Oil-Free Pizza Sauce and Pizza Dough

Pizza anyone? When I transitioned to a plant-based diet, I thought I would never enjoy pizza again. Even though we ordered vegan pizza out, the sauce and crust were always oily. Then, I decided to make my own oil-free pizza sauce and pizza dough. To my surprise, my oil-free pizza sauce and pizza dough were just as good as the pizza parlors we ordered from. 

Although today, vegan pizza is readily available at most pizza restaurants, making oil-free pizza sauce and pizza dough is more fun and way more healthy! Obviously, 'skinny' and "pizza" aren't usually in the same category. But, it is possible to make oil-free pizza sauce and pizza dough. At least when you make pizza at home, you guarantee it's healthy.

WHAT INGREDIENTS DO I NEED TO MAKE A DELICIOUS VEGAN OIL-FREE PIZZA SAUCE? 

(SPINACH, ARTICHOKE, ROASTED RED PEPPER PIZZA)

In order to make an incredible pizza, the secret is in the sauce. A rich tomato sauce, with incredible flavor, works perfectly with your favorite toppings. Personally, I love savory flavors.

• 2 cups plain tomato puree (no oil) I used Muir Glen Organic or POMI crushed tomatoes
• 1  ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
• 1½ teaspoons fresh basil, chopped
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon smoked salt

Oil-free pizza sauce, for example, makes enough for 2 medium pizzas, but I double the recipe and freeze the rest.

OIL-FREE PIZZA DOUGH IS EASY TO MAKE AMD TASTES GREAT! 

After making it for the hundredth time, I decided this is my new  'go-to' dough! Every great pizza begins with a great pizza crust. Some like a thin and crispy pizza crust, while others prefer thick and soft pizza crust. This homemade pizza crust,though, has it all: soft and chewy with a delicious crisp and AWESOME flavor.

The secret to the crust, however, is vital wheat gluten and flaxseed meal.  

WHAT IS VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN?

Wheat gluten is a food made from gluten, the main protein of wheat. It is made by washing wheat flour dough with water until all the starch granules have been removed, leaving the sticky insoluble gluten as an elastic mass, which is then cooked before being eaten.

WHAT IS FLAXSEED MEAL?

• 1 cup warm water (run the tap until warm)
• 2½ teaspoons dry active yeast
• 1 tablespoon vegan raw sugar
• 1½ cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten
• 1 heaping tablespoon flaxseed meal
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon salt
• cornmeal for the bottom of the pizza stone

With this in mind, I chose a Mediterranean pizza, and a mushroom, onion, and arugula pizza. Although you can choose any toppings, the oil-free sauce and dough work well with any toppings. 

MEDITERRANEAN PIZZA TOPPINGS: 

• Spinach (handful) raw
• Red onion sliced in strips (½ cup)
• 6 Sun-dried tomatoes: Use dried no oil. Rehydrate by placing them in boiling water for 30 minutes; drain, and chop
• ½ cup artichoke hearts
• ½ cup kalamata olives
• 3 cloves crushed garlic.

MUSHROOM/ONION ARUGULA PIZZA:

• 1 large white onion, sliced
• 8 ounces of mushrooms sliced
• 2 cups of arugula
• 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

For those of you who meal prep, the dough and sauce can be frozen and used at another time.

IF YOU LIKE OIL-FREE PIZZA SAUCE AND OIL-FREE PIZZA DOUGH, TRY THESE HEALTHY VEGAN ITALIAN RECIPES 

• Vegan Lasagna
• Vegan Spaghetti and Meatballs
• Veggie Stuffed Shells
• Veggie Stuffed Shells
• Vegan Pasta Primavera
• One-Pot Tomato Basil Pasta
• Spinach Artichoke Pasta Recipe
• Vegan Pesto Pasta
• Antipasto Salad
• Creamy Spicy Vegan Sausage Pasta
• Vegan Curry Pizza

📖 Recipe

Oil-Free Pizza Sauce and Pizza Dough

Kathy Carmichael

Don't skip pizza; just make it healthy. This homemade oil-free sauce and dough transform pizza into a healthy meal to enjoy guilt-free.

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Total Time 10 mins

Course Entrees

Cuisine Italian

Servings 12 servings

Calories 126 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

OIL-FREE DOUGH: (Makes 2 medium pizzas)

• ▢ 1 cup warm water run the tap until warm
• ▢ 2½ teaspoons dry active yeast
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vegan raw sugar
• ▢ 1½ cup whole wheat flour
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon flaxseed meal
• ▢ 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ corn meal for the bottom of the pizza stone

OIL-FREE PIZZA SAUCE:

• ▢ 2 cups plain tomato puree no oil I used Muir Glen Organic
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
• ▢ 1½ teaspoons fresh basil chopped
• ▢ ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• ▢ ½ teaspoon smoked salt

Mediterranean Pizza toppings: 

• ▢ Spinach handful raw
• ▢ Red onion sliced in strips ½ cup
• ▢ 6 Sun-dried tomatoes: Use dried no oil. Rehydrate by placing them in boiling water for 30 minutes; drain and chop
• ▢ ½ cup artichoke hearts
• ▢ ½ cup kalamata olives
• ▢ 3 cloves crushed garlic.

Mushroom/onion Arugula Pizza:

• ▢ 1 large white onion sliced
• ▢ 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
• ▢ 2 cups of arugula
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Instructions

 

OIL-FREE DOUGH:

• Use a fork or spoon to combine water, yeast, and sugar in a small bowl–set aside until foaming.
• Combine all remaining ingredients (except maple syrup) in a large mixing bowl.
• Now add yeast (again it will be foamy).
• Now add maple syrup.
• If the dough is too sticky to handle with your fingers, add a tablespoon of flour. or more for desired consistency.
• If it’s too dry to hold together, add a teaspoon or more of water. Knead the dough for just a minute or two.
• Set dough aside in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Knead, stretch, and roll out the dough in a circular shape.
• Put cornmeal on the bottom of a pizza stone. This will give your pizza a crunchy bottom and prevent sticking.
• Put in oven WITHOUT any toppings. Cook for 5 or 6 minutes. This will cook the surface of the dough and make it so it doesn’t get soggy with toppings.
• While it pre-cooks, prepare your toppings.

OIL-FREE SAUCE:

• Place all ingredients in a bowl; stir; set aside

PIZZA TOPPINGS/COOKING:

Mediterranean Pizza toppings: 

• Spread oil-free pizza sauce to cover the surface of the half-cooked dough.

Then, layer the following ingredients:

• Spinach (handful) raw
• Red onion sliced in strips
• Sun-dried tomatoes: Use dried no oil. Rehydrate by placing them in boiling water for 30 minutes; drain, and chop
• ½ cup artichoke hearts
• ½ cup kalamata olives
• 3 cloves crushed garlic.
• Bake at 450 for 20 minutes or until crust is brown

Sauteed mushroom/onion Arugula Pizza:

• Rub 3 cloves minced garlic into half baked crust
• Saute 1 large onion and 8 ounces mushrooms until fragrant and liquid is minimal.
• Put  mushrooms and onions on half baked pizza dough
• Bake pizza at 450 degrees for 20 minutes
• While baking, take two cups of arugula toss in two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
• When the pizza is done, remove from oven, and top with arugula mixture.

Notes

For those of you who meal prep, the dough and sauce can be frozen and used at another time.

Nutrition

Calories: 126kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 6gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 481mgPotassium: 424mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 364IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 2mg

Tried our recipe?Let us know how it was!

Kathy Carmichael

Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂

www.kathysvegankitchen.com/about-me/