Making vegan pizza is really very simple. All you need is the right ingredients and a lot of imagination. And anyway, the pizza dough itself is already vegan because it doesn’t contain any ingredients of animal origin. Flour, water, yeast and oil. Nothing more. But the question does arise, then: is brewer’s yeast vegan, though? Brewer’s yeast, food-grade yeast flakes (used as a condiment in place of grated cheese), yeast cubes and ready-made soups all contain a fungus called Saccharomyces Cerevisiae that appears on labels as “yeast extract.”
The problem with yeasts on the market is that some come from the processing of animal wastes – so when it comes to vegan cuisine, you have to be very careful. To prepare a good vegan pizza, you’ll need to make sure you use a certified vegan brewer’s yeast. Or you can make your own sourdough or natural yeast.
Vegan Pizza: Replacing Mozzarella
Maybe not everyone knows this, but vegan mozzarella exists! It’s made with soy milk often sold at the supermarket or at specialty stores. Obviously, both taste and texture are not identical to mozzarella from cow’s milk, but they are a valid alternative for vegans who aren’t ready to give up the pleasure of a pizza margherita. Vegan mozzarella can also be prepared at home. And if you want to season your pizza with arugula and parmesan flakes, no problem! There are many vegan cheeses on the market very similar to Parmigiano Reggiano, too.
How to season a vegan pizza
You can have fun with the sauce: both white and (the classic) red sauce work for vegan pizza! Use grilled or pan-cooked seasonal vegetables plus some mushrooms, vegan cold cuts seitan or tofu. To give an extra touch of flavor to your pizza, add some nuts, perhaps – we suggest cashews (rich in nutrional properties and widely used in vegetarian and vegan cuisine with spices and herbs instead of salt).