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Homemade Veggie Pizza

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This Homemade Veggie Pizza features a crispy golden crust topped with tangy tomato sauce, melted mozzarella, and a colorful array of fresh vegetables including bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes. Better than delivery and ready in just 35 minutes!

  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 8 slices (1 large pizza, serves 4) 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For the Pizza:

  • 1 pound pizza dough (store-bought or homemade)
  • ¾ cup pizza sauce or marinara
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 ounces)
  • 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup mushrooms, sliced (about 4 ounces)
  • ½ red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup fresh spinach or arugula
  • ¼ cup sliced black olives (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Fresh basil leaves for garnish
  • Grated Parmesan cheese for finishing (optional)

For Quick Homemade Dough (optional):

  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 packet (2¼ teaspoons) instant yeast
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup warm water (110°F)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven: Set oven to 475°F (245°C). If using a pizza stone, place it in the oven while preheating for at least 30 minutes. For a baking sheet, you can preheat or not – both work fine. Higher heat creates crispier crust!
  2. Prepare vegetables: While oven heats, slice all your vegetables. Keep them relatively thin (about ¼ inch) so they cook through. For mushrooms specifically, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sauté them for 3-4 minutes until they release their moisture and start to brown. This prevents soggy pizza. Drain excess liquid and set aside.
  3. Prepare your dough: If using store-bought refrigerated dough, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes – this makes it easier to stretch. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. If making homemade dough (see notes), prepare it first and let it rest.
  4. Roll out the dough: Place dough on floured surface and use your hands to press it into a rough circle. Then use a rolling pin to roll it into a 12-14 inch circle for thin crust, or 10-12 inches for thicker crust. If dough springs back, let it rest 5 minutes and try again. For rustic look, stretch by hand instead of rolling.
  5. Transfer to pan: Carefully transfer rolled dough to a lightly oiled or parchment-lined baking sheet. If using pizza stone, transfer to a pizza peel dusted with cornmeal or flour (this helps it slide off). Brush the outer edge of dough with olive oil – this creates a golden, crispy crust.
  6. Add sauce: Spread pizza sauce evenly over the dough, leaving about a ½-inch border around the edges for the crust. Use the back of a spoon to spread it thin and even. Don’t oversauce – too much makes soggy pizza.
  7. Add cheese: Sprinkle about half the mozzarella evenly over the sauce. This creates a cheese barrier that prevents vegetables from making the crust soggy, and you’ll add more cheese on top later.
  8. Layer the vegetables: Distribute bell peppers, sautéed mushrooms, red onion, and cherry tomatoes evenly over the cheese. Don’t overload – less is more for crispy pizza. Arrange vegetables so each slice will get a good mix. Add black olives if using.
  9. Top with remaining cheese: Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the vegetables. This holds everything in place and creates that melty, gooey top layer everyone loves.
  10. Season: Sprinkle the entire pizza with oregano, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes if using. These simple seasonings make a huge flavor difference!
  11. Bake: Transfer to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown in spots. If using a pizza stone, the bottom will be crispier. If your oven has a convection setting, use it for even crisper results.
  12. Add fresh greens: In the last 2-3 minutes of baking, remove pizza and quickly scatter fresh spinach or arugula over the top, then return to oven. The residual heat will wilt the greens perfectly without burning them.
  13. Finish and rest: Remove from oven and let the pizza rest for 3-5 minutes before slicing – this allows the cheese to set slightly so it doesn’t all slide off. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil if desired, garnish with fresh basil leaves and grated Parmesan.
  14. Slice and serve: Use a pizza cutter or large sharp knife to cut into 8 slices. Serve immediately while hot and melty!

Notes

  • Dough temperature: Cold dough is hard to stretch. Let refrigerated dough sit at room temperature 15-30 minutes before using.
  • Pre-cooking vegetables: Vegetables with high water content (mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant) should be sautéed first to prevent soggy pizza.
  • Cheese moisture: If using fresh mozzarella, slice and lay on paper towels for 15 minutes to absorb excess moisture first.
  • Crispy crust secrets: Brush crust with olive oil, use high heat, and don’t overload with toppings.
  • Quick homemade dough: Combine dry ingredients, add warm water and oil, knead 5 minutes until smooth, let rest 10 minutes. No rising needed for thin crust!
  • Make it vegan: Use vegan mozzarella and skip the Parmesan.

  • Author: Samantha Nelson
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Italian-American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 slices (¼ of pizza)
  • Calories: 385
  • Sugar: 6g
  • Sodium: 685mg
  • Fat: 14g
  • Saturated Fat: 6g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 7g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 48g
  • Fiber: 4g
  • Protein: 16g
  • Cholesterol: 30mg

Find it online: https://charmingsnacks.com/veggie-pizza-recipe/