Vegan BBQ Pizza

Vegan BBQ pizza is a delicious twist on classic vegan pizza with sweet and tangy BBQ sauce instead of traditional tomato sauce, fresh veggie toppings, and a crust baked to perfection.

Vegan BBQ Veggie Pizza! Ahhhhh! How can anyone resist? It all starts with a soft yet crisp bread base that is easy to hold in your hands.

Then it’s slathered in the most flavorful tomatoey sauce. Now, pile on your toppings.

In this recipe, the sauce is BBQ sauce and it is so good that you’ll be tempted to have a spoon on the ready for intermittent tastings. Oh, well. Just go for it!

Some of the veggies are pre-cooked so that your first bite will have your eyes rolling back in your head with pleasure.

Some veggies are fresh to add that extra little crispness and texture. Everything combined adds up to a pizza with a 5-star rating.

Ingredients

For The Barbecue Sauce

• Ketchup- Gives the sauce a sweet and tangy flavor.
• Apple Cider Vinegar- Adds even more tanginess to the sauce.
• Organic Cane Sugar- Provides just a hint of sweetness.
• Black Pepper- Adds a bit of spice and intense flavor.
• Cumin- Adds a warm, earthy flavor to the barbeque sauce.
• Smoked Paprika- Gives off a smokey taste.

For The Pizza Toppings

• Potatoes- Gives the pizza a hearty texture.
• Onion- Adds a tangy crunch.
• Zucchini- Provides color and freshness.
• Mushrooms- Gives the pizza an earthy flavor while providing a meaty texture.
• Cauliflower- Adds a nutty and sweet taste.

For The Dough

• Store Bought Pizza Dough- Provides the base for the pizza and saves time on making dough from scratch.

How To Make Vegan Barbecue Pizza

1. Make The Sauce- Combine the ketchup, vinegar, sugar, pepper, cumin, and paprika over medium-high heat in a saucepan. Stir occasionally for about 10 minutes and set it aside.
2. Prepare The Dough- Preheat the oven to 400F. Roll out the dough on a floured surface, then transfer it to a pizza pan.
3. Build The Pizza- Spread the BBQ sauce evenly over the pizza dough. Add grated potatoes, onions, zucchini, mushrooms, and cauliflower as desired.
4. Bake- Place the prepared pizza into the preheated oven and bake for about 18 minutes or until the crust has risen and has turned golden brown.
5. Enjoy- Slice the pizza into 8 pieces and serve warm. 

Chef Tips

• If you’re a pizza lover like me, you know that using a pizza pan or pizza stone can make all the difference in the world. These tools help transfer heat evenly and absorb moisture, resulting in a crust that’s crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Trust me, once you try making pizza with a pan or stone, you’ll never return to your old ways!
• You should avoid using the fan bake setting for a homemade pizza because it can cause the toppings to dry out and the crust to become too crispy. This is because the fan circulates hot air around the oven, which can cause the moisture to evaporate faster. Instead, it’s recommended to use the conventional bake setting, which heats the oven from the bottom and allows the heat to rise evenly, resulting in a crispy crust and well-cooked toppings without drying them out.
• It’s important not to overload the pizza with toppings. Trust me, I’ve made that mistake before, and it can make the pizza soggy and difficult to bake evenly. Instead, choose toppings that complement each other and distribute them evenly on the pizza. That way, you’ll have a perfectly baked pizza with enough toppings.

Popular Substitutions And Additions

• Vegan Cheese- Vegan mozzarella cheese is the most popular pizza choice, but I love switching it up and using vegan parmesan, Colby, and cheddar cheese.
• Veggies- My favorite thing about this recipe is its versatility! The options for vegetable combinations are endless. Whether you like broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, or other veggies, you can easily incorporate them into this recipe to create a delicious pizza!
• Sauce- Using store-bought vegan BBQ sauce helps to save a little time when making this pizza. I also occasionally switch up the flavors and use tomato sauce, vegan ranch dressing, pesto, and vegan alfredo sauce. 
• Dough- I love to make homemade pizza dough! It makes the pizza crust taste so much fresher and better than store-bought. Here is my favorite homemade recipe:

1 1/4 cup Flour

3/4 tsp Cane Sugar

1 tsp Instant Yeast

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

3/4 cup Lukewarm Water

Combine the yeast, sugar, and water in a bowl and set aside for 10 minutes. Once rested, combine the flour with salt. Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour the yeast, water mixture, and olive oil. Stir until a dough is formed. Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth and let it proof until doubled in size. 

To use: Punch down the dough and shape it into a ball, then roll it out on a floured surface with a rolling pin.  

Vegan BBQ Veggie Pizza Storage

To store vegan barbeque pizza, let it cool down to room temperature. Then, store it in an airtight container or cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3-4 days. 

For more extended storage, wrap the baked or unbaked pizza tightly in plastic wrap, place it in an airtight container, and freeze it for 2-3 months.

To reheat, place the pizza on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is crispy. Alternatively, you can reheat it in a microwave by placing it on a microwave-safe plate and heating it for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until it’s heated through.