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Easy Homemade Pizza Dough

Easy homemade vegan pizza dough – Make your own dough in less time than ordering in. This recipe for quick yeast dough will make dinner prep easy! 

vegan pizza dough rising in mixing bowl

One of my favorite go-to dinners to make at home is homemade pizza.

I pretty much always have the ingredients on hand for at least a basic pizza, and the dough is so simple – all you need is yeast, water, flour, sugar and salt.

A lot of people I know are scared off by making their own pizza dough simply because they have trouble with proofing the yeast.

I’ve definitely had trouble in the past with making sure the yeast bubbles and will rise properly, but I’ve finally mastered i

The trick is getting the water hot enough but not TOO hot.

A couple things that really help are having a cooking thermometer on hand and making sure your yeast is good.

Making sure your yeast is not expired and is stored in the refrigerator also really helps.

The hot water you add it to should be about 115°F, and I like to add a teaspoon of sugar to the yeast to help it get started (yeast feeds off sugar).

When the yeast is working, it should get bubbly like the picture below. It will also have a distinct “bread-smell.”

proofing the yeast for easy homemade pizza dough in mixing bowl

Then you add the flour and salt.

Sometimes I like to add a tablespoon of olive oil to the sides of the bowl, it seems to help with the rising and keep the dough soft.

vegan pizza dough mixed together in bowl before rise

It should only take about 30 minutes to double in size. I like to have the bowl on top of the oven while it’s preheating, and the heat also will help activate the yeast!

You’ll know the yeast is working when it looks nice and fluffy after you let the dough rise, like this:

homemade pizza dough in mixing bowl after rising

See, that wasn’t so hard was it?

This recipe will make two thin crust pizza in a 12-inch cast iron pan.

This basic dough is ready for whatever toppings you want to add: tomato sauce, honey, spinach, tomato, sriracha sauce, veggies, you get the idea.

The dough itself is vegan so it is very versatile!

I’ve heard the best way to bake your pizza is at super hot temperatures like 500 °F – but since that number kind of freaks me out, I bake it at 475 °F, for about 12 minutes.

Quicker than delivery!

My favorite pizza lately has been jalapeno and pineapple. Other unique homemade pizza suggestions are this honey fig pizza, caramelized onion and brie pizza, and spicy pimento cheese pizza!

Yield: 2 pizzas

Easy Homemade Pizza Dough

Easy Homemade Pizza Dough - Make your own dough in less time than ordering in. Quick yeast dough will make dinner prep easy!

Easy homemade vegan pizza dough. Make your own dough in less time than ordering in. This recipe for quick yeast dough will make dinner prep easy! 

Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 52 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast (can also use instant yeast)
  • 1 cup hot water (about 115°F)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, optional

Instructions

  1. Proof the yeast - in a medium mixing bowl, add yeast, hot water, and sugar. Stir together. Let sit for 5 minutes until bubbly.
  2. Add salt and flour gradually, mixing together until combined. Knead using a mixer or by hand for 5 minutes until soft and elastic, adding flour if necessary. If using the olive oil, add to the sides of the bowl using an olive oil or pastry brush.
  3. Cover and let rise in a warm area until doubled, about 30 minutes. (I like to leave it on top of the stove while it's pre-heating.)
  4. Will make two, 12-inch thin crust pizzas. Cook with desired toppings at 475°F for about 12 minutes in a cast iron pan.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1 crust

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 651Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1068mgCarbohydrates: 123gFiber: 5gSugar: 3gProtein: 18g

Nutrition information is calculated automatically by an online tool at Nutritionix. It is not always accurate. Please use your own tools to check if you rely on this information.

Easy Homemade Vegan Pizza Dough pin

 

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Angela Hall

Saturday 3rd of February 2018

Hey, Kelly. I tried it as the way you directed and it was perfectly done. Thanks for the blog.

Kelly

Saturday 3rd of February 2018

So glad to hear, thanks Angela!

Amanda Drew

Thursday 2nd of November 2017

Wow, 475 degrees Fahrenheit is still really hot. My husband and I really want to eat pizza tonight, but neither of us is a good cook. Also, our oven only just manages to get to 350 degrees without whining about it. I'm kind of concerned about what would happen if we tried to get it hotter. I think that we'll find a pizza restaurant for tonight and then try your recipe later when we have a good oven.

Kelly

Saturday 4th of November 2017

If you need to bake at a lower temperature (like 350) just leave it in for longer and expect a softer crust. If your oven has a broiler, you can turn that on the last 2-3 minutes to crisp it up if you prefer!

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