MARGHERITA PIZZA – THE VEGAN WAY
Everyone needs a little pizza break in their life in my view and if it’s on your meal line-up often variations are needed. This creation was inspired simply because every time I see a traditional Margherita pizza in its perfect simplicity, I think, “oh, I need to make that.” When this happens, be it with a drink or food, it’s a sure thing I need to satisfy the longing.
Of course for me it needs to be non-dairy and while a great vegan feta cheese like the Violife from VeganSupply is a fabulous melting cheese,
I wanted to give silken tofu a try. Marinating slices of the tofu and seasoning well with dried herbs and the results warranted the familiar… "Oh so yummy", response. Make this with vegan feta cheese or my protein-rich creation with silken Soyarie tofu! Recipe below.
The ingredients in this recipe are simple and I use ready-made crust to speed up the process. Pair your pizza with a salad or enjoy veggies with my rosemary hummus while you prepare this you have a fabulous main course meal.
To bake this pizza, it’s best to use a pizza stone. My go-to is my ceramic baking sheet bought decades ago from pampered chef. I love this pan and suggest you get one if you bake often. It’s grand for most all baked goods from cookies and roasted nuts or granola to tofu and tempeh, veggies and of course pizza. A parchment lined baking sheet is fine too.
INGREDIENTS
THE QUICKIE VERSION:
Four, 8-10in ready-made crusts or tortilla wraps
(I use Food for Life rice tortillas or local flour tortillas
For a home-made crust check back in for I will post one by early Feb 2021.
FLAVOR PACKED TOMATO SAUCE
1, 14oz jar or can pureed or crushed San Marzano canned tomatoes (drain if watery) or passata sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp organic olive oil
1heaping tsp dried basil
Pinch sea salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
TOPPINGS
Sauce from above
8 oz silken tofu, drained 30 minutes to overnight in a wire sieve and patted dry
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice or sauerkraut juice
1 tbsp organic olive oil
1 tbsp Italian herb mix plus extra for the pizza
1 tsp sea salt, to taste (less if using sauerkraut juice)
Optional: Sub tofu with 8 oz Violife feta if desired
6 large basil leaves, snipped or torn
Additional olive oil to brush crusts
¼ cup Violife Parmesan cheese, if desired
TO SERVE:
Additional fresh basil and arugula, torn or snipped
Dried chili flakes, to taste
Optional:
Teri’s herb infused olive oil
(In a glass jar stir together ¼ cup dried Italian herbs, 1 tbsp dried chili flakes and ½ tsp sea salt to ½ cup olive oil and store in the refrigerator using when desired for pizza, pasta and focaccia).
DIRECTIONS:
TERI’S TIPS:
Everyone needs a little pizza break in their life in my view and if it’s on your meal line-up often variations are needed. This creation was inspired simply because every time I see a traditional Margherita pizza in its perfect simplicity, I think, “oh, I need to make that.” When this happens, be it with a drink or food, it’s a sure thing I need to satisfy the longing.
Of course for me it needs to be non-dairy and while a great vegan feta cheese like the Violife from VeganSupply is a fabulous melting cheese,
I wanted to give silken tofu a try. Marinating slices of the tofu and seasoning well with dried herbs and the results warranted the familiar… "Oh so yummy", response. Make this with vegan feta cheese or my protein-rich creation with silken Soyarie tofu! Recipe below.
The ingredients in this recipe are simple and I use ready-made crust to speed up the process. Pair your pizza with a salad or enjoy veggies with my rosemary hummus while you prepare this you have a fabulous main course meal.
To bake this pizza, it’s best to use a pizza stone. My go-to is my ceramic baking sheet bought decades ago from pampered chef. I love this pan and suggest you get one if you bake often. It’s grand for most all baked goods from cookies and roasted nuts or granola to tofu and tempeh, veggies and of course pizza. A parchment lined baking sheet is fine too.
- Main course
- Makes 4
- Vegan/Gluten Free Options
- Oven 400-425F
INGREDIENTS
THE QUICKIE VERSION:
Four, 8-10in ready-made crusts or tortilla wraps
(I use Food for Life rice tortillas or local flour tortillas
For a home-made crust check back in for I will post one by early Feb 2021.
FLAVOR PACKED TOMATO SAUCE
1, 14oz jar or can pureed or crushed San Marzano canned tomatoes (drain if watery) or passata sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp organic olive oil
1heaping tsp dried basil
Pinch sea salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
TOPPINGS
Sauce from above
8 oz silken tofu, drained 30 minutes to overnight in a wire sieve and patted dry
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice or sauerkraut juice
1 tbsp organic olive oil
1 tbsp Italian herb mix plus extra for the pizza
1 tsp sea salt, to taste (less if using sauerkraut juice)
Optional: Sub tofu with 8 oz Violife feta if desired
6 large basil leaves, snipped or torn
Additional olive oil to brush crusts
¼ cup Violife Parmesan cheese, if desired
TO SERVE:
Additional fresh basil and arugula, torn or snipped
Dried chili flakes, to taste
Optional:
Teri’s herb infused olive oil
(In a glass jar stir together ¼ cup dried Italian herbs, 1 tbsp dried chili flakes and ½ tsp sea salt to ½ cup olive oil and store in the refrigerator using when desired for pizza, pasta and focaccia).
DIRECTIONS:
- Pre-heat the oven and the stoneware or baking sheets before assembling your pizza. Choose the higher temperature if you know your oven heat tends to run low.
- To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients and set aside. It's great to let this infuse.
- To make the vegan cheese, cut the tofu into thin 1 in slices and place in a single row on a flat plate. Mix together chosen juice and olive oil, drizzle over each slice then sprinkle with the Italian herbs and sea salt. Set aside.
- Brush each crust with a little olive oil and then evenly spread with the sauce right to the crust edges using the back of a large spoon.
- Sprinkle pizza with the basil and tofu cheese and season with additional dried Italian herbs, chili flakes, sea salt as desired. Top with Parmesan if using.
- Bake in the pre-heated oven on the upper and lower racks for 8-12 minutes or so until crusts are crispy. You may need to switch up the baking sheets to ensure crusts back evenly.
- To serve, top each pizza with a drizzle of olive oil and additional basil and arugula if using.
- Cut with a pizza cutter for best results and enjoy with your favorite beverage.
TERI’S TIPS:
- If desired tuck sun-dried tomato slivers under your cheese and top pizza with your favorite pesto.
- You can prepare extra pizzas and freeze, unbaked approx. 2-3 months well wrapped
- On-the-go or adding to a brown bag lunch? Fold pizzas in half making it a quesadilla.
