehand. Sauteeing vegetables before adding them to your crust base will ensure that they cook through as the pizza is cooking. It’s also a great opportunity to pack in some extra flavors since you can add herbs and spices as the veggies cook.

Bright and cheerful peppers, a zingy onion, and moreish mushrooms are featured in this classic recipe, but feel free to substitute with more exotic varieties or switch it up with whatever veggies are in season. You could even make this pizza as a way to use up whatever veg you have leftover at the end of the week.

Classic Vegan Tofu Pizza Recipe

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With its healthful spelt flour crust, rich tofu, just the right amount of tomato sauce, and heapings of sauteed veggies, this pizza is immensely flavorful and satisfying.

To make the pizza, you will need:

1 x spelt flour pizza base (try Biona Organic)
8 x oz extra firm pressed tofu, cut into ½ inch cubes
½ x cup loosely chopped red pepper
½ x cup loosely chopped green pepper
½ x cup loosely chopped orange pepper
1/3 x cup chopped red onion
1 x cup shiitake mushrooms
½ x tsp fresh basil
½ x tsp garlic powder
½ x tsp oregano
¼ x tsp sea salt

For the veggie marinade, you will need:

2 x tbsp red wine vinegar
1 x tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 x tbsp dried Italian seasoning

For the pizza sauce, you will need:

1 x 15 oz can organic tomato sauce
½ x tsp fresh basil
½ x tsp oregano
½ x tsp garlic powder
½ x tsp granulated sugar
¼ x tsp sea salt

Instructions

Using a medium bowl, mix together the red wine vinegar, olive oil, and Italian season. Add the chopped tofu and stir gently to coat evenly. Cover the tofu and refrigerate for 30 mins to 2 hours.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large pan over a medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add in the peppers and chopped onion. Season with the salt, garlic powder, oregano, and basil. Cook for appx. 10 to 15 minutes, until veggies are slightly charred on the edges. Add the mushrooms in during the last few minutes. Remove from the heat.
In a suitable mixing bowl, add the tomato sauce, basil, oregano, garlic powder, sugar, and sea salt. Add water to the mixture if the sauce remains too thick.
Remove the tofu from the fridge and drain any excess marinade.
On a flour-dusted surface, roll out the spelt dough, then transfer to a round parchment sheet over a baking tray (only the parchment will go in the oven).
Spread out the desired amount of pizza sauce, add the tofu chunks and veggies.
Slide the pizza on the parchment sheet into the middle shelf of the oven. Bake for appx. 17-20 minutes until the pizza is golden brown.
Serve piping hot

Use your Imagination

This vegan tofu pizza recipe is a jumping-off point, take it and make it your own. Use whatever flavors you fancy at the time and play around with how you prepare the tofu too. You might want to crumble it onto the pizza, ricotta-style, or you could even use sliced silken tofu in place of traditional mozzarella.

If you really can’t do without a cheesy flavor, a good vegan parmesan recipe will serve you well.

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