Vegan Deep Dish Pizza

Make this recipe for Vegan Deep Dish Pizza for dinner tonight! Baked in a cast iron skillet this pizza has a THICK crust and is topped with melty vegan mozzarella, garlicky red sauce, and homemade vegan sausage crumbles. It’s easy to make and extremely delicious… and addicting! If you like thick crust pizza, you will LOVE this.

Vegan Deep Dish Pizza by Pasta-based. Thick crust pizza in a hot octagonal-shaped cast iron pan straight out of the oven. Thick golden brown crust, baked in a cast iron skillet with melty vegan mozzarella cheese and homemade plant-based sausage crumbles.

Also, if the pizza doesn’t have you drooling – LOOK at the 12 inch FINEX Cast Iron Skillet from Made Trade. That octagon shape is so cool and the handle too!! We have been obsessed with using it for so many recipes from baked pasta to THIS vegan deep dish pizza!

We did a little A/B test with our other cast iron pan and the FINEX skillet is way more heavy duty so the pizza came out more even and better when using it.

This Vegan Cast Iron Pizza is one of our favorite pizza recipes to date. We used Miyokos brand mozzarella cheese. Miyokos really does amazing stuff, their cheese is one of the best commercial vegan brands out there right now. We used the fresh mozzarella but I know they will be coming out with shredded versions soon. I can’t wait for that!

Vegan Deep Dish Pizza by Pasta-based. Close-up detailed photo of the pizza toppings, melted vegan mozzarella and fresh basil sprinkled on top of a golden brown crust. Thick golden brown crust, baked in a cast iron skillet with melty vegan mozzarella cheese and homemade plant-based sausage crumbles.

We also used our Italian Sausage Crumbles recipe but modified a little bit. Instead of baking the crumbles in the oven first, like in the original recipe, you’ll want to put them straight on the pizza when they’re moist instead.

This just ensures the crumbles don’t get too dried out when you’re cooking the pizza. This recipe is super quick to make and tastes close to the real deal. It’s the perfect pizza topping!

This recipe for vegan deep dish pizza is easy to put together. Most of the time making it is spent letting the dough rest.

This cast iron skillet from Made Trade is 12 inches so if you only have a 10 inch pan, you may want to leave some of the dough out. Or if you want to make an EXTRA thick pizza, I’m on board with that decision too 😉! Just remember to put your pan on the bottom rack so the dough is close to the heat and can cook throughout.

If you make this recipe, tag us on Instagram @pastabased and leave a comment! We love hearing what you think 💖

5 from 1 vote
Vegan Deep Dish Pizza by Pasta-based. Thick crust pizza on a pizza peel straight out of the oven. Thick golden brown crust, baked in a cast iron skillet with melty vegan mozzarella cheese and homemade plant-based sausage crumbles.
Vegan Deep-Dish Pizza
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Resting time
1 hr 15 mins
Total Time
1 hr 55 mins
 

Deep-dish pizza with melted vegan mozzarella and vegan Italian sausage crumbles. Saucy, melty, gooey, garlicky, easy to make, delicious!

Course: Dinner, Pizza
Cuisine: American, Italian, Vegan
Keyword: dairy-free, pizza dough, pizza sauce, vegan, Vegan Sausage
Servings: 8 slices
Calories per Serving: 265 kcal
Ingredients
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
Vegan Italian Sausage Crumbles
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
  • 2 tablespoons tamari
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 cup textured vegetable protein (TVP)
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Pizza Toppings
Instructions
  1. In a mixing bowl (the one for your stand-mixer, if using) whisk together flour, sea salt, sugar, and active dry yeast.

  2. Add warm water and mix with a spoon until just combined and the mixture forms a shaggy dough. Let rest for 15 minutes.

  3. After resting, knead the dough in your stand-mixer or by hand for 10 minutes.

  4. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Flour your hands and knead for an additional 1-2 minutes, adjusting the texture with extra flour if necessary to create a smooth, soft dough.

  5. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover and rest for an hour, or until the dough has doubled in size. Rest the dough in a warm room in your house for better results.

  6. When the dough has doubled in size, pre-heat your oven to 500°F and brush olive oil on the bottom and sides of a 12-inch cast iron skillet.

  7. Stretch the dough over the bottom of the skillet to the edges. Use your thumbs to push the crust up the edges to make a thick crust. Let the dough rest another 10 minutes in the skillet before adding your toppings.

To make the Vegan Italian Sausage Crumbles
  1. In a medium pot, stir together wet ingredients: water, liquid smoke, soy sauce and maple syrup. Heat on medium until the mixture comes to a light boil.

  2. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl mix dry ingredients: TVP, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, sage, fennel, thyme and black pepper. Stir into pot and lower the heat.

  3. Cover the pot and heat on low for 5 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed.

To bake the pizza
  1. Spread pizza sauce onto your pizza dough. Add cheese, sausage crumbles, and any other toppings you like. Then, bake on the bottom rack of your oven for 15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Vegan Deep Dish Pizza by Pasta-based. Thick crust pizza in a hot octagonal-shaped cast iron pan straight out of the oven. Thick golden brown crust, baked in a cast iron skillet with melty vegan mozzarella cheese and homemade plant-based sausage crumbles.

Make this recipe! It's vegan deep dish pizza baked in a HOT cast iron skillet with melted vegan mozzarella and homemade vegan sausage crumbles.

 

Make this recipe! It's vegan deep dish pizza baked in a HOT cast iron skillet with melted vegan mozzarella and homemade vegan sausage crumbles.

 
Vegan Deep Dish Pizza by Pasta-based
February 17, 2020
November 19, 2020

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3 Comments

  1. Reply

    Cait

    May 11, 2020

    I’m in love with your website 🙂 SO excited to make this pizza! We even picked up Miyokos mozz for it! Have you tried it with any flour besides all-purpose? Since grocery stores have been super limited lately we’re unable to find AP. We have whole wheat flour, garbanzo bean flour, coconut flour, oat flour, VWG, and tapioca or arrowroot starch to work with. I planned on making do with all whole wheat but would you recommend adding any of the others in? Thanks!

    • Reply

      pasta-based

      July 14, 2020

      Hey Cait,

      Thank you for the compliment on our website! It’s hard not to love pizza, especially when it’s vegan 🙂 Sorry for the late response, but I hope you did use the whole wheat only as that is what we would’ve recommended. I’m reading books like “China Study” and “How Not To Die”, so whole wheat is definitely a welcome substitute! If you did make this recipe, please share with us how it worked out so we can update the recipe and let other readers know. Thank you so much!

  2. Reply

    Hemp Suppliers NZ

    December 25, 2020

    I loved your blog and thanks for publishing this content about vegan deep dish pizza!! I am really happy to come across this exceptionally well written content. I like how you have researched and presented these exact points so clearly. Thanks for sharing and look for more in future!!

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