Vegan Supreme Pizza

A hearty, "meaty" pizza with seitan pepperoni and savory cauliflower crumbles, this Vegan Supreme Pizza is easy to make for quick weeknight dinners and will satisfy that craving that only really, really good pizza will fill. 🙂

Pizza is usually the answer to busy weeknights, late nights, or casual family gatherings. It's easy, quick, and most often consumed informally. Pizza was always one of my favorite foods as a kid, and now as an adult, I am always searching for ways to bring more intention to how I create and enjoy pizza.

That's why I created this Vegan Supreme Pizza. It's great for easy dinners if you use store-bought dough, or a pre-made crust, and a jar of pizza sauce.

This pizza was inspired by one of our favorite pizza places in Nashville, which features crumbled seitan and seitan pepperoni. In my version I use the same plant-based pepperoni, but I create "meaty" cauliflower crumbles instead. These two hearty toppings with sautéed bell pepper and mushrooms creates a soul-satisfying pizza that you'll be craving on the regular.

Why I Don't Add Vegan Cheese

Unless I am spending quite a bit of time creating my own plant-based cheese, I am not a huge fan of store-bought vegan cheeses. Nashville offers some local vegan cheese brands that are good, but they're not widely available.

When we order this pizza from our favorite local joint we always get it without vegan cheese and it is unbelievably satisfying as is. My belief is that if the toppings and the crust are good enough, you won't even miss the cheese!

However, if you simply must have something cheesy on top, you can easily sprinkle some plant-based cheese on this pizza.

Why You'll Love this Recipe

• Quick & easy! The only cooking required is sautéing the riced cauliflower and chopped bell pepper and mushrooms. Then simply assemble your toppings and toss in the oven!
• Hearty & satisfying: You won't even miss the cheese in this recipe! The toppings are "meaty," savory, and filling.
• No fussing with homemade dough: While you certainly can make your own homemade dough, this recipe is meant for a quick and easy weeknight dinner, using store-bought dough that is thawed prior to cooking, or a simple store-bought pizza crust when you're especially pressed for time.

Supreme Pizza Toppings

A traditional supreme pizza usually has pepperoni, sausage, green peppers, red onion, black olives, and mushrooms.

This version of supreme pizza features seitan plant-based pepperoni, savory riced cauliflower in lieu of sausage, sautéed bell pepper and mushrooms, tomato, and basil.

In my experience there are a lot of picky eaters when it comes to pizza. I leave out the red onion, as my husband is not a fan. 😉 While we like black olives...between the pepperoni, meaty cauliflower, and sautéed veggies, this pizza is stacked with delicious toppings that are bursting with flavor. Sometimes it's best not to complicate things!

Keep in mind you can switch up the toppings however you'd like. Add any veggies you have in your kitchen!

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients for my version of Vegan Supreme Pizza:

• Pizza dough: I use store-bought dough that I thaw for 6 hours (from the freezer) prior to making this pizza. You can also thaw the dough overnight in the fridge for at least 12 hours. To make it even easier, you can simply buy a pre-made pizza crust. I've even made this recipe on tortillas! 🙂
• Cauliflower head: I chop the cauliflower into large pieces that I add to a food processor to pulse into riced cauliflower. When sautéed with herbs and spices, this turns into a meaty, sausage-like flavor and texture.
• Bell pepper: Use any color you like! I dice mine small before sautéing to make it easier to eat.
• Mushrooms: Dice these just like the bell pepper before sautéing.
• Olive oil: Oil is used to sauté the riced cauliflower and the diced veggies, as well as to brush the crust before baking the pizza.
• Spices: To make the meaty cauliflower crumbles, I use freshly ground black pepper, salt, za'atar, garlic powder, paprika, and oregano. I simply cook the diced pepper and mushrooms with salt and pepper and let the flavor of the veggies do the work. 🙂
• Pizza sauce: To keep it simple I use a jar of pizza sauce. I buy an arrabbiata pizza sauce that adds a nice kick!
• Seitan pepperoni: We have a local vegan "butcher" in Nashville that makes the best plant-based pepperoni slices. However, you can find vegan pepperoni just about anywhere nowadays!
• Tomato: I love using juicy heirloom tomatoes, but you can use any type you prefer.
• Fresh basil: I add some before baking the pizza, with additional fresh basil when serving.

How to Make Vegan Supreme Pizza

Preheat the oven to 450F, or to the temperature listed on the instructions of your store-bought dough or crust.

If using pizza dough, gently knead and roll out the dough into a large circle or rectangle onto a baking sheet that has been slightly oiled (or use a nonstick pan, pizza stone or oiled parchment paper). If it feels sticky, I grab a handful of flour in my hands to rub around the dough as I spread it out. You don't want the shape to be too small, or you'll end up with 4 thick slices. But you don't want it so thin that you create holes. Put some love into it and be patient. 😉

Chop the cauliflower into large pieces, discarding the stem and leaves. Add the pieces to a food processor and pulse until you achieve riced cauliflower. It will resemble the look and shape of breadcrumbs.

Dice the bell pepper and the mushrooms.

Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in one frying pan and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in another frying pan. Heat both over medium heat. To the pan with 2 tablespoons, add the cauliflower. Add the peppers and mushrooms to the other pan. Stir to coat the veggies with oil, then add the za'atar, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper to the cauliflower. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to the pan with peppers and mushrooms. If the cauliflower starts to burn or get dry, add another tablespoon of olive oil.

When the cauliflower is slightly brown and translucent, or if it starts to crisp up, turn the heat to a simmer and stir occasionally until ready to add to the pizza. You'll know when the veggies are done because the mushrooms will be soft and juicy. Turn off the heat. Both pans should only require about 5-10 minutes to cook.

Spread the pizza sauce onto the pizza dough or crust. Make sure to leave the edges bare. Turn off the heat on the cauliflower and add spoonfuls of cauliflower at a time until the pizza is covered to the desired amount.

Add the desired amount of sautéed veggies.

Place pepperoni slices on top.

Add the tomato, sliced or quartered.

Add fresh basil leaves, reserving some basil for later.

Brush the crust with olive oil if desired and bake the pizza for 15 minutes. Be sure to read the instructions on your store-bought dough or crust and bake according to the time listed.

The pizza will be done when the crust is golden and the bottom is firm and slightly browned. The center of the pizza should not be soft. I use a spatula to gently lift my pizza so I can check the bottom.

Once the pizza is removed from the oven, use a towel to carefully hold the pan while you slice the pizza. Add fresh basil leaves, torn into smaller pieces

Variations & Substitutions

• Pizza dough: You can make your own homemade dough, use a ball of dough from the store (usually in the frozen section), or use pizza crust. You can even use pita, naan, or tortillas!
• Pizza sauce: You can make your own homemade pizza sauce, or use a jar of pizza sauce, pasta sauce, or pesto! If you use pesto be sure to read the label to check for Parmesan if you're vegan.
• Cauliflower crumbles: You can save time by using store-bought vegan sausage crumbles. This ingredient really adds to the hearty, savory flavor of the pizza, but you can skip it if you prefer.
• Seitan pepperoni: Use any vegan pepperoni here. This and the cauliflower make this pizza, but if you want to leave it out you can.
• Sautéed veggies: Get as creative as you want here! Any veggies, sautéed, roasted, or even raw will taste delicious. Try broccoli, caramelized onions, or add olives if you prefer a more traditional supreme pizza. 🙂
• Spices: I chose the spices for the cauliflower to create a "meaty" flavor, but you can get creative here too, using what you have on hand. Or, if you're in a pinch, salt and pepper will do just fine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change up the toppings?

Yes! Check my recipe variations and substitutions above for some ideas. Pizza is fun because you can truly put anything on top. 🙂

Can I add vegan cheese to this pizza?

Of course! I prefer to make my own vegan cheeses or buy local brands, but if you have a favorite vegan cheese that you know you like, go for it! This pizza is incredibly satisfying without it though. 😉

What kind of dough or crust should I use?

As much as I love the fun process of making my own pizza dough, it does require a bit of time and preparation. I personally love the flavor of pizza dough over a pre-made crust, so I visit the frozen section to find a pizza dough ball. If you see a local brand, definitely give it a try! Otherwise, you can make your own dough or use pizza crust. Be sure to read the instructions on what you buy as it may vary from my instructions below.

How do you know when the pizza is done?

The crust will appear slightly golden and the bottom will be firm and crispy, slightly charred. I use a spatula to gently lift the pizza off the pan to make sure that it is not soft in the middle. You may also want to check periodically to make sure it is not burning on the bottom.

Can I prep this recipe in advance?

If you want the prep some of the ingredients ahead of time I suggest preparing the cauliflower crumbles and the sautéed veggies! You could make these the day before.

What to Serve with Vegan Supreme Pizza

Any vegetable side or salad goes perfectly with pizza to round out a meal! Try one of these recipes:

• Grilled Peach Panzanella Salad (you can toast the bread instead of grilling)
• Heirloom Tomato Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
• Vegan Cheese Board
• Grilled Romaine with Vegan Caesar Dressing (you can use fresh, chopped romaine)
• White Bean Artichoke Dip

I also love serving pizza with Sourdough Garlic Bread! I reserve the extra pizza sauce and warm it up on the stove, then dip the garlic bread in the sauce as a yummy appetizer!

Storage & Reheating

Pizza makes the best leftovers, doesn't it?! It's one of Hunter and I's favorite things to enjoy for breakfast the next day. 🙂

Store extra pizza in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Use parchment paper or foil to separate the layers of pizza so they don't stick together. I think pizza reheats perfectly in the toaster oven (and it's quicker!), but a regular oven works just fine too. Place the pizza slices on a baking sheet or directly on the rack.

After you've enjoyed this recipe, don't forget to come back and let me know what you think in the comments! 🙂

📖 Recipe

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